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Explore Your Ultimate Guide to Kansas Adventures

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Adventure Begins at Home. Adventure Begins at Home. Experience Kansas Together. Experience Kansas Together. For kids, Kansas is a place of firsts—first hikes, first museum visits, first road tripsKansas that become family traditions.hikes, first museum visits, first For kids, is a place of firsts—first road trips that become family traditions. KANSAS! MAGAZINE is filled with stories, travel ideas, and kid-friendly discoveries that openisthe door to new adventures. Make it your guide KANSAS! MAGAZINE filled with stories, travel ideas, and kid-friendly to experiencing the Sunflower State. discoveries that open the door to new adventures. Make it your guide to experiencing the Sunflower State. SUBSCRIBE AND MAKE KANSAS YOUR FAMILY’S GREATEST ADVENTURE. SUBSCRIBE AND MAKE KANSAS YOUR FAMILY’S GREATEST ADVENTURE.

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KANSAS TOURISM, A DIVISION OF THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

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Laura Kelly GOVERNOR

David Toland

LT. GOVERNOR & SECRETARY OF COMMERCE

Bridgette Jobe TOURISM DIRECTOR

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PUBLISHER

DESIGNER ART DIRECTOR

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CONSULTANT

ADVERTISING DESIGNER

Bob Cucciniello DIRECTOR

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KANSAS! (ISSN 0022-8435) is published five (5) times per year by Kansas Tourism 915 SW Harrison St, Ste 250, Topeka, KS 66612; 785.296.3479; TTY Hearing Impaired: 785.296.3487. Periodical postage paid at Topeka, KS, and at additional mailing offices. Newsstand price $6 per issue; subscription price $25 per year; $45 for two years. All prices include all applicable sales tax. Please address subscription inquiries to: Toll-free: 800.678.6424 KANSAS!, 915 SW Harrison St, Ste 250, Topeka, KS 66612 Email: kansas.mag@ks.gov | Website: www.KansasMag.com

Hey, Kansas Kids! When I was your age, my grandparents gave me a subscription to KANSAS! TOO, which was a magazine just for kids. I learned about helium being discovered in Kansas … about dinosaur fossils, astronauts, cars and planes invented by Kansans, how Kansas used to be under an ocean, and how a Kansas farm kid discovered the planet Pluto. When I was a kid, that magazine sparked my interest in visiting different towns in our state with my family. And now, I get to serve Kansas as our lieutenant governor, and I’m still visiting and appreciating many of the same places. And it’s still fun. Kansas kids are the best in the world. You’re smart, tough, curious, creative, hardworking and kind. You can do anything when you’re a Kansan—even become lieutenant governor. We’ve created KANSAS! Kids to inspire you to do the next big thing. As you read, learn and explore the Sunflower State, I hope KANSAS! Kids will encourage you to follow your curiosity and— just like I did—find YOUR reasons to love Kansas and to build your life here.

POSTMASTER: Send address change to: KANSAS!, P.O. Box 146, Topeka, KS 66601-0146. Please mail all editorial inquiries to: KANSAS!, 915 SW Harrison St, Ste 250, Topeka, KS 66612 email: kansas.mag@ks.gov The articles and photographs that appear in KANSAS! magazine may not be broadcast, published or otherwise reproduced without the express written consent of Kansas Tourism or the appropriate copyright owner. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Additional restrictions may apply.

DAVID C. TOLAND

Lt. Governor & Secretary of Commerce

ON THE COVER Atchison Elementary School students (from left) Ace Allen, Lei’Aliyah Latu, Arabelle Schilb and Christopher Osorio navigate the night sky at the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum in Atchison. Photograph by Doug Stremel.

KANSAS! KIDS

Page 9 1-B, 2-C, 3-A, 4-D, 5-B, 6-C Page 21 He connects the Kaw people to the land Page 15 1-GEOGRAPHY, 2-GEOLOGY, 3-ECOREGIONS, 4-VERDIGRIS RIVER, 5-MOUNT SUNFLOWER

KANSAS! KIDS

ANSWER KEY:

The Extra Details

BOOK NOOK Where in Kansas? Dive into a new adventure! These talented writers from Kansas have created spellbinding stories about kids just like you … for kids just like you.

Not the Worst Friend in the World

by Anne Rellihan After a horrible fight with her best friend, where words were said that can never be taken back, Lou Bennett will do just about anything to prove that she’s a good friend. When a new girl suddenly goes missing, Lou must uncover the truth in this page-turning mystery.

Grab a grown-up and check out these awesome spots in Kansas ATLAS 9 Kansas City The new immersive art playground that lets kids step inside a rundown 1990s movie theater and use interactive technology to solve a mystery is an experience unlike anything else in the Midwest.

135

Ghost Town Treasure Hunt

by Abbi Lee After learning about geocaching—a real life treasure hunt that uses GPSenabled devices to find hidden treasures called “geocaches”—Layton Clark and his new friend Sherry set on an adventure to solve a 100-year-old mystery where they must use their new skills and work together.

