family fun in St Louis 2024

Creative Play + Story Time at Craft Alliance

Visit Craft Alliance for a drop-in story time and fun, hands-on crafts at Story Time + Creative Play. These drop-in session are free and designed for kids ages 5-9.

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Chesterfield Fall Festival at Chesterfield Amphitheater

Enjoy tons of family fun at Chesterfield's Fall Festival. There will be live music, miniature pony rides, a petting zoo, carnival rides, pumpkin painting, a mechanical bull, balloon twisters, a photo booth, hay rides and plenty of festival food. Visit the vendor area to shop for crafts, too.

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Mondays at Mastodon

Mondays at Mastodon is a free summer program for elementary-age children to learn about nature, history, and have fun at Mastodon State Park. Themes include Ancient Art, Glorious Games, Finding Fossils, Writing in the Woods and more.

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Movies in the Park

Catch an outdoor family movie at Brentwood Park. Fun activities begin at 7 p.m. and the movie starts at dusk.

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Music Mondays and Water Features at Citygarden

Enjoy a free concert at Citygarden for Music Mondays and the kids can enjoy the water features, including the Spray Plaza, Voyage Pool, Waterfall and Entry Plaza.

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Splash & Play at the Chesterfield Family Aquatic Center

Kids ages 0-5 can splash and play in the leisure pool at the Chesterfield Family Aquatic Center during Splash & Play sessions. Splash & Play is held every Monday and Wednesday in the summer through August 7. Older children, ages 6-1, are welcome when they are accompanied by an adult and a child age 0-5.

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SUE: The T. rex Experience Opens at the Saint Louis Science Center

Starting June 8, families can meet Sue, the most complete, best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex ever found, as the Saint Louis Science Center welcomes SUE: The T. rex Experience. The special exhibition features the latest scientific discoveries about the species as a whole, as well immersive, sensory exploration of life in the Cretaceous period.

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Things to Do

Planetarium Shows at the James S. McDonnell Planetarium in Forest Park

Visit the James S. McDonnell Planetarium in Forest Park and see a star show to experience the largest artificial sky in the Western Hemisphere. Star shows are lead LIVE by one of the Planetarium's educators, creating a new and tailored experience for every audience.

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Water Waddlers Outdoor Drop-In Swim

Splash and play with your little one in this fun morning activity. No registration is necessary.

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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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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!

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Free Family Night at The Magic House

Friday, June 20, 2025

Friday, July 18, 2025

Come play at The Magic House for free during Emerson Free Family Night. Capacity is limited.

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Summer Fun in St. Louis Starts Now! Your Guide to Family Fun this June

For many St. Louis families, the start of June represents the real start of summer. That's when the summer fun really starts to kick in, and the fact that so many activities and attractions are free is just a bonus!

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.

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.

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.

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Visit the Missouri History Museum on Wednesdays and Fridays in June and July for their Summer Family Fun Series! On Wednesdays, enjoy a variety of free family activities, including crafts, performances, and scavenger hunts, all are tied into Museum exhibits and centered on a different theme each week. Learn about Caribbean, Latin American, and German cultures in STL, discover Missouri’s trains, planes and other forms of transportation innovation, celebrate the 10th anniversary of the History Clubhouse, and more! Fridays feature Storytelling in the Museum and Cuentos en el Museo programs followed by a drop-in craft workshop. Hear classic American folktales, stories about Juneteenth, sweet treats and the 1904 World’s Fair, as well as other topics that families will love. The series is appropriate for children ages 2–12. For more detailed information on each day’s activities, visit the Museum’s website. Please note there is no program on Wednesday, July 2.

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!

From arts, to STEM, to nature, sports and beyond, you'll find the best summer adventures for your kids in our Summer Camp Guide. Enroll now and plan your family's best summer yet. Our Summer Camp Guide is searchable for your child's interests, age, your location, whether you need before and after-care, and even for specific weeks. You'll find exciting opportunities for kids ages 3 to teenagers. Check our Summer Camp Guide now to get started!

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