free things to do with kids in St. Louis

Family Fun Night: Explore Outer Space

Explore the cosmos with fun activities and experiences at Family Fun Night: Explore Outer Space at the St. Louis County Library. Members of the St. Louis Astronomical Society will join in for some out-of-this-world fun. Free for all ages.

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Family Day Block Party

Join the Contemporary Art Museum, the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, and the Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries for the free Family Day Block Party. This free event includes live performances and art activities for kids at each location in the Grand Center Arts District.

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Life in Space with the Challenger Learning Center

Want to know what it's like to live in space? Kids ages 6-11 can learn about the different ways astronauts have adapted every day tasks like eating and sleeping in the microgravity of space with special activities.

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Summer Reading Club Kick-Off Party

Kick off your summer with a party celebrating reading! These free celebrations include face painting, shaved ice, a climbing wall and lots more for all ages.

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Touch A Truck in Community Park O'Fallon, Illinois

Kids can explore construction trucks, a fire truck, ambulance, police car, bucket truck, combine, tractors, and lots more at the O'Fallon, Ill., Community Park Touch a Truck.

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Play Date Theater presents The Last Cupcake

Play Date Theater is a great way to introduce young children to the art of theater. Kids learn theater etiquette while being entertained by performers who understand the interests and abilities of young children. The performance is free. No reservations are required.

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Math with Clifford

After listening to a story about Clifford, children will sort the Big Red Dog's belongings to discover simple math concepts of counting and size order. This free workshop is for ages 3-5.

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Things to Do

Halloween Nights at Grant's Farm

Friday, October 4, 2024

Saturday, October 5, 2024

Get into the Halloween spirit with some spooky fun and celebrate with the animals at Grant's Farm. Enjoy Halloween tram rides featuring the headless horseman, Halloween lights, spooky scenes, Mad Science shows at the amphitheater, A Monster Mash courtyard dance party, a bone-chilling scare zone, lots of exciting photo opportunities and more. Costumes are encouraged.

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Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym

Kids can work on existing gym skills, learn new skills or just play around during Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym. Reservations are not necessary.

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Best of Missouri Market

Friday, October 4, 2024

Saturday, October 5, 2024

Sunday, October 6, 2024

The Best of Missouri Market at the Missouri Botanical Garden features more than 120 vendors offering handcrafted items, locally produced food, native plants, herbs, live music and local brews, plus a two-acre Kid's Corner with farm animals (like llamas, alpacas and sheep!), circus performers, face painting, crafts, and a pumpkin patch with decorating let by Perennial.

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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 hang out with Professor Von Flytrap and his friends in the Creepy Crawly Cave and have lots of hair-raising fun.

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Kids Art Night Out

Friday, October 4, 2024

Friday, November 1, 2024

Kids Art Night Out at Yucandu Art Studio features a new creative project each month, ranging from mosaics, to collage, printmaking, glitter, clay and more.

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Celebrate the ageless power of music with Disney/Pixar’s Coco on the big screen as your St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performs the movie’s magical score live. Inspired by the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, the film follows 12-year-old Miguel as he enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer, and to confront his family's ancestral ban on music. Don’t miss this evening where every melody is a memory, and every song is a bridge between worlds. Coco in Concert takes place Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. at Stifel Theater. LEARN MORE AND GET TICKETS

Lace up and leash up for a great cause! You and your dog are invited to run, jog, or walk in the Purple Leash 5K & Fun Run at Purina Farms on October 12. Compete for top dog in our 5K race or take it easy in our 1-mile fun run. Put your paws to the pavement and then head over to the TAILgate after party for food, drinks, music and more all while raising awareness for the Purple Leash Project. All purple outfits and purple dog gear are highly encouraged! The Purple Leash Project was born out of the Purina mission to bring and keep pets and people together and the RedRover® mission to bring people and their pets from crisis to care. Your support of the Purple Leash Project assists domestic violence shelters on their journey to welcome family pets by funding pet-friendly renovations. LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Olympia Gymnastics is thrilled to announce we've been voted Best Gymnastics Center in St. Louis and an All-Star in Sports & Recreation by the STL Post-Dispatch's Headliner! Your trust and enthusiasm inspires us every day to provide the best happy, healthy and confident experience for kids in our region. To keep up with our growth and bring even more joy to local families, we're hiring! If you (or someone you know) love working with kids and want to be part of something special, this is your chance! We are looking for administrative assistants, gymnastics & ninja instructors, team coaches, office managers, event specialists and more! Visit Careers | Olympia Gymnastics to learn more and apply today!

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Embark on an Adventure at SLSO's Concert for Kids: Wild Symphony!

Embark on a musical adventure with Dan Brown’s latest surprise, Wild Symphony! Travel through the trees and across the seas to meet a wonderous whale and impatient ponies, busy beetles, and an eager elephant—each with a special secret to share.

COCA Ignites Creativity and Sparks Fun for Kids of All Ages, All Summer Long

Stroll along the Walk of Fame in the Delmar Loop, and you’ll spot the playwrights, actors, and artists who got their start in St. Louis, from Tennessee Williams and Katherine Dunham, to Tina Turner and John Goodman. Just a few steps away and around the corner, a new generation of Gateway City superstars will discover their love for the visual and performing arts this summer.

Farmer's Markets Make Great Family Outings! Here is Your 2024 Guide to Farmers Markets Across the St. Louis Area

A trip to the farmer’s market is a fun outing for the entire family – and it can be educational too. Make plans to visit one (or several) of these top St. Louis farmers’ markets this spring and summer, so that you and your kids can learn more about where your food comes from and indulge in some of the freshest, seasonal produce the St. Louis region has to offer. Plus, many of these markets offer activities just for kids, feature food trucks, welcome dogs, and more.

6 Places to Find Fun on the Farm this Fall

Visiting a farm can be a real adventure for city and suburban kids. Getting up close to and even feeding farm animals can lead to lots of fun and unexpected learning. We've rounded up some tried and true nearby options where your family can spend a day in the country and meet some new barnyard friends.

SUE: The T. Rex Experience to Roar Into the Saint Louis Science Center

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