Things to Do in Excelsior Springs

In 1988, potter Michael Smith invited a small group of peers to his home to share ideas and further explore the art of clay manipulation. After just a few meetings, the group quickly grew to include around 70 craftspeople, who started meeting at the Kansas City Art Institute instead of inside Smith's giant conch shell. These regular get-togethers laid the groundwork for the initial incarnation of KC Clay Guild, a place where artists could socialize, buy materials in bulk, and learn from one another.

Now, the volunteer-run co-op is even larger. It occupies its own facility and has vastly expanded the number of services it provides. Amidst the changes, KC Clay Guild has remained true to its initial goals, guided by a mission statement to support the clay community. Artists of all skill levels enroll in classes that cover an array of techniques, such as wheel throwing, hand building, and slip casting. Members take part in regular meetings, open-studio time, and monthly shows, and visiting artists stop by to lead workshops and repair their ceramic automobiles. The guild even offers a scholarship to high-school seniors and hosts birthday parties, team-building exercises, and family-fun nights for casual potters.

As a fun, environmentally friendly alternative to a party bus, Pedal Hopper totes tipplers from pub-to-pub aboard a bike powered by the pedaling legs of its riders. A designated tour guide takes care of steering and braking as you and your friends cruise to choice watering holes at 5–8 miles-per-hour—a speed scientifically proven to be perfect for enjoying good times or air-drying KISS tattoos you won’t remember getting. Pedal Hopper routes are generally designed to avoid steep avenues, allowing riders to propel forward at a casual pace without the fear of losing control. Taking its cue from the original bar cycles that have been wheeling carousers around Europe for more than 15 years, the bike boasts LED lights that allow for night riding.

Founders Mika and Jeremy Fue have packed Kidzone's indoor facility with a 20-foot single slide, an 18-foot double slide, and an obstacle course that stretches more than 30 feet long through which youngsters can maneuver under their parents' supervision. Three trampolines and roomy bounce houses accommodate bounding tykes and double as landing zones for confused flying squirrels; an interactive area supplies toddlers aged 2 and younger with age-appropriate games. Parents can drop off their kids every Friday night for three supervised hours of pizza, games, and inflatable play, or host their child's birthday celebration with an open or private party package.:

During birthday parties at Pump It Up of Shawnee Mission, a white T-shirt is more than a fashion staple—it’s a beacon of light. The indoor play center, outfitted with bounce houses and inflatable slides, switches on LED lighting and black lights during its Glo in the Dark parties, turning outfits luminous without the hassle of a chandelier necklace. Customizable birthday parties can also adhere to pirate or superhero themes. Alternatively, sock-clad youngsters can bounce on the inflatables during open-play sessions, supervised by trained staffers and safeguarded by rigorous safety and cleanliness regulations.

Named Best Place for a Kid’s Birthday Party by the Pitch, and recently moved into a new and larger location in Tiffany Springs, Bounce House Moonwalks turns kids loose upon giant inflatables, interactive video games, a toddler area with a tiny roller coaster, and concessions. Parents can spend time using the free WiFi or hop around with their kids in the 24-foot-diameter spaceship that boasts air-filled aliens and a cockpit where kids can pretend they’re in space outrunning other inflatables. After zipping around the imagined universe, sock-clad tots clamber over, under, and through the plush tubes and barriers of the 72-foot obstacle course before cascading down its slide. Over at the Xbox 360 Kinect system, kids play interactive video games in which they use their bodies as controllers. Bounce House Moonwalks also allows families to leave the facility at any point and return within the same day for no additional charge.