free things to do in St. Louis with kids

Budding Artists Preschool Art Program

At this free art program for ages 3-6 the focus is on the process of making art rather than the finished product. Both in-person and virtual sessions are offered.

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Unicorn Slime Time at Play Street Museum

Kids will measure, mix and stir a magical batch of unicorn slime! This event is perfect for children of all ages, and playtime is included. Little ones will take away a souvenir too!

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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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Block Party for Preschoolers

Your preschooler can stack 'em up and knock 'em down! They'll explore their inner artist as they explore the third dimension with a variety of blocks at this free workshop.

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Artistic Animals with the Saint Louis Zoo

Thursday, June 8, 2023

At Artistic Animals, kids will learn the ways that animals display their artistic talents and make some animal-themed crafts to take home. This free workshop is for ages 6-10. Registration is required.

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The Reptile Experience at Play Street Museum

Hop, crawl or slither over to Play Street Museum for a visit with Serengeti Steve and The Reptile Experience. Kids will have play time in the museum as well as a fun, interactive show featuring live reptiles.

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St. Louis County Library's Little Readers Festival

Celebrate reading at the Little Readers Festival. This free event features a variety of activities and performances, and kids ages 5 and under will receive free books and shaved ice. Activities will be provided by Ready Readers, the Animal Protective Association, St. Louis Cardinals, Nine Network, Florissant Fire Departments, We Stories, and others. Guests will also enjoy performances by Ms. Libby and storytime with Elephant and Piggie.

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Strawberry Festival at Eckerts

There are more than strawberries (but plenty of those too) at this festival! Kids can enjoy pony rides, carnival rides, a petting farm, wagon rides, inflatables and lots more.

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Sandcastle Beach at The Magic House

With the help of ten truckloads of sand, The Magic House's backyard will be transformed once again into a beachfront park for the popular Sandcastle Beach exhibit. Sandcastle Beach opens May 26 with a Kick Off to Summer event that includes ice cream, the Bubble Bus and a dance party!

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Omnimax Movies at the Saint Louis Science Center

Catch a movie or two at the Saint Louis Science Center's OMNIMAX Theater, where films are shown featuring the IMAX with Laser. This state-of-the-art theater provides the sharpest images, unmatched sound quality and 40% greater color range than traditional theaters. The five-story, 80-foot-diameter dome will fill your entire field of vision providing a truly immersive experience. Opening May 24: The Little Mermaid: The IMAX Experience.

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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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Sea Lion Shows at the Saint Louis Zoo

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Unleashing Potential’s summer enrichment programs provide learners with endless opportunities for discovery in a fun, safe, and nurturing environment! Our programs deliver learning experiences that are hands-on, innovative, and challenge children mentally and physically. For scholars entering 1-5 grades, each week will highlight characteristics from other parts of our world while focusing on Character Development, geospatial content, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). Older scholars, children in grades 6-8, will work with technology, such as Microbits and Raspberry Pi, geospatial content with Story Mapping, and Project-Based Learning to impact our community through Design for Change. Students will discover their superpowers through the use of creative play. Programs are $100 per week and scholarships are available! LEARN MORE

Stretch your legs at the Purina Farms outdoor show fields on Saturday, June 17 or Sunday, June 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day for Dog Day Out. Try out a variety of canine sports, games, and activities designed to challenge your dog mentally and physically. There's something for dogs of every size and energy level to enjoy with over 10 stations to explore including Flying Disc, Lure Coursing, Canine Obstacle Course, Furbol Futbol, Dock Diving and more! Advance registration is required. No walk-up registration will be allowed for this event. Cost for the first dog is $20. Additional dogs are $15 each. Maximum of four dogs per registration. Additionally, $1 of each pup's registration fee will be donated to Five Acres Animal Shelter. There is no charge for parking. People are free. Register at purinafarms.com

Play all day and have fun at work! Working at Vetta Sports is more than a job – it's an opportunity for teamwork and leadership development in a positive, people-focused environment. Vetta Sports is unique in ways that allow our employees to be active and are hired to have fun with customers. Your high school or college student can work as a camp counselor, coach, instructor, front desk attendant, concessions, referee and more! We offer:

A Creative & Positive Environment
Scholarship Opportunities
Flexible Scheduling
Bonuses & Discounts

LEARN MORE AND APPLY NOW

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Drawn In: The New Animated, Literacy-Boosting Series that's Made in STL

Tyler, Nevaeh, Jadyn, and Grace – the fearless foursome of the new animated series “Drawn In” – have captured the imagination of viewers in St. Louis and ignited their love of learning with every new adventure. The show was conceived, created, and produced in St. Louis, and the majority of voice talent is based in the metro area. You can catch it on Nine PBS.