Illinois Metro East

Open House at Vetta Sports

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 »

Blackberry Jam Festival

It's blackberry season and this family festival includes blackberry treats of all kinds and plenty of fun kids activities.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Eckerts in Belleville.

More information: eckerts.com

View this event »

Pages

Things to Do

Budding Artists Preschool Art Program

At this free art program for ages 3-6 the focus is on the process of making art rather than the finished product. Dress to get messy!

View this event »

Discovery Club at the St. Louis County Library

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Thursday, February 5, 2026

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Discovery Club is an exploration of all kinds of science! Kids ages 7-11 will navigate through the sciences with projects, experiments and activities at this free program. Themes include robots, roller coasters, potato batteries and more.

View this event »

Toddler Time at The Magic House

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!

View this event »

Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym in Cottleville

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Saturday, January 24, 2026

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym is an opportunity for any child to have supervised free play in the gym. They can work on existing skills, try something new, or simply play around. It is completely up to them! Open Gym is open to both members and non-members ages 12 and under.

View this event »

Gateway to Reading

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Saturday, February 14, 2026

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.

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

10 Family-Friendly New Year's Eve Celebrations in St. Louis

Who says you have to stay up late to ring in the new year? Kids can make some noise and welcome 2026 at these daytime and early evening celebrations designed just for families with young partygoers.

The St. Louis Children’s Choirs Give Every Singer the Chance to Shine on Stage

Something beautiful happens every time a child performs their favorite song. Even if they stumble over a lyric or tumble off key, the joy they find in exploring their musical journey can be felt by those lucky enough to listen. When hundreds of these young voices come together on one stage, that’s when something truly magical happens.

Winter Break Camps Offer School Break Fun for Your Kids

Winter Break Camps offer your kids a fun way to spend their break from school. They'll participate in engaging activities that will make their school break memorable. We rounded up some fantastic options for Winter Break Camps for kids of all ages.

Miriam Celebrates Neurodiversity, Supports Unique Learners

At Miriam School, students with complex learning differences are supported and celebrated as they grow academically, socially and emotionally. Miriam provides a tailored educational experience for learners in grades K-12 who have not found success in traditional classroom settings. Students’ challenges may stem from specific learning disabilities (i.e. dyslexia or dysgraphia), ADHD, level 1 autism, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, or speech and language disorders.

Ninja Central is for Kids of All Ages and Abilities

From the moment they step onto a ninja training course, kids snap into activation mode – using their athletic skills to jump, climb, and balance their way through physical challenges and activating their minds to out-maneuver the puzzle of obstacles that stand in their way of victory. That combination is a powerful one and equips kids with the confidence, persistence, self-esteem, and creative thinking skills they need throughout their lives. And now, with the opening of Ninja Central, a top-tier ninja training facility in Maryland Heights, even more young athletes will get the chance to reach their full potential.

You Might Also Like...

Step into 36,000 sq ft of tropical, action-packed fun - built for kids and grown-ups! Climb through a massive 3-story jungle gym, race down the towering volcano slide, bounce on trampolines, dive into foam pits, and explore a toddler area made just for little adventurers. Hungry? Their in-house cafe has everything you need to fuel the fun: pizza, wings, mac & cheese, funnel fries, a coffee bar, and more!

Planning a birthday? Celebrate big in epic themed party rooms like the Princess, Space, Jungle & more! Ditch the screens - plan your ultimate indoor adventure! LEARN MORE

Be one of the first families to experience Ninja Central's brand-new, purpose-built ninja training facility! Opening in January 2026, Ninja Central features state-of-the-art Ninja challenges – walls, bars, obstacle courses, beams and more. PLUS, register to attend the Ninja Central Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, January 17 from 2-4 p.m. to win BIG prizes, including three months of free tuition, and free Kid's Night Out and Open Gym sessions! All attendees can try out the new Ninja challenges & equipment, meet the awesome coaches, enjoy face painting, balloon animals and snow cones. Learn about Ninja Central's classes for ages 4 and up here. Register to attend Ninja Central's Grand Opening Celebration here. From beginner to advanced Ninja skills, Ninja Central in Maryland Heights is the place for confidence-building, not just muscle-building, for flipping fear into fun, and for kids who need space to grow, move, and belong. Classes begin January 5!

Plan your child's summer at the biggest Summer Camp Expo in the St. Louis area, featuring 60+ local and regional summer camps offering day- and sleep-away camp experiences all across the St. Louis region and beyond. Bring your kids to Summer Expo 2026 and learn about a wide variety of summer learning and summer camp opportunities for kids of all ages. The Summer Expo is presented by Parkway-Rockwood Community Ed, sponsored by STL Parent and STL Camps, and is open to all families from any school district across the St. Louis metro area. Admission is free! 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Parkway West High School. Stop by the STL Camps booth at the entrance and enter to win a free week of camp!

Learn more at summerexpostl,com

From Our Sponsors