Illinois Metro East

Family Hike and Play Day

Bring your whole family to learn, explore and play on the farm at Family Hike and Play Day at Willoughby Farm. Explore the nature trails and then enjoy games around the farm yard.

Cost is $2 per person with a maximum of $10 per family.

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Story Telling in the Treehouse

Ike Day, a former librarian for the City of Edwardsville, will lead preschoolers through a wonderful story telling time in the treehouse at the Watershed Nature Center in Edwardsville. The stories are focused on teaching children about nature through storytelling and exploration.

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FredBird at the Farm

Cardinals mascot Fredbird will visit Eckert Farms in Belleville so he can meet and greet guests.

Bring your kids to meet Fredbird between 11 and 11:30 a.m. on July 18. or from 12:30 to 1 p.m. on August 8.

The visit with Fredbird is free. No reservations are required.

More information: eckerts.com

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Superhero Night with the Gateway Grizzlies

Celebrate the hero in your life at Superhero Night with the Gateway Grizzlies. Enjoy the baseball game, a costume contest, kids' pirate and superhero-themed games, a bounce house and lots more.

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Summer Safety Fest

Summer is the season for sunshine, sports and barbecues, but with all of that fun comes an increased risk of injuries as families head outdoors. Touchette Regional Hospital and Southern Illinois Healthcare are helping Metro East families enjoy a safe summer by sponsoring this free Summer Safety Fest.

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Flying 4 Kids Kite Fly

Enjoy a fun morning of kite flying and watch the Gateway Kite Club perform with stunt kites at this free event. The first 50 participants will receive a free goodie bag, and eveyone will get to decorate their own kite.

9 a.m. to noon at Joe Glik Park in Edwardsville.

More information: cityofedwardsville.com

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Live Eagle Display at the Lewis & Clark Confluence

Bring your kids to get up close to an American Bald Eagle. Your family can ask questions and take pictures while you see this majestic bird up close.

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower in Hartford, Ill. Free.

More information: confluencetower.com

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Things to Do

Suson Park Farm Friday

Friday, June 12, 2026

Friday, July 31, 2026

Suson Farm Fridays are the perfect way to experience all the fun at Suson Park! Farm Fridays include hayrides, fishing, farm games, candle making, barn tours, horse petting, Kona ice, balloon creations and more.

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Flying Bird Show at the World Bird Sanctuary

Take your family to watch birds of prey fly right over your head, meet the wonderful bird ambassadors of the World Bird Sanctuary up close and much more.

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Food Truck Friday in Tower Grove Park

Friday, June 12, 2026

Friday, June 26, 2026

Friday, August 7, 2026

It's the food truck event that started them all! Local food trucks gather for an evening of friends, fun, live music and plenty of great food at Sauce Food Truck Fridays. St. Louis' favorite mobile restaurants will be dishing out fresh fare and local brews in Tower Grove Park.

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Parents Night Out at Miss Kelly's Gym

Friday, June 12, 2026

Friday, June 19, 2026

Friday, July 10, 2026

Let Miss Kelly's give you the night off while your child takes part in many different fun activities, including games, obstacles and challenges!

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Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym in Creve Coeur

Friday, June 12, 2026

Saturday, June 13, 2026

Kids can work on existing gym skills, learn new skills or just play around during Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym in Creve Coeur.

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Kids Unleash Their Creativity at Hands-On Summer Art Camps

Your creative child may have numerous opportunities throughout the school year to express themselves through art projects and other hands-on art experiences, but what about summer? When the classroom is closed, what do you do? Send your child to an artistically engaging summer camp, of course!

Dinoroarus Comes Roaring Back at the Saint Louis Zoo

The Dinoroarus exhibit will bring prehistoric fun back to the Saint Louis Zoo this summer with 20 lifelike dinosaur animatronics and sculptures on the Zoo's Historic Hill.

Travel Back in Time Every Friday at the Missouri History Museum’s Free Summer Family Fun Series

There comes a point every summer when all that “free time” isn’t so fun anymore. Your kids are bouncing off the walls, it’s too hot to hit the playground, and every activity seems to come with a big price tag. That’s when the screens come out, and parents find themselves counting down the minutes to bedtime. Thankfully, when Friday rolls around each week, your family can experience a mini summer getaway through history – no travel required.

Summer STEM Camps Create Hands-On Fun + Immersive Learning for Kids & Teens

Want your child to learn about subjects in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), and have fun doing it? Help them further understand the inner workings of what's all around them by enrolling them in a STEM-fueled summer camp. You may be surprised at the wide variety of highly-acclaimed summer camps in the St. Louis area that put new and exciting twists on STEM concepts, creating hands-on fun for kids with the benefit of introducing them to some of the latest technologies in AI, engineering, coding and more.

Get Ready to Climb and Explore at These Free Big Truck Days

If your kids love to explore big trucks and vehicles, these upcoming Big Truck Days are a perfect weekend outing. They'll get to climb on and explore fire trucks, police vehicles, bulldozers, bucket trucks, ambulances and lots more.

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One hour a week. It doesn't sound like much. But ask any Olympia parent, and they'll tell you - one hour a week has a way of changing everything. Maybe it's the moment your toddler sticks their first landing and looks up with that enormous grin. Maybe it's watching your school-age kid tackle something hard and realize they can do it. Maybe it's your teen finding a place where they truly belong.

Those moments add up, week after week. At Olympia Gymnastics, we've been creating those moments for St. Louis families for 47 years. Our coaches don't just teach skills, they show up for your kids. They get to know them, celebrate their wins, and cheer loudest on the hard days. One hour. Big Impact. Olympia Gymnastics + Ninja | 9 locations across the St. Louis area. LEARN MORE

Our Summer Camp Guide at stlcamps.com is the fastest and easiest way to find the perfect summer camps for your kids! We feature camps for ages 18 months to 18 years of age, and for every interest you can imagine. Our guide is searchable for your child's age, camp location, type of camp, camp dates, and even extended care availability. Whether your child is into sports, arts, robotics, coding, outdoor adventures, musical performance, climbing or just about anything else, you'll find it at stlcamps.com! Book your child's camp sessions now! GET STARTED

Visit the Missouri History Museum on Fridays in June and July for their Summer Family Fun Series! Enjoy a variety of free family activities, including crafts, performances, food, movement, and more! All activities are tied into Museum exhibits and St. Louis history, and focus on a different theme each week. This summer kids and families can learn about Juneteenth, celebrate America’s 250th birthday, explore Vietnamese culture in STL, and discover the wonders of the Mighty Mississippi!

Storytelling in the Museum programs are part of the fun this year, with themes that match the rest of the day’s activities. Don’t forget, the History Clubhouse is open for play and exploration! In this hands-on family gallery, kids can travel back in time to the World’s Fair, Cahokia and more as they learn about the history of the city they call home. Appropriate for ages 2–12. Fridays, June 5-July 31, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more detailed information on each day’s activities, visit the Museum’s website.

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