The Cursed Moon

by Angela Cervantes One evening, Rafael Fuentes makes up the scariest ghost story he can think up and shares it with his friends. It’s all fun and games until strange things start to happen around him. Did Rafael actually bring this cursed ghost to life?

Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity

by Elizabeth C. Bunce Myrtle Hardcastle helps her governess solve a murder and find a treasure on a remote island off Scotland’s coast. This is the fifth book in Bunce’s Myrtle Hardcastle mystery series. To start from the very beginning, read Premeditated Myrtle first.

KANSAS MUSEUM OF HISTORY Topeka / This recently reopened museum shows off a newly renovated space and the return of popular displays, including their full-size tipi, a 1950s diner and a locomotive made in 1880.

FICK FOSSIL & HISTORY MUSEUM Oakley / Check out marine reptile fossils and more than 11,000 shark teeth, as well as fun, funky fossil art.

MILFORD FISH HATCHERY Junction City / This is one of the few warm water fish hatcheries in the country. Visitors are welcome to schedule a tour on the weekends.

WORLD’S LARGEST TOILET Lucas / Also known as Bowl Plaza, this is a giant working restroom wrapped in whimsical folk art.

Celebrating Route 66 This year marks the 100th birthday of America’s most famous road! Route 66 stretches more than 2,400 miles from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California. It passes through eight states, including the Sunflower State. In Kansas, you can cruise parts of this historic highway that launched a million road trips. Hit the road to stand on the beautiful Rainbow Bridge, visit the bank that locals say was once robbed by the famous bandit Jesse James, or see the vehicles that inspired the characters in the movie Cars.

KANSAS! KIDS

Made in Kansas

Story by Melinda Briscoe / Photography by Rachael Sebastian

Welcome to the

Dairy Farm!

See how dairy farmers take care of their cows in the heartland WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF A DAIRY FARMER? A farmer sitting on a stool and milking cows by hand inside an old red barn? That image is a thing of the past! Today’s farmers use modern technology to make their jobs easier. McCarty Family Farms is a modern dairy farm in northwest Kansas that is focused on two things: happy cows and a healthy planet. Happy Cows Taylor McCarty started McCarty Family Farms in Pennsylvania more than 100 years ago. Today, the farm is run by his great-grandchildren Ken, Mike, Clay and Dave. It is based in Rexford, with two more dairy farms in Kansas (Bird City and Scott City) and another in Nebraska. McCarty Farms is known for having the world’s largest herd of registered Holstein cows. (They have more than 35,000!) When you imagine a cow, it is likely a Holstein that you see. With classic black and white markings, Holsteins are the superstars of dairy farms because they produce more milk than most cows.

The McCarty kids say hello to more than 35,000 dairy cows at the family’s farm.

When it’s time to be milked, the cows get to ride a slowmoving machine that looks like a giant carousel. They walk right up to the platform, where a farmer gently attaches milkers before each cow enjoys an eight-minute spin around the barn. This happens three times every day. Some of the cows like it so much they try to sneak back on for another turn. Ken says the people working at the dairy treat the cows like queens. “Cows are the most important part of our day,” he explains. “We work really hard to make sure the cows are healthy and safe.” Healthy Planet Running a dairy farm uses a huge amount of water. The cows need plenty of fresh water to drink every day, and the farmers need plenty of water to grow crops that feed the cows. The McCarty farm sits right on top of an underground water bank called the Ogallala Aquifer, which stretches all the way from South Dakota to Texas. Pronounced oh-guh-lah-luh a-kwuh-fer, it provides fresh water to people in that part of the country.

“We also play music for the cows. They say to play classical music for animals, but we usually play country music.” –KEN McCARTY

KANSAS! KIDS

Made in Kansas

EVERY DROP COUNTS!

—Water saving tips courtesy McCarty Family Farms

Use a reusable water bottle to reduce waste.

Take shorter showers. Try to finish before your favorite song ends, about 5 minutes.

Run the dishwasher or washing machine only when it’s full. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth. You can save up to 4 gallons of water each time.

Don’t let the water run while washing your hands or dishes. Turn it off while scrubbing, then rinse.

Word of the Day

The Ogallala Aquifer is pronounced oh-guh-lah-luh a-kwuh-fer. It provides fresh water to people in western Kansas.

Unfortunately, people are pumping water out of the aquifer faster than rain can fill it back up. If people are not careful, it could run out. This is why McCarty Farms makes sure every drop counts.

