fun things to do in STL with kids

Explore Ballwin's parks with your toddler or preschooler with the Little Explorers program, held twice a month. Each Little Explorers outdoor class includes a craft, snack, and lots of activities to get you and your toddler moving and exploring!

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Tons of Transportation

Kids of all ages are invited to climb on and explore dump trucks, backhoes, fire trucks, police cruisers, an excavator and more at Tons of Transportation.

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Family Candy Cane Hunt at Babler State Park

Bring the whole family to beautiful Babler State Park for a winter adventure you won't forget. Enjoy several different candy cane hunts, then step inside to make festive crafts, sip on hot cocoa and win prizes.

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Splash and Bubbles Breakfast

Fishing around for something fun to do? Swim on over to The Magic House for the Splash and Bubbles Breakfast! Guests will have a whale of a time as they nibble on a delicious breakfast, participate in some very fishy art activities, explore the Mu"sea" um and enjoy private playtime in the exhibit Splash and Bubbles: Dive In, Lend a Fin!

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Wunderland at COCA

Fall down the rabbit hole again with wUNDERland! Back by popular demand, this re-imagining of Lewis Caroll's Alice in Wonderland puts a hip-hop spin on this fantasy classic. Designed for all ages, wUNDERland features creative direction and choreography by COCA Hip-Hop Crew Artistic Director Anthony "Redd" Williams.

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Trick or Treat Trail in The Grove

Grab your treat bags and don your costumes for Trick or Treat Trail in The Grove! Visit participating businesses in the neighborhood for goodies for both kids and grown-ups.

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Summer Children's Concert Series in Tower Grove Park

The Tower Grove Park Children's Summer Concert Series has returned for 2021 with three months of concerts geared to children, with each month introducing a different genre of music education. Concerts are free but require reservations. Bring your little Mozart or Verdi for a music-filled summer!

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Things to Do

Free Family Night at The Magic House

Friday, June 19, 2026

Friday, July 17, 2026

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

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Flying Bird Show at the World Bird Sanctuary

Take your family to watch birds of prey fly right over your head, meet the wonderful bird ambassadors of the World Bird Sanctuary up close and much more.

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Parents Night Out at Miss Kelly's Gym

Friday, June 19, 2026

Friday, July 10, 2026

Friday, July 17, 2026

Let Miss Kelly's give you the night off while your child takes part in many different fun activities, including games, obstacles and challenges!

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Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym in Creve Coeur

Kids can work on existing gym skills, learn new skills or just play around during Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym in Creve Coeur.

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Tot Time at the Chesterfield Aquatic Center

Friday, June 19, 2026

Friday, June 26, 2026

Friday, July 3, 2026

Bring your little ones to the Chesterfield Aquatic Center for Tot Time. Kids ages 0-5 can splash and play in the leisure pool with their peers. Older children ages 6-11 are welcome when they are accompanied by an adult and younger children. Open to residents and non-residents. Reservations are not needed.

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Kids Unleash Their Creativity at Hands-On Summer Art Camps

Your creative child may have numerous opportunities throughout the school year to express themselves through art projects and other hands-on art experiences, but what about summer? When the classroom is closed, what do you do? Send your child to an artistically engaging summer camp, of course!

Dinoroarus Comes Roaring Back at the Saint Louis Zoo

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

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.

Get Ready to Climb and Explore at These Free Big Truck Days

If your kids love to explore big trucks and vehicles, these upcoming Big Truck Days are a perfect weekend outing. They'll get to climb on and explore fire trucks, police vehicles, bulldozers, bucket trucks, ambulances and lots more.

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One hour a week. It doesn't sound like much. But ask any Olympia parent, and they'll tell you - one hour a week has a way of changing everything. Maybe it's the moment your toddler sticks their first landing and looks up with that enormous grin. Maybe it's watching your school-age kid tackle something hard and realize they can do it. Maybe it's your teen finding a place where they truly belong.

Those moments add up, week after week. At Olympia Gymnastics, we've been creating those moments for St. Louis families for 47 years. Our coaches don't just teach skills, they show up for your kids. They get to know them, celebrate their wins, and cheer loudest on the hard days. One hour. Big Impact. Olympia Gymnastics + Ninja | 9 locations across the St. Louis area. LEARN MORE

Our Summer Camp Guide at stlcamps.com is the fastest and easiest way to find the perfect summer camps for your kids! We feature camps for ages 18 months to 18 years of age, and for every interest you can imagine. Our guide is searchable for your child's age, camp location, type of camp, camp dates, and even extended care availability. Whether your child is into sports, arts, robotics, coding, outdoor adventures, musical performance, climbing or just about anything else, you'll find it at stlcamps.com! Book your child's camp sessions now! GET STARTED

Visit the Missouri History Museum on Fridays in June and 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, June 5-July 31, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more detailed information on each day’s activities, visit the Museum’s website.

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