The Ultimate Family Guide to the College Basketball Experience in Kansas City
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One of Kansas City’s exciting and unique attractions is the College Basketball Experience. 🏀
While it might be overlooked compared to other destinations, it’s a must-visit for basketball enthusiasts and families that enjoy being active.
Our family recently visited the College Basketball Experience for the first time, and we had a blast!
As a mom of four boys, aged 11, 9, 5, and 3, I’m always on the lookout for activities that entertain a range of ages.
Here’s what we loved about the College Basketball Experience, along with helpful tips for planning your visit.
College Basketball Experience Location
The College Basketball Experience is located inside of the T-Mobile Center in downtown Kansas City.
It’s easy to find with well-marked entrances
Be prepared to go through security before entering, so pack light to make the process smoother.
It’s also near Kansas City’s Power and Light District, which offers a variety of restaurants- perfect for grabbing a meal before or after your visit.
Parking
Parking near the College Basketball Experience is convenient. 🅿️
We visited on a weekday in March and easily found a spot in the adjacent parking lot.
You’ll need to scan a QR code to pay online, which is quick and hassle-free.
🌟 A bonus: you’ll receive a text reminder when your time is running out, allowing you to extend parking from your phone if needed.
Additional garages and street parking are also available nearby.
Pricing
Admission to the College Basketball Experience is $20 for adults and $18 for kids aged 4-17. Children 3 and under are free.
Tickets for the College Basketball Experience can be purchased online or at the entrance.
➡️ The College Basketball Experience offers family pack discount pricing on the second and fourth Sundays of each month so this is a great time to visit at a discounted rate.
College Basketball Experience Hours
The College Basketball Experience is open year round Thursdays-Saturdays 10am-6pm and Sundays 11am-6pm.
During the month of March, the College Basketball Experience is open every day.
How Long It Takes to Visit
Plan to spend about 2 hours exploring the College Basketball Experience.
If your family loves basketball, you might stay longer, especially if it’s not crowded. My kids could play on the basketball courts for hours!
The interactive nature of the activities allows for plenty of hands-on fun, making it easy to lose track of time.
If you have younger kids, you will likely move through the interactive experience much quicker.
Best Ages to Visit the College Basketball Experience
During our visit, our crew included kids ranging from 1 to 9 years old, and I’ll admit, the experience is best suited for ages 6 and up.
While there are some activities for younger kids, the interactive and hands-on nature of the attraction can make it challenging to navigate with toddlers—especially during busy times.
That said, my older boys loved the various basketball challenges, from free throws to dunking.
It’s an ideal outing for kids who enjoy basketball or are curious about the game.
If your younger kids are tagging along, you’ll want to plan strategically and keep an extra eye on them in the more active areas.
Activities at the College Basketball Experience
Lower Level Highlights
- Get In The Zone: This is very much like your typical basketball shooting game at an arcade. The goal is to try to make as many shots as you can before time runs out.
- Kids Court: Perfect for younger children, this area has a giant basketball and an oversized hoop. My 3-year-old enjoyed trying to make baskets here. The kids court is a ton of fun but can also get quite chaotic!
- Call The Highlights: Pictured below, this was my favorite section. 🥰 Here you can feel like a sportscaster as you read and announce the play by play of the last moments of a basketball game. The kids LOVED this exhibit as well!
- Gallery of Honor: A more educational section where you can learn about the players and coaches inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. It’s a quieter area to take a breather.
Upper Level Highlights
- Center Court: This is a full size basketball court that is open for free play. There are bleachers on the sides of the court for people to sit and watch. Luckily it wasn’t super busy when we visited so the kids had a great time playing on this large court.
- Beat the Clock: This is an exciting court where you try to make the game winning shot before the buzzer goes off. It even lights up a spot on the court each time where you have to make the last minute shot. This is super fun to try to do!
- Step up to the Line: Here you try to make as many free throws as you can in a certain amount of time.
- Shoot from Downtown: At this court you try to make as many three point shots as you can at different positions along the three point arc in a set amount of time.
- Throw it Down: There are six basketball hoops set at different heights for visitors to try to slam dunk. My kids enjoyed this area because some hoops were low enough for them to shoot with ease too!
- Measure Up: This is another fun area for kids where you get to compare your height, wingspan, and shoe size against that of college players.
Best Activities at the College Basketball Experience for the Younger Kids
If you have kids 5 or under, here is a list of activities that are best suited for them.
- Kids’ Court: This court is especially geared towards the younger visitors so kids 0-5 will really enjoy this area.
- Call the Highlights: Younger kids can sit in the announcer chairs and pretend they are talking or announcing the game. This is also a good photo opportunity.
- Center Court: Depending on how busy the College Basketball Experience is, the younger kids may enjoy playing on this big court. If it is busy, you may want to keep them away from it so they don’t get ran over or hit with a ball.
- Measure Up: The younger kids may also find it fun to compare their size to that of college players.
Tips for Visiting the College Basketball Experience
- Wear athletic shoes: You’ll be active, so comfortable footwear is a must.
- Dress for movement: Opt for clothes that allow you to jump, shoot, and play freely.
- Be mindful of younger kids: It’s best to visit when it’s less crowded if you have toddlers.
- Check the website for hours: Operating hours can vary throughout the year.
My Overall Opinion
We had a fantastic time at the College Basketball Experience. 🏀
As a mom who loves basketball, I enjoyed participating in many of the activities myself. ⛹️♀️
My older boys had the time of their lives, but I’d recommend waiting until your kids are a bit older to fully enjoy everything the College Basketball Experience has to offer.
If your family loves basketball, this is an unforgettable experience.
For younger kids, it might be worth waiting until they’re old enough to participate in more of the activities.
If you’re traveling without kids or have older ones, it’s an absolute must-see!
Save this post for your next Kansas City trip and share it with friends planning their visit!
For more family-friendly attractions, check out my posts on Science City and the Money Museum.
Or if you are looking for some free things to do, read my post on my 11 Free Things to do in Kansas City with your family!
Looking for a family-friendly itinerary? Here’s my 3-day Kansas City itinerary that is perfect for families!
May you love your adventure! KW