1 Learn More At McCarty Farms, science is everywhere you look. Kids can see it in action at the Judy McCarty Educational Center in Rexford, which opened more than a year ago. It was named after the owners’ mother, Judy, who was a teacher. McCarty Farms uses social media to make learning about dairy farming fun. Follow the farm, the people who work there and even the cows themselves on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

meet the

Happiest

Cows

in kansas

Just like people, cows have their own personalities! Some are bossy, some are chill, and some love to be the center of attention. Meet a few of the characters at McCarty Family Farms. Beyoncé, the Diva She has style and knows it. “The Diva” always finds the softest, cleanest spot to relax and somehow stays spotless no matter what. She loves attention and is always photo-ready. Betsy, the Boss She’s the first in line at the feed bunk and hogs the back scratchers like they’re made just for her. The rest of the herd knows she’s in charge—and honestly, she kind of likes it that way. Julia, the Foodie Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack time—she’s here for it all. Julia can hear the feed wagon from a mile away and knows exactly when it’s her turn to eat. Dolly, the Social Butterfly Dolly is always surrounded by friends and loves keeping up with all the barn buzz. She’s in the middle of every herd hangout and seems to know exactly what’s going on. Noreen, the Nosy Cow Some cows are curious, but Noreen is on a mission. She never misses a thing that happens in the barn, and she is always the first to investigate. New bucket? She’s already sniffing it. Gate creaks open? She’s there before anyone else. —Profiles courtesy McCarty Family Farms

KANSAS! KIDS

Sports in Kansas

Story by Kari Williams / Photography courtesy Sporting KC

Soccer Sunflower State in the

The world’s biggest soccer tournament will soon be in our backyard

COOL KANSAS CAREERS Meet Jacob Bartlett, a 20-year-old soccer player from Overland Park. He began playing soccer at the age of 5 and always dreamed of becoming a professional player. Watching his two older brothers become professional soccer players inspired him to follow his dream. To reach his dream, he had to work hard and play a lot of soccer. He played with Sporting Blue Valley, a youth team in Kansas City, then moved up to Sporting Kansas City Academy, a program that trains young soccer players. In college, he played soccer for the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. His hard work paid off! This past year, Jacob signed a contract to play the next three years for Sporting KC, the Major League Soccer team based in Kansas City. He’s the 22nd player from Sporting Kansas City Academy to join the team. In his first professional game, Jacob played against the worldfamous soccer player Lionel Messi. He has also played against his own brother Lucas, who plays for D.C. United, a professional soccer team based in Washington, D.C. Want to Go Pro? It’s simple: Put everything into it. “There are plenty of sacrifices you have to make along the way,” he says. “You’re always competing against people, no matter if you know it or not.” More importantly, he adds, play for the fun of the game. “If you do that, you’ll find that you play your best and enjoy it the most,” Jacob says.

KANSAS! KIDS

Sports in Kansas

FUN FACTS ABOUT

Sporting •

•

• •

•

Kansas City was one of the first teams in Major League Soccer, which played its first season in 1996. The first professional soccer team in Kansas City since 1970 was called the Wiz. After its first season, the name was changed to the Wizards. In 2010, the team changed its name yet again to Sporting KC. Sporting KC adopted its mascot, Blue, in 2011. Blue is undefeated in dance battles and holds the club record for most hugs given in a single season. Sporting KC’s stadium, Children’s Mercy Park, opened in 2011. It was the team’s first stadium built just for soccer. Before that, they had to play in football and baseball stadiums. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City’s beloved NFL quarterback, became one of the owners of Sporting KC in 2021. For the second year in a row, Sporting KC will travel to the Coachella Valley Invitational in California, one of the biggest preseason soccer events in North America, to prepare for the season.

Test Your Soccer IQ! 1) How many players are on each team? A) 5

B) 11

C) 14

D) 20

2) What is the official term for the playing field in soccer? A) Ballfield

B) Court

C) Pitch

D) Grass

3) How long does a regulation soccer match last? A) 90 minutes

B) Two C) Four D) 120 20-minute 15-minute minutes halves quarters

4) What is the team uniform called in soccer? A) Uniform

B) Outfit

C) Suit

D) Kit

5) What does a red card mean in soccer?

A) Play must stop because a player is injured B) A player has committed a serious violation and must leave the game C) A time-out has been called D) The game is over

6) How many countries participated in the first World Cup? A) 5

B) 10

C) 13

D) 15

Answers on page 4

WHAT IS THE WORLD CUP?

The FIFA World Cup™ is the biggest and most exciting soccer tournament in the world. Like the Olympics, it happens once every four years. Teams from all over play against each other, and the two best teams make it to the championship game. In the summer of 2026, the World Cup is coming to our area! In June and July, Kansas City will host six exciting games at Arrowhead Stadium, including an important quarterfinal match. But the fun isn’t just across the state line. Kansas will be a big part of the action, welcoming thousands of fans from around the world. Some of the best soccer teams might even come to Kansas to set up their training camps to practice between the big games. Kansas City was one of 16 U.S. cities chosen to host the games. And it’s not just the U.S. that gets to have all the fun—Mexico and Canada are hosting games, too! Each country has its own mascot: The United States has Clutch the Bald Eagle, Mexico is represented by Zayu the Jaguar, and Canada has Maple the Moose. These mascots will be the faces of the tournament, sharing the spirit and pride of their countries with fans everywhere.

