Delight in brilliant, colorful light displays with spectacular photo opportunities throughout the Zoo during Wild Lights. Walk through two tunnels with dazzling lights, and enjoy themed displays featuring snowflakes, candy canes, gumdrops, penguins, polar bears, tigers, giraffes and much more at this St. Louis family-favorite holiday tradition. New this year: Visits with Santa!
Santa is visiting Clementine's to share some frosty treats and photo ops with your kids!
Ring in 2026 with your littles at the Edwardsville Children's Museum! Put on your party clothes and get ready to celebrate New Year's with crafts, face painting, party hats, sensory bins and a balloon drop at noon.
Mrs. Claus is the host for this year's dinner at the Saint Louis Zoo! Families can enjoy a warm meal with Mrs. Claus and other costumed characters, photos with Santa, and then venture out to enjoy Wild Lights.
Celebrate New Year's Eve with your family at The Lodge indoor pool. Guests will enjoy traditional New Year's Eve festivities including a countdown to noon with the dropping of hundreds of beach balls and a New Year's-themed backdrop for photos! Space is limited and registration is required.
Visit the Ballwin Golf Course for a meet & greet with Santa, hot chocolate and a festive ride through the course. Keep an eye out for the Mean Green Grouch and his silly helpers! Count the number of candy canes along the way for a chance to win a prize.
Those of us who can't stay awake until midnight can join the Missouri History Museum for a New Year's Eve countdown with two balloon drops! Visitors will enjoy live music, making crafts a super-sized story time followed by balloon drops at 11 a.m. and noon.
Splash and play with your little one in this fun morning activity. No registration is necessary.
See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.
The Preschool Science Series is an open exploration learning lab for young scientists, ages 18 months to 5 years and their families. Activities are designed around research that shows children learn best through play, inquiry and shared experiences with their parents and caregivers.
Visit The Magic House for Toddler Time, a special early-morning program for toddlers. Children age 1-4 can take part in exhibits and exclusive interactive activities designed just for little ones. There are new themes every week!
The Gateway to Reading program is a parent-child workshop that focuses on strengthening reading skills while engaging in fun, literacy-based activities. Participants will receive a free toolkit of materials to help children in their reading journey.