Ten wallet-friendly things for families to do in Wichita during the holiday break
When I consulted two of my in-house experts on things for kids to do over the holiday break, my preteen and teenage granddaughters reminded me of two things that should be considered.
One is that free or fairly cheap activities are appreciated by parents after holiday spending has put a dent in family budgets and the other is that it’s fun to do things as a family and make memories.
Here are some activities that hit the mark on either one or both criteria.
1. Painting party
Enroll the kids in a one-hour, in-person paint session at Paint the Towne to create Christmas- or winter-themed painting or opt to purchase discounted at-home kits featuring the same themes. I’m looking at the latter option since we can turn it into a family activity by purchasing a variety of kits and having a paint party when it’s convenient. The kids’ in-person paint sessions (for ages 5 and older) cost $10 and are scheduled for 10 a.m. Dec. 20 through 23 and 27 through 31 at the Paint the Towne east-side location, 1625 S. Rock Road. The at-home option is $8 per kit; pickups are Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the east-side studio. Another upside for this activity: You’ll get holiday decorations you can enjoy for years to come. More info: 316-425-1941 or paintthetowne.com
2. Playing games
Board games are awesome family activities, but if your home inventory is limited and you’d like to try out some different options before committing to buy as holiday gifts, check out the free Dec. 17 board game night from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center, 7001 W. 21st St. “Bonding through Board Games” is a regularly occurring event hosted by the K-State Research and Extension Office throughout the year but this next one has some other features: a visit by Santa and a live reindeer, plus cookies and hot cocoa. It’s a come-and-go event, and some games can be played in as little as 15 minutes. If you’d rather explore new games at home, Liz Brunscheen-Cartagena, a board game aficionado and the extension center agent who founded the event, has compiled a list of board games for the extension center’s website (https://www.sedgwick.k-state.edu/), found in the Home and Life relationships section, that provides descriptions and player information.
3. Exploring art
While Saturdays usually mean free admission at the Wichita Art Museum, the only free Saturday during this year’s holiday break is Dec. 18 since Christmas and New Year’s fall on Saturdays this year and the museum’s “closed for major holidays policy” applies. However, WAM’s annual free Winter Art Mania is Sunday, Dec. 26, with special kid- and family-friendly artmaking activities happening from 1 to 4 p.m. WAM has several exhibitions on display, with most ongoing or ending in a few months, but the traveling “B.J.O. Nordfeldt: American Internationalist” exhibition is in its final weeks, closing Jan. 6. More info: 316-268-4921 or wichitaartmuseum.org
4. Family fun
Available for up to six people, the ongoing family packages for either go-karts, a virtual reality game or 90 minutes of bowling at The Alley, 11413 E. 13th St. N., can be an affordable holiday break option. Depending on the activity, the packages range from $50 to $80, and each package comes with a $15 arcade game. Keep in mind that the packages are on a first-come, first-serve walk-in basis. More info: 316-618-1000 or thealleywichita.com
5. Skating
Lace up skates at either the Wichita Ice Center, 505 W. Maple, (wichitaicecenter.com) or Carousel Skate, 312 N. West, (carouselsk8ks.com/public-skating-sessions), both of which have extended public skating hours during the holiday break. For a wallet-friendly option, the Wichita Ice Center reduces its Tuesday night admission to $2; at other times admission ranges from $5 to $7. Carousel Skate offers ala carte skating or play zone pricing, ranging from $6.99 to $11.99, or discounted ultimate pass bundles that include skating, skate rental, play zone and an arcade card for $14.99 on weekdays and $19.99 for weekends.
6. Zoo behind the scenes
Visit the Sedgwick County Zoo on Dec. 22 and 29 and take advantage of the zoo’s current $3 Winter Wednesday special admission price. Another budget-friendly option for kids in grades one through five is the Saturday, Dec. 18, Junior Behind the Scenes activity. During the 90-minute event, starting at 2 p.m., students will learn what happens behind the “Employees Only” signs. Cost is $9 for nonmembers, $7 for members. While regular admission applies, the zoo is one of the few attractions open on Christmas and New Year’s Day, if you’re in the mood for a holiday outing. More info: 316-660-9453 or scz.org
7. Carillion concert
For a unique and historical event, check out the Bloomfield Carillon Concert from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 23. Not only is it free, but the best seats in the house for this concert are outside — you can even stay in your car. Pack a lunch and some hot cocoa to enjoy. The carillon is located in a tiny fifth-floor room of the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main, and the organ and bell music is broadcast by speakers across downtown Wichita. There’s ample parking around the museum, with Century II and Waterwalk parking lots nearby. The concerts on select holidays have been performed on the carillon since the first one was installed in 1954.
8. Looking ahead
The Wichita Public Library is offering an activity suitable for kids ages 12 to 18 that will not only keep them busy from 4 to 5 pm. Dec. 30, but also will have them looking forward to 2022. In the “Teen Take and Make: New Year’s Vision Board” session, they’ll get some practical advice about setting goals and priorities and then express them in a creative, visual way using kit material that’s available for pickup at the Advanced Learning Library downtown one week before the program. Another free event aimed at the teen demographic is the two-hour Zoom gaming session “Teen Dungeons and Dragons” starting at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 27. Registration required. More info: 316-261-8500 or wichitalibrary.org/events
9. Retro gaming
Introduce your kids to the popular arcade games of the 1980s and ‘90s, with the daily $10 unlimited pass per person at The Arcade, 139 N. Mead. Admission for kids 10 and under is $8. All the games, except pinball, are set on free play so you can play as long as you like. Pinball is 50 cents per game. More info: 316-844-0010 or thearcadewichita.com
10. Explore outside
If the nice weather holds, consider a free, chill activity like exploring one of Wichita’s more than 140 parks or checking out the plentiful urban art. Both nature and human-made art will make great backgrounds for some family photos. There’s a wildlife habitat at Central Riverside Park plus lots of nature and hiking trails, for example. To find out more about Wichita’s parks, visit the Wichita Park and Rec website (wichita.gov/ParkandRec. Visit muralsofwichita.com to find locations of various murals and hop in the car to check them out in person.