Illinois Metro East

American Indian Education Days at Cahokia Mounds

Learn about American Indian customs, beliefs, dress, crafts and arts at the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site.

Share the day with Native American artists, craftspeople, demonstrators and performers.

10 am. to 5 p.m. Free.

Stop in to Vetta Sports for a free open house, featuring soccer demo classes for kids, fun on inflatables, raffles and prizes and other fun activities for kids.

Soccer demos will be led by Coach Dave Fernandez.

Open Houses will be held:

Saturday, Aug. 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Vetta Sports Sportsplex in Belleville, Ill.

Sunday, Aug. 14 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Vetta Sports O'Fallon, Ill.

Free and open to all.

More information: vettasports.com

View this event »

Family Tree Community Fair

Touchette Regional Hospital will once again hold its annual health event and back-to-school kickoff for families in the Metro East. This fifth annual event includes free school supplies, free boys' haircuts and health screenings for the entire family.

In addition, there will be games, kids' activities, food and prizes. The Family Tree Community fair is free and runs from 9 a.m. to noon at Touchette Regional Hospital.

More information: touchette.org

View this event »

Frozen at the Tower

Anna and Elsa from Frozen will meet and greet little fans and pose for photos on the top two levels of the Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower.

There will also be Frozen balloon art provided by Jay "The Balloon Dude."

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $1 for children and $2 for adults.

More information: confluencetower.com

View this event »

Fireworks at the Confluence

See a stunning fireworks display from the top two levels of the Lewis and Clark Confluence Tower.

Tickets are $20 for the top level and $15 for the middle level. Seating is limited.

More information and tickets: confluencetower.com

View this event »

Fireworks at the St. Louis Regional Airport

Celebrate the July 4th holiday a bit early at this fireworks display at the St. Louis Regional Airport.

The display begins at 9:15 p.m. Free.

More information: visitalton.com

View this event »

Hummingbird Festival at Pere Marquette Lodge

Your family can learn all about hummingbirds, plus enjoy crafts & activities for kids, food and art vendors, live music, wine tastings and more at this annual festival.

Visitors can watch as local hummingbird experts measure, weigh and band the birds, and can also take a tour of the historic Lodge. Admission is free.

At Pere Marquette Lodge in Grafton, Ill. More information: visitalton.com

View this event »

Pages

Things to Do

Sea Lion Shows at the Saint Louis Zoo

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.

View this event »

Preschool Science Series: Storybook STEM at the Saint Louis Science Center

Thursday, May 1, 2025

Saturday, May 3, 2025

Sunday, May 4, 2025

The Saint Louis Science Center has expanded its Preschool Science Series to include new offerings for different age groups of young scientists. Storybook STEM is for ages 3 to 5.

View this event »

Music & Movement

Explore songs, finger plays, music and more during this Music & Movement class for ages 0-6. Some sessions are held in person at various branches of the St. Louis County Library. Some sessions are virtual.

View this event »

Twilight Thursdays Concert Series at the Missouri History Museum

Thursday, May 1, 2025

Thursday, May 8, 2025

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Free outdoor concerts are back at the Missouri History Museum. The Spring series of concerts features favorite bands, food trucks, and exhibits inside the museum that are open to the public until 8 p.m. on concert nights. Concerts are held from 6-8 p.m.

View this event »

Animals Aglow at the Saint Louis Zoo

Thursday, May 1, 2025

Friday, May 2, 2025

Explore the Saint Louis Zoo in the evenings at the Chinese lantern festival Animals Aglow! Animals Aglow returns to illuminate the Saint Louis Zoo for the second year with dozens of new, towering lanterns and light displays.

View this event »

See All Things to Do

Want daily ideas of things to do? How about special offers & giveaways? Sign up and we’ll handle the rest.

Popular Stories

Why Summer Camp is Great for . . . Parents

Being able to focus on yourself, your partner, and other people in your life who mean a lot to you is no small matter. As parents, we’re used to being responsible providers and caregivers. However, there’s so much more to a person: we’re also partners and friends. These are important parts of our identities that we need to cultivate. Sending your kids to summer camp may bring out your more playful side that you haven’t shown for a while.

Greenway Quest 2025: A TOAD-ally Fun Adventure for Your Family

It's the time of year to get outside (finally!!) and have some fun, and Great Rivers Greenway's Greenway Quest is just the adventure your family needs. This year, they partnered with the Saint Louis Zoo for Greenway Quest, a TOAD-ally awesome greenway hunt throughout the month of April. Plus, enter now to win prizes!

Want Your Kids to Learn? Teach Them It’s Okay to Make Mistakes

It’s normal for parents to want to protect their children from failure. It’s also normal to want them to achieve, win, and do their best. But here’s the truth: We don’t learn anything new without making mistakes. I’ll say it again. Making mistakes is a crucial step in learning. If we’re fearful of making mistakes, learning comes to a screeching halt.

Spring Break Camps Offer a Variety of Activities for Kids and Teens in St. Louis

Excitement is building for summer and the wide variety of summer camp experiences available for kids in the St. Louis metro area. But first! Spring break is around the corner, and there are plenty of Spring Break camps enrolling now.

7 Signs Your Kids Are Ready For Their First Sleepaway Camp

It’s time to decide whether to send your kids to sleepaway camp, but how do you know that's the right thing to do? How can you tell whether your kids are ready for their first extended stay away from home? Here are 7 important signs that experts say should inform your decision.

You Might Also Like...

Kids grow Fast—way faster than your budget. Keeping up with your kid’s needs can be overwhelming & expensive. You want to give your family what they need, and say "Yes" to the things they want. But, how?! Just Between Friends St. Louis Metro East (formerly O’Fallon/Belleville) can help! JBF StL Metro East is a twice a year, pop-up kids & maternity consignment sale where local families can shop and save hundreds of dollars on everything they need to raise confident, stylish, good-looking kids! Shop our Spring & Summer Sale on April 16-19th at the Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville. So you can stop running around to retail stores & garage sales and instead, get everything you need for the next 6 months—all in one clean, safe, organized space! JBF St. Louis Metro East helping families say "Yes!" LEARN MORE AND GET TICKETS

Vetta Sports Spring Break and Summer Camps are where every kid wants to be! Give your kids a full week of sports, activities and friends during their school's Spring Break or all summer long at Vetta Sports. Enrollment is open for kids ages 5-12 for camps in a fun, active, creative environment full of sports, games, friends and special activities. LEARN MORE AND ENROLL TODAY!

The 2025 Great Rivers Greenway's Greenway Quest is just the adventure your family needs. This year, they partnered with the Saint Louis Zoo for Greenway Quest, a TOAD-ally awesome greenway hunt throughout the month of April. Great Rivers Greenway volunteers have hidden painted frogs and toad rocks across the 135 miles of greenways in the St. Louis metro area and families are invited to search for them. To participate, look for rocks along the greenways during the month of April and if you find one you can take it with you. Then, log your rock at GreenwayQuest.com for a chance to win prizes from the Saint Louis Zoo and Frogwatch, including a grand prize winner of a guided Frogwatch walk with the Saint Louis Zoo staff! As a bonus, STL Parent readers can get an extra entry to win prizes here! To learn more about the Greenway Quest and how to participate, visit greenwayquest.com

From Our Sponsors