To help limit the spread of Coronavirus and to support public health efforts, many family attractions have closed temporarily. In the meantime, we invite our readers to enjoy virtual events highlighted in our Things To Do calendar. When you do go out, follow public health guidelines: wear masks, practice social distancing and wash your hands frequently. To learn why social distancing is important and effective in lessening the spread of COVID-19, hear from Dr. Alexis Elward, Chief Medical Officer at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

St. Louis Family Events

The BOOterfly House: Bewitching Bugs and Botanicals at The Butterfly House

The Butterfly House becomes The BOOterfly House in October to celebrate all things creepy and crawly. Kids can spy on spectacular spiders, enjoy story times from Miss Muffet and see Live Carnivorous Plant feedings with Professor Von Trap.

View this event »

Trick-or-Treating at Clayton Businesses

Kids and families are invited to visit Clayton businesses from 4 to 6 p.m. for some tricks, treats and Halloween specials.

View this event »

Halloween Family Day at the Contemporary Art Museum

'Tis the season to be spooky! Dress up your kids in their best costumes and head to the Contemporary Art Museum for a haunted dance party, ghoulish art projects, face painting, a kids' costume contest, and special guests, including Louie from the St. Louis Blues. Registration is requested for this free event.

View this event »

Halloween Wild Walk

Dress up your kids in their favorite costumes and go trick-or-treating at businesses in the Wildwood Town Center! In addition to lots of treats, trick-or-treaters will enjoy free hot dogs, a costume contest, and giveaways. Free.

View this event »

Ferguson Fall Spooktacular

The Ferguson Fall Spooktacular includes trick or treating and a lot more! Families are invited to the Ferguson Community Center for hayrides, s'mores, lots of trick or treating fun, Halloween themed rooms, and more than 5,000 pieces of candy.

View this event »

City Wide Trunk or Treat

The Second Annual City Wide Trunk or Treat is fun for the whole family! This free event includes lots of candy and prizes for kids, three bounce houses and an inflatable slide, costume contest, face painting, games, a coloring table, fire truck and a DJ. Everyone is welcome.

View this event »

Opera on the Go Sensory Friendly Performance

Join Opera Theatre of St. Louis for a fun, casual and engaging afternoon of opera tailored toward young people with sensory processing sensitivities.

View this event »

Pages

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

Things to Do

Science @ Home with the Saint Louis Science Center

The Science Louis Science Center is continuing to ignite and sustain lifelong science and technology learning through its online Science @ Home series! Visit the Science Center's web site or social media channels for DIY science experiments that can be done at home, Amazing Science Demonstrations from the Science Center's Energy Stage team, connections to local scientists, astronomy updates from the McDonnell Planetarium, live chats and more. Content is designed for all ages.

View this event »

Magic At Home with The Magic House

The Magic House is bringing innovative, hands-on learning to you at home with its #MagicAtHome series of interactive, instructional online presentations. The Magic At Home series of activities includes lots of fun projects that you can make at home with common materials. The easy-to-follow directions mean your kids can make paper sculpture, do shaving cream marble painting, create make-your-own flowers, go "fishin," make TP roll animals, make salad spin art and more.

View this event »

Teaching in Room 9 from The Nine Network

The Nine Network is producing two hours of literacy and math instruction for prekindergarten through fourth grade weekdays from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. The grade-appropriate instruction is taught by local educators at home, and is available on your St. Louis PBS station, channel 9.

View this event »

Explore Purina Farms: Animal Connections

Monday, May 25, 2020

Purina Farms is bringing the best of the farm to your home every week! You can virtually explore Purina Farms through videos featuring the animals, dog trainers and others who work there, as well as the pets who work and play at Purina Farms every day. Each day of the week features videos on a variety of topics including animal connections, training tips and responsible pet care advice for kids.

View this event »

Explore Purina Farms: Trainer Tips

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

View this event »

See All Things to Do

Popular Stories

Parenting During the Pandemic: Overwhelmed and Exhausted

No, last Saturday I didn’t plant a victory garden or make a sourdough starter. I wasn’t the mom who created movie tickets and set up a concession stand in my house for movie night (seriously, WHICH ONE OF YOU DID THIS and how did word get back to my kids?). I stayed on the couch all day and hissed at anyone who invaded my territory. Like millions of other parents juggling homeschooling and working from home, I’m beat.

Saint Louis Zoo Announces Opening Date for Summer 2020; New Safety Protocols

The Saint Louis Zoo has announced it will reopen Saturday, June 13 with new protocols for visitors, including requiring timed reservations and face masks, and limiting attendance to better allow for social distancing. All Zoo staff will wear face masks and all guests over the age of 9 will be required to wear face masks/face coverings while visiting.

Sleep-Away Camp: Then and Now

Last summer, I was introduced to the wonders of modern-day sleep-away camp when my daughter spent a week at one for the first time. And let me tell you – these kids have it good. Real good. I went to sleep-away camp too, when I was a kid, and let's just say things have changed. Here are just a few of the differences between then and now.

Coming Soon: Why the Forest Park Playscape, Opening This Year, Will Be Much More Than a Playground

Since breaking ground on the child-inspired Nature Playscape in Forest Park last summer, Forest Park Forever, the City of St. Louis and their team of partners have been pushing forward on this much-anticipated project at full speed, constructing eight activity areas where your kids will soon splash, climb, build, and learn. Already halfway completed, this one-of-a-kind play area in the heart of the park is destined to grow children’s interest in the natural world around them.

Blood, Flood or Vomit: How I Taught My Kids to Be More Independent

Once upon a time, well before we had children, I sat down to have a conversation with my husband. Looking back now, it was a magical twenty minutes. Perhaps we talked about something somewhat important, like our monthly financial spreadsheet, or something extremely important, like what restaurant we were going to for dinner. The point isn’t what the conversation was about. The point is that once upon a time we were able to have an entire uninterrupted conversation.