free things to do in St. Louis with kids

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.

With its shops and restaurants, The Streets of St. Charles has become the go-to for grown-ups in the region. But now kids have a place here to call their own at Play Street Museum.

The key to successfully going from one, to two, to three kids is really just learning how to determine whose immediate need is more life-threatening. Plus, you stop judging parents who put their kids on leashes.

A crayon or colored pencil isn’t just a tool for a child to draw. It’s the ignition switch to their imagination—where with every scribble and line they can picture themselves as anyone they want to be, in any world they can dream up. This summer, kids can turn that love of art into a real-life adventure to remember at Crayola® World of Design and Artist’s Passport Camps from Imagine Arts Academy of St. Louis.

To keep the spirit of entrepreneurship and the beauty of art flowing through St. Louis for years to come, it’s important to inspire even the youngest of minds. By giving them the space, the tools and the freedom to create, kids are energized to turn the ideas in their heads into something incredible they can hold in their hands.