KANSAS! KIDS

Arts & Culture

Story by Debbie Leckron Miller / Photography by Dave Mayes

Bringing

Art Life to

Learn more about Manhattan’s coolest new playground for your imagination

WHAT IS THE MUSEUM OF ART + LIGHT? It’s a threestory museum full of amazing rooms that feel more like outer space than an art gallery. Imagine really tall walls that come to life with music, light shows and digital paintings that move around you. The best way to enjoy this museum is to go to the large gallery space they call the “Mez.” Sit in one of the bean bags in the center of the room and watch the movement around you. Even the floor feels like it is moving, changing from cobblestone streets to twinkling stars. After you’ve sat for a while, walk around to experience the different types of art, then stop by the Stay and Play stations on the second floor. There, you can make art inspired by what you’ve seen during your visit. These stations let kids use digital tools—think touch screens, AI and magnetic pixel boards. Meet the Artists The moving images were created by artists from all over

KANSAS! KIDS

the world. One of those artists, Dean Mitchell, loves to paint with watercolors. He brought 480 of his paintings to life in a 30-minute digital loop of his work. His art is realistic and includes portraits and city and country landscapes. In the video, his paintings come to life—flags wave, birds fly, cars drive by and street performers play music. One of the coolest exhibitions right now is a series of little animated monsters in bright, bold colors. They move as if they are in a giant flipbook. Museum director Erin Dragotto says “it feels like you’re walking into a video game.” These fun creatures are made by artist Des Lucréce. Des has lived in many different countries—he is a Vietnamese artist who was born in Norway and later moved to the United States. He uses his art to tell stories about how he feels like he doesn’t fit in any one place. His “monsters” represent the different types of people he has met in his life that were not always kind to him and his family.

Arts & Culture

TRY THIS!

Bring Your Art to Life

Turn your art into an animation, just like the artists at the Museum of Art + Light. This project uses stop-motion animation, which works a lot like a flipbook. This animation style is a series of pictures that change slightly in each “frame.” When the images are edited together, they appear to move. In this project, you’ll use original artwork from Dean Mitchell, an artist whose work is currently on display at the MoA+L. He has painted a series of works inspired by jazz music and musicians. Help this saxophone player make music by creating a digital animation of your very own. This activity requires a phone or a tablet, so ask a parent or guardian to help you get started.

Want to meet the artist? Attend a watercolor workshop led by Dean Mitchell! This special event is part of the museum’s Family Day, where the whole building will be packed with hands-on activities inspired by Dean’s art. Family Day activities are free with regular admission, but sign up ahead of time to attend the workshop.

Saturday, February 21 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

KANSAS! KIDS

Arts & Culture

Materials • • • • • •

Template (included here) Scissors A sheet of white paper Pencils, markers or crayons Phone or tablet Stop Motion Studio app (Scan the QR code at left and download it for free!)

Instructions 1. Download the Stop Motion app onto your phone or tablet. 2. Print and cut out the musician’s body, arm, and arm with saxophone as three separate pieces. Experiment with putting the body back together so it looks like the original artwork. Practice moving the arm and saxophone. You can also make the musician’s head move by making another cut to separate his head and body. 3. Open the app and use your tablet or camera to take photos of at least six different digital images of the musician by slightly changing the position of the head, arm, saxophone and body. (Click on new movie, then camera to take pictures.) Click the arrow feature to play back your animation. The more pictures you take, the longer your animation will be—take as many as you like! 4. Export or share your movie using the features on the app.

KANSAS! KIDS

Arts & Culture

More Art Museums for Kids

Get messy at one of these hands-on art museums across Kansas.

COOL KANSAS CAREERS

Sydney Bouhaniche is the creative director of immersive exhibitions at the Museum of Art + Light. It is his job to create the special effects and moving art inside the museum. He works with a team to bring the art to life in fun and beautiful ways.

KANSAS! KIDS: What did you love doing as a kid? Sydney Bouhaniche: I loved anything creative. I spent hours drawing,

imagining stories and experimenting with art in any way I could. I was always fascinated by how images, colors and cartoons could come together to tell a story. That curiosity is where everything started for me. As a child, we lived near a huge stone quarry in Les Baux-de-Provence (pronounced lay boh-duh pro-vahns) in France where they projected an art and music show onto the tall limestone walls. I used to go watch the underwater images they displayed there. It was incredibly impressive and mesmerizing—almost like I was underwater!

Baker Arts Center / Liberal Paint, sculpt and create your own projects at interactive art stations. Build a masterpiece in the LEGO building room or create your own light show with a giant Lite-Brite. Wichita Art Museum / Wichita Draw inspiration from the museum’s art collection, then bring your ideas to life in the PLAY space. Be sure to check out the museum’s puzzle challenges and experiment in the art lab. Mulvane Art Museum / Topeka Visit on Tuesday evenings or Saturday afternoons when the hands-on Artlab is open for watercolor painting, still-life drawing, printmaking and more.

KIDS: How did you prepare for what you do today? SB: I was inspired by my brother, who was five years older than me. I used

to watch him work in Photoshop, and I was fascinated by the way he could transform images. As an adult, I became a lighting designer and projectionmapping designer, and I was especially drawn to the idea that you can completely transform a building using nothing but projection and light.

KIDS: How can kids get started doing what you do? SB: Kids can get started by simply being curious and playing with creativity.

