Fall Fun: Haunted Houses

Fall Fun: Haunted Houses is coming to the Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library on Friday, October 16, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. It's part of the library's Friday Night Family Fun series, and this one is open to kids ages 3 and up, so it works for the little ones and the older ones together.

The activity is pretty straightforward: kids get to design and build their own haunted houses and then imagine the scary stories they'd tell about them. It's a craft project that turns into a storytelling one, and since it's open to ages 3 and up, it's one of those things you can actually do with the whole family on a Friday night. The session falls under the library's Halloween Happenings program, which is running alongside International Games Month.

That games connection is where the wider series comes in. Friday Night Family Fun is built around play, and the library describes it as a way to build critical thinking and emotional resilience through games. On any given night, you'll find families playing classics like Connect Four and Blokus alongside newer favorites, so if you've got a competitive streak, you're in good company. This haunted house session is one of the themed activities that fits into that mix.

Just a couple of practical things to keep in mind before you head over: the library may videotape and take photos during the event for marketing and promotional use, and they offer ADA accommodations if you need them. The session runs from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the Plaza Branch, so you've got a full two hours to build and tell your stories.