family fun in St Louis

Bugs, Rhythm, and Blues at The Butterfly House

Bugs, Rhythm, and Blues is a unique, family-friendly celebration of St. Louis’ love for Mardi Gras, blues music, and the vibrant blue morpho butterflies.

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LEGO Club at the St. Louis County Library

LEGO Club at the St. Louis County Library is a free opportunity for kids to gather and have fun building with LEGO bricks. LEGOs are provided.

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Mercy Holiday Celebration with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

Experience the magic of the holidays with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra! St. Louis native Kennedy Holmes joins the SLSO to perform seasonal favorites and exciting twists in this beloved annual tradition. Even Santa stops by for a special guest appearance!

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Family New Year's Eve Party at City Museum

Visit City Museum for a New Year's Eve Party for the whole family! Enjoy dancing, crafts, and more, and sing your heart out doing karaoke to your favorite holiday tunes. To celebrate the new year, visitors can pop the balloons from the balloon drop at 8 p.m. to ring in the new year.

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Elf Workshop at the Kirkwood Community Center

Kids ages 5-12 can choose their own Elf name and join in on the Elf Workshop. They'll create handmade gifts for someone special (different variations of crafts are offered for different age groups).

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Grinch Workshop at the Kirkwood Community Center

The Grinch is trying to steal Christmas! Help grow the Grinch's heart by joining in on this workshop full of Grinch activities. Kids will make Grinch dust to help stop the Grinch from coming to their homes and other crafts, as well as Grinch cookies.

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Cocoa & Cookies with Santa at MADE for Kids

Celebrate the holidays at MADE for Kids and enjoy Cocoa and Cookies with Santa! You can take photos with Cocoa Santa and Mrs. Clause, create personalized gifts for family and friends and enjoy hot cocoa and cookies.

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Things to Do

Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Wednesday, July 29, 2026

The Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden is a beloved summer tradition that presents free Wednesday evening concerts under the stars.

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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.

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Music & Movement

Explore songs, finger plays, music and more during this free Music & Movement class for ages 0-6.

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Preschool Science Series at the Saint Louis Science Center

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.

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Wacky Wednesday at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

See spectacular performances and fun & educational demonstrations by kid-favorite entertainers like Babaloo and Oh My Gosh Josh and Mad Science.

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Dinoroarus Comes Roaring Back at the Saint Louis Zoo

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

Festivals & Fireworks to Celebrate July 4th in St. Louis

It's time to celebrate Independence Day in St. Louis and our nation's 250th birthday! Check out these family-friendly celebrations that include carnivals, fantastic fireworks, drone shows, parades and lots more.

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.

Your Guide to Free Outdoor Family Movies this Summer

Seeing a movie at the theater is a magical experience, but when summer rolls around, it’s time to get outside and enjoy free movies under the stars! Free family movie nights abound across the St. Louis area, so grab your kids, a blanket or lawn chairs, and get ready for some cinematic fun. Here's where to find them:

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Visit the Missouri History Museum on Fridays in 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 through July 31, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more detailed information on each day’s activities, visit the Museum’s website.

Make the most of the rest of summer at Upper Limits Rock Climbing Summer Camp! Our 5-day camps run Monday through Friday and are packed with climbing, games, water days, challenges, and new friendships. Choose the schedule that works best for your family with half-day and full-day camp options available. We're conveniently located in Maryland Heights and Chesterfield, making it easy to find an adventure near you! Save $10 on camp registration with promo code CLIMBINGCAMP2026. Come spend the rest of your summer reaching new heights at Upper Limits! LEARN MORE

See the Purina Incredible Dog Team perform extraordinary feats of athleticism and skill right here in St. Louis at Union Station this summer! Featuring some of the most talented canines in the country, the Purina Incredible Dog Team consists of more than 20 remarkably gifted dogs and two trainers who entertain audiences with extraordinary feats of athleticism and skill. Spectators can watch the team demonstrate a variety of canine sports while dogs of different breeds fly through the air to catch a flying disc, leap over a high jump, and maneuver through a series of obstacles in an agility course. Free performances are happening Thursdays through Sundays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Union Station's Performance Plaza in front of the St. Louis Wheel. Learn more at purina.com/purinafarms.

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