Today, there are so many easy tools (free apps, simple drawing programs and beginner versions of Photoshop) that let them explore images, colors and animation. The most important thing is to have fun experimenting.

KIDS: What is cool about the Museum of Art + Light? SB: It brings art and technology together in a way you can feel, not just

look at. From 5 p.m. to midnight each evening, we project the paintings that are inside the museum onto the entire front of the building. Experience a moving gallery of nearly 100 pieces in a continuous 20-minute loop. Stand back and watch the three-story-tall show.

13 Addison Durbin, 11, explores Des Lucréce’s “monsters” at the Museum of Art + Light in Manhattan.

KANSAS! KIDS

Science in Kansas

Western High Plains

Story by Nick Spacek

Western Corn Belt Plains

Central Great Plains

Flint Hills

Mount Sunflower

Verdigris River

This Land Your Land is

Geography is the study of how people and landscapes exist together. It studies the question “How does the land we live on shape our lives, farms and culture?”

Geography

VS.

Geology

Geology focuses on the earth itself, studying rocks, fossils and landforms. It answers the questions “How was this land formed?” and “How old is it?”

KANSAS! KIDS

Explore the surprising changes in Kansas’ landscape and learn about its amazing history QUESTION: IS KANSAS REALLY AS FLAT AS PEOPLE SAY? ANSWER: That’s a great question! While parts of the state may seem flat, a lot of it is actually made up of rolling hills. To put it scientifically, Kansas is made up of eight different “ecoregions.” These ecoregions are large areas, each with its own unique land, plants, animals and even weather. Here are just a few of the eight ecoregions you’ll find in Kansas. CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS This prairie landscape makes up most of Kansas. It’s covered in tall grasses and colorful wildflowers. There aren’t many trees, so you can see for miles and miles. FLINT HILLS Millions of years ago, this part of the state was under an ancient sea. When the sea dried up, it left behind flint rock. This rocky soil is hard to farm, so people didn’t plow or build on it. As a result, today it is beautiful rolling grassland. The

Science in Kansas Flint Hills are home to many animals such as bison, prairie chickens and hundreds of different types of birds. WESTERN HIGH PLAINS This region covers most of western Kansas and actually gets higher the farther west you travel. It doesn’t get much rain. Farmers here have to use water from deep underground to help their crops grow. WESTERN CORN BELT PLAINS Thousands of years ago, huge glaciers moved through this part of the state. When they melted, they left behind a rich soil made of tiny bits of rock and clay. Wind later blew fine dust called loess over the area, forming the rolling hills that make up this northeast corner of the state. Today, farmers mainly use this land to grow corn and soybeans.

WORD SCRAMBLE Unscramble the letters below to uncover words from our Science in Kansas articles. 1. EOHAGPYRG

—————————

2. YLOOEGG

———————

3. OONCRSGIEE

——————————

4. RREVGSIID IERVR

————————— —————

5. MONTU NOLSURWEF —————

QUESTION: IF KANSAS HAS ALL THESE HILLS, WHAT ARE ITS HIGHEST AND LOWEST POINTS? ANSWER: The highest point is Mount Sunflower in western Kansas, near the Colorado border. It’s not a rocky mountain but a high, flat area that’s 4,039 feet above sea level. Although it is on private property, the landowners welcome visitors to Mount Sunflower. The lowest point is on the other side of the state, where the Verdigris River flows into Oklahoma. Only 679 feet above sea level, this area is greener and has more trees and rivers than the drier western part of Kansas. If you do the math, you’ll see the difference between the highest and lowest points is 3,360 feet. That’s a big difference and proves that Kansas isn’t flat!

Did you know Kansas was once under an ocean? Millions of years ago, a huge shallow ocean called the Western Interior Seaway covered the middle of North America. Parts of Kansas were underwater and home to amazing sea creatures. Over time, the ocean slowly drained as the ground underneath it shifted. Today, scientists still find fossils of sea creatures throughout the state. In Eastern Kansas, they find fossils of ancient sea creatures with no backbones such as coral shells and little discs called crinoids. The middle of the state is hiding shark teeth and clams, as well as some of Kansas’ most famous fossils, including the mosasaur. The mosasaur was a giant swimming lizard that ruled the ancient seas as a top predator.

— — — — — — — — —

Answers on page 4

KANSAS! KIDS

Outdoors in Kansas

Story by Leslie Clugston Andres

Hooked Winter on

A kid’s guide to cold-weather fishing in Kansas

YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT FOR SUMMER TO CATCH FISH. In Kansas, some of the best fishing of the year happens when the air is cold and the lakes are quiet. Why Winter Fishing Works in Kansas When the weather gets cold, the fish don’t disappear—they just slow down a little. You can still catch bluegill, crappie, channel catfish or even bass in Kansas lakes all winter long if you fish a little deeper and stay patient. Winter fishing also means no mosquitoes, smaller crowds, and fish that actually like cold water.

The Winter Surprise There’s one fish that makes winter fishing in Kansas extra special: rainbow trout. They’re not native to Kansas and don’t survive our summers, so the state stocks them in more than 30 lakes and ponds from November through March. That means winter is the only time of year most Kansas kids can reel in a trout without leaving the state. Best of all, the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP) delivers trout to easy-access waters in city parks, state parks and community lakes. That means you don’t need a boat, waders or special gear—just a warm coat, a simple rod and a good casting spot. Some of the best lakes for kids to find rainbow trout include park ponds in bigger towns like Wichita and Topeka; state park lakes such as Perry, Cedar Bluff and Glen Elder; and smaller community lakes where trout are stocked close to shore so beginners can reach them. The state posts a full stocking schedule online each winter, so you can look up exact dates, lakes and how many trout were released before you even leave the house. Visit ksoutdoors.gov and look for “Trout Fishing Program.”

KANSAS! KIDS

WHAT FISH CAN YOU CATCH IN A KANSAS WINTER? RAINBOW TROUT. Only stocked in Kansas during fall and winter, they like chilly lakes and bite on small baits such as dough, corn and little jigs.

CHANNEL CATFISH. Kansas’s state fish doesn’t mind cold water and will still go for worms or stink bait, especially in deeper spots.

CRAPPIE. In winter, they bunch together in big schools, which means once you catch one, you’ve probably found a whole crowd of them. BLUEGILL. They may be slower in winter but are still catchable with tiny hooks and a worm. BONUS! If you’re lucky (and patient), you might find saugeye or walleye—two Kansas predators that wake up when the water cools down.

Outdoors in Kansas

Trout Permits, Limits & What to Know

Kids under 16 can fish for free in Kansas, but trout are the one exception. Here’s what you need to know: 1. Kids under 16 do not need a fishing license, but if they keep trout, they need a trout permit. 2. Kids can fish for trout without a permit if they release every trout they catch. 3. The daily trout limit is five per person, and rangers really do check. 4. Trout season runs roughly from November through March, and only certain lakes are stocked. You don’t have to memorize the rules. Just check the sign by the lake or the KDWP website (ksoutdoors.gov) before you fish.

How to Stay Warm, Safe & Not Miserable Staying warm matters just as much as catching fish. Here are some tips. • • • • •

Dress in layers. If you can peel one off, you can stay out longer. Wear waterproof shoes or boots. Wet socks = fast misery. Keep moving. Walk the bank, look for deeper water, or switch spots every 15 minutes. Don’t stand on ice unless an adult says it’s safe. Kansas ice is not always thick, even if it looks solid. Have a plan for warming up. Plan for a car heater break, a hand warmer or a hot drink break every 30 minutes.

144

pounds

Y O U R

W I N T E R

Tackle Box

Once you know where to go, the next question is what do you bring? Cold-weather fishing doesn’t require fancy new gear, but a few smart swaps can make it easier.

SMALL HOOKS AND LIGHT LINE. Winter fish can be picky and bite gently, so lighter gear helps you feel the tug. TROUT BAIT OR SMALL JIGS. Trout love dough bait, marshmallows, corn, salmon eggs or tiny lures. GLOVES you can still tie knots while wearing. Forget giant ski gloves. “Fingertip gloves” or fingerless gloves are perfect. HAND WARMERS. Tuck them in pockets so you don’t give up early from frozen fingers. TOWEL OR RAG. Wet fish + freezing air = cold hands fast. THERMOS with something hot. (Think cocoa, soup or tea!) BONUS GEAR, if you have it: A small bucket to sit on, a rod holder so you don’t hold a cold rod, and sunglasses. (Winter glare on water is real!)

17 That’s the size of the paddlefish that broke the record for the biggest fish ever caught in Kansas! A lucky angler reeled this giant back in 2005 in Atchison County. KANSAS! KIDS

Famous Kansans

Story by Gina DeBacker

Photography by Doug Stremel

What Happens When Kids Dream 18

Big? Meet the amazing Amelia Earhart KANSAS! KIDS

YOU’VE LIKELY READ THE NAME AMELIA EARHART IN YOUR HISTORY BOOKS. She was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She also tried to fly around the world, but she never returned. What happened to her is one of America’s greatest mysteries. She wasn’t always a famous pilot, though. She was once a kid who loved adventure.

Famous Kansans Before She Flew In 1897, Amelia was born in Atchison, where she spent most of her childhood living with her grandparents and little sister, Muriel. During that time, Amelia loved climbing trees, jumping over fences and sledding down snowy hills at high speeds. One of her favorite games was playing make-believe with Muriel and her cousins in her grandparents’ barn. When she was 7, Amelia went to the World’s Fair in St. Louis and saw a huge rollercoaster. She was so excited that she decided to build her own. With help, she made a wooden track and a cart. She greased the tracks with lard, then dragged the cart up the ramp to start her first run. She crashed, but she didn’t give up. She fixed the problems and tried again. Her second run was a success, and Amelia said it felt “just like flying.” Love at First Sight? Amelia first saw an airplane when she was 10 years old. She wasn’t impressed. Back then, airplanes were simple; Amelia said it looked like “rusty wire and wood.” But years later, when she was 23, she saw another plane up close. This time, she bought a ticket for a short flight that changed her life. The moment the plane lifted into the sky, she knew “I myself have to fly.” Amelia worked hard to become a great pilot. She broke many records, like being the first woman to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean. But in 1937, she set out on what would be her final adventure: flying around the world. After flying an amazing 22,000 miles, her plane disappeared over the Pacific Ocean and was never found. This daring little girl from Kansas didn’t just dream about adventure. She lived it.

CHECK THIS OUT Take a closer look at all things Amelia Earhart at the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum in Atchison. This museum is home to Muriel, a plane identical to the Lockheed Electra 10-E that Earhart piloted on her final flight. At the museum, visitors can also take a virtual flight as Amelia during her 1932 transatlantic flight. While you’re there, be sure to crawl into a replica of one of Amelia’s cockpits, read stories and flip through pictures of Amelia’s life, and take part in one of the museum’s many interactive STEM stations. ameliaearharthangarmuseum.org

A Clue from Space People have wondered what happened to Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan. Did their plane run out of gas? Did they get stranded on a hidden island? Did they get abducted by aliens? It is one of history’s biggest mysteries. One idea is that Amelia landed her plane on a tiny, faraway island called Nikumaroro, in the western Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Australia and Hawaii. She was likely looking for a different island but had to land there before she ran out of fuel. In 2020, someone looking at satellite pictures spotted a strange shape in the water near that island. After looking at the pictures very closely, scientists thought it was about the same size and shape as Amelia’s lost plane. When they looked at older pictures of the water around the island, they saw the same object sitting in the same spot. Could it be the remains of her plane? It seems like solving this mystery would be as easy as taking a boat to the island—but the Pacific Ocean is unpredictable, and the island is far from land. Also, researchers need permission from the island’s government before they can explore. All of this means that researchers need a lot of money and time to plan. A team from Purdue University and other groups planned an expedition for November 2025. But because of bad weather and permit delays, the trip was moved to 2026. Only time will tell if they can find answers. KANSAS! KIDS

History of Kansas

Story by Beccy Tanner

A Story Set in Stone

Learn about Grandfather Rock and the Native American tribes who share his story

AT FIRST GLANCE, Grandfather Rock might look like just a large, red boulder. But to the Kaw Nation it is special. Its story began hundreds of thousands of years ago. During the last Ice Age, glaciers pushed boulders far from their homes. One of these boulders, known as Grandfather Rock, landed near Topeka. Pauline Sharp knows a lot about this boulder. Pauline is chair of the Kanza Heritage Society and granddaughter of Chief Lucy Tayiah Eads, first woman chief of the Kanza. Pauline says that Grandfather Rock is a “he” and that many of the Kaw people, as well as other cultures, believe he is a living being.

Pauline Sharp played a major role in helping the Kaw Nation reclaim Grandfather Rock. “He called this spot home for hundreds of thousands of years,” she says. Photo courtesy Bo Rader, from the documentary series First People of Kansas Project

KANSAS! KIDS

History of Kansas A Sad Chapter in the Story In the Kaw language, Grandfather Rock is called Íⁿ’zhúje’waxóbe, or “Sacred Red Rock.” He weighs 56,000 pounds. For generations, the Kaw people would visit Grandfather Rock to pray. He connected them to their land and to their ancestors. But in 1873, the Kaw people were forced to move to Oklahoma, leaving behind Grandfather Rock. It became harder for the Kaw people to keep their old ways of life. “By then, the buffalo had been hunted so much, it was hard to have a good hunt anymore. Tribes had gotten pushed closer together, and they were all after the same hunting ground,” Pauline says. Then in 1929, when Lawrence celebrated the 75th anniversary of its founding, city leaders moved Grandfather Rock. For nearly 95 years, the boulder stood in a park in Lawrence. The city attached a bronze plaque to it that honored the founders of Lawrence. There was no mention of the Kaw people. The Journey Back Home After years of negotiations, the Kaw people reclaimed Grandfather Rock in 2024. He was moved to Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park in Council Grove, which is important because it was part of the last reservation the Kaw people had in Kansas before they were forced to move to Oklahoma. For the first time in 151 years, Grandfather Rock was back on Kaw land where he could hear the prayers, songs and drumbeats of the Kaw people. “The elders who come up here to pray and dance say the spirits of the ancestors are much stronger in Kansas,” Pauline says.

CRYPTOQUOTE

Grandfather Rock, called Íⁿ’zhúje’waxóbe in the Kaw language, was brought home to Kaw land in 2024. Decode this message to learn why he matters so much to the Kaw people. HOW IT WORKS: Each letter stands for a different letter. Spaces and punctuation are normal. Hint: In the code, C = E in the solution.

Puzzle: E

VLDDCVOJ

UCLUWC B

E Answer on page 4

OL J

OBC E

IPT

OBCSZ WPDK. L

How did Kansas get its name? Before Kansas was a state, it was the home of many Native American tribes. One of these tribes was the Kaw people. They were also known as the Kanza, and they lived on this land for generations hunting buffalo and living along the rivers. As early as the 1600s, French explorers traveling through this land made maps and marked this land as Kanza. There are more than 50 different spellings of Kanza, although some called the Kanza “People of the South Wind.” Pauline Sharp, chair of the Kanza Heritage Society, says it’s pronounced Konze, or konzay, in the Kaw language. “The second syllable is barely audible,” she says. Over time, the name was shortened from Kanza to Kaw, and the tribe became known as the Kaw.

AMERICA IS TURNING

250!

This year is a huge birthday for our country, and Kansas has played a special part in shaping its history—from Native nations to pioneer trails and “Free State” fighters. This birthday is a chance to look back at our shared past and celebrate how far we’ve come. Scan this QR code to find out how Kansas is celebrating.

KANSAS! KIDS

Weird & Wacky

Story by Gina DeBacker

The Giants of Kansas Meet some of Kansas’ larger-than-life characters

KANSAS! KIDS

Weird & Wacky Buffalo Bill / Oakley / 16 feet tall

William F. Cody, or “Buffalo Bill,” was a famous cowboy who grew up in Kansas in the late 1800s. He led an exciting life working as a Pony Express rider, an army scout, and a buffalo hunter. Books and newspapers shared exaggerated stories about his adventures that became so popular, Cody started a traveling Wild West show. He starred as the hero of dramatic stagecoach raids, performed mock buffalo hunts and showed off daring riding tricks. Today, you can see a giant bronze sculpture of Cody in the Buffalo Bill Cultural & Visitor Center in Oakley.

Big A, the Texaco Giant / Galena / 22 feet tall If you have driven along Route 66 in our state’s southeast corner, you may have spotted Kansas’ newest Muffler Man. In the 1960s, businesses across the United States used large fiberglass statues called “Muffler Men” to catch people’s attention. Big A, Kansas’ first and only Muffler Man on this short stretch of Route 66, was set outside the cool souvenir shop Gearhead Curios in 2024. He was designed to look like the shop’s owner, Aaron Perry. He has a friendly white beard, wears a bright green Texaco uniform and holds a big wrench in one hand. La Salsa Man / Dodge City / 26 feet tall Dodge City has its own special “Muffler Man” named La Salsa Man. His story starts with one of Dodge City’s most famous hometown celebrities, actor Dennis Hopper. (You can ask your parents if they’ve seen him in movies like Easy Rider and Speed!) Hopper loved these quirky giants so much that in 1980 he hired an artist to create La Salsa Man. After Hopper died in 2010, La Salsa Man was given to his hometown as a gift. Today he stands at the corner of Third Avenue and Vine Street.

Photo courtesy Liberal CVB

Johnny Kaw / Manhattan / 30 feet tall

Check This Out!

Head to Liberal, the official hometown of Dorothy Gale, to visit the city’s newest attraction: a giant slide shaped like Dorothy’s magical red slipper. Measuring more than 18 feet from heel to toe, this slide is a piece of public art you can play on. It’s across the street from Dorothy’s House and the Land of Oz, a fun museum that recreates famous moments from The Wizard of Oz. There you can step inside Dorothy’s farmhouse, survive a tornado and follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City.

RECORD BREAKERS! Each of these Kansas giants hold the title for being the world’s largest.

Story has it that a giant wheat farmer named Johnny Kaw invented the sunflower and carved out the Kansas River with his bare hands. Stories like this are called tall tales—fun, exaggerated stories that explain how parts of our country came to be. George Filinger created the character of Johnny Kaw in 1955. It was a fun way to celebrate the city of Manhattan’s 100th anniversary. About 11 years later, the community built a statue of Johnny Kaw. You can see the statue in City Park; he has bright yellow hair and a scythe, a giant tool for cutting crops.

Big Brutus / West Mineral The largest electric coal shovel in the world is 16 stories tall

Keeper of the Plains / Wichita / 44 feet tall

Ball of Twine / Cawker City

In 1976, the United States turned 200 years old! To celebrate, the city of Wichita installed The Keeper of the Plains, a statue of a Native American whose hands are stretched toward the sky. A well-known Native American artist, Blackbear Bison, created this steel giant, which has become a symbol of the city. Every night, five fire drums around the statue are lit in a dramatic display. To learn more about the statue and Native American culture, visit the Mid-American All-Indian Center, which is a short stroll from the statue.

Salt Shaker / Lyons Is 64 times larger than a tabletop salt shaker

Weighs more than 17,000 pounds

Belt Buckle / Abilene Measures nearly 20 feet wide and 14 feet tall Easel / Goodland An 80-foot-tall recreation of Vincent Van Gogh’s Three Sunflowers in a Vase KANSAS! KIDS

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Did you know? Dwight D. Eisenhower grew up in Abilene and became a famous military general and the 34th president of the United States. Susanna Salter of Argonia was the first woman elected as mayor in the United States. Kansas is home to 29 beautiful State Parks. They are a great way for your family to spend time outdoors together.