kids fun in St. Louis this holiday season

Cold-Nosed Candids with Santa at Purina Farms

Gather your pack – your kids and your cold-nosed companions – for a pet-friendly visit with Santa this year at Purina Farms. Cold-Nosed Candids are for families and their cats and dogs to have their photos taken with Santa, have snowball fights, visit the gift shop and more.

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Supper With Santa at The Butterfly House

Santa is making a stop at The Butterfly House before he makes his trip around the world, and he wants to enjoy a meal with your family! Enjoy a delicious dinner, visit Santa's Workshop and Mrs. Claus's Cookie Kitchen, and have your picture taken with the guest of honor - Santa!

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Visits with Santa at The Magic House

Santa is coming to St. Louis and is parking his sleigh at The Magic House! Children can visit with Santa, deliver their wish list to him, and have their picture or their whole family's picture taken with Santa.

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Winterfest

The magical sights of the Gateway Arch Park Foundation's Winterfest return to downtown St. Louis this holiday season. Winterfest includes family fun, beautiful holiday lights, s'mores stations, ice skating and festive activities and fireworks, plus special character visits and a New Year's Eve celebration.

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Photos with Santa at Eckert's

Visit Eckert Farms in Belleville and have pictures taken with Santa.

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Holiday Lights at Grant's Farm: Drive-Through and Walk-Through Experience

Grant's Farm welcomes visitors this holiday season to the 2024 Holiday Lights Drive-Through and Walk-Through Experiences featuring dazzling light displays, Santa and Mrs. Claus, a 50-foot LED Christmas tree, Clydesdale photos, and more.

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Grinch Slime & Storytime

Join in on some Grinch-tastic fun at Play Street Museum! At Grinch Slime + Playtime, kids will enjoy a special storytime featuring the Grinch storybook, then make some Grinch-y slime!

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Things to Do

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. Dress to get messy!

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Museum Babies Storytelling

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Bring your babies and toddlers to this free story time at the Missouri History Museum.

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Storytelling in the Museum from the Missouri History Museum

Storytelling in the Museum is an in-person storytelling event happening at 10:30 a.m. at the Missouri History Museum. This event, perfect for the preschool set, features engaging stories with themes like Juneteenth, Sweet Treats, Summer and more. Storytelling in the Museum is free.

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Paws for Reading from the St. Louis County Library

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Thursday, January 15, 2026

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Read to a friendly therapy dog from DUO Dogs, Inc. After the story, the dog's handler will answer any questions kids have about therapy dogs, pet care and more. For ages 3-11. Registration is required for this free program.

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Music & Movement

Monday, January 12, 2026

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Explore songs, finger plays, music and more during this Music & Movement class for ages 0-6. Some sessions are held in person at various branches of the St. Louis County Library. Some sessions are virtual.

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Popular Stories

10 Family-Friendly New Year's Eve Celebrations in St. Louis

Who says you have to stay up late to ring in the new year? Kids can make some noise and welcome 2026 at these daytime and early evening celebrations designed just for families with young partygoers.

The St. Louis Children’s Choirs Give Every Singer the Chance to Shine on Stage

Something beautiful happens every time a child performs their favorite song. Even if they stumble over a lyric or tumble off key, the joy they find in exploring their musical journey can be felt by those lucky enough to listen. When hundreds of these young voices come together on one stage, that’s when something truly magical happens.

The Missouri History Museum Winter Getaway: Four Days of Free Fun and Learning for Your Family

This year’s annual Winter Getaway event is packed with free kid-friendly activities, performances, arts and crafts, and workshops that tie in with the Museum’s current collections and celebrate our city’s rich culture and holiday heritage.

Winter Break Camps Offer School Break Fun for Your Kids

Winter Break Camps offer your kids a fun way to spend their break from school. They'll participate in engaging activities that will make their school break memorable. We rounded up some fantastic options for Winter Break Camps for kids of all ages.

Miriam Celebrates Neurodiversity, Supports Unique Learners

At Miriam School, students with complex learning differences are supported and celebrated as they grow academically, socially and emotionally. Miriam provides a tailored educational experience for learners in grades K-12 who have not found success in traditional classroom settings. Students’ challenges may stem from specific learning disabilities (i.e. dyslexia or dysgraphia), ADHD, level 1 autism, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, or speech and language disorders.

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Step into 36,000 sq ft of tropical, action-packed fun - built for kids and grown-ups! Climb through a massive 3-story jungle gym, race down the towering volcano slide, bounce on trampolines, dive into foam pits, and explore a toddler area made just for little adventurers. Hungry? Their in-house cafe has everything you need to fuel the fun: pizza, wings, mac & cheese, funnel fries, a coffee bar, and more!

Planning a birthday? Celebrate big in epic themed party rooms like the Princess, Space, Jungle & more! Ditch the screens - plan your ultimate indoor adventure! LEARN MORE

Be one of the first families to experience Ninja Central's brand-new, purpose-built ninja training facility! Opening in January 2026, Ninja Central features state-of-the-art Ninja challenges – walls, bars, obstacle courses, beams and more. PLUS, register to attend the Ninja Central Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, January 17 from 2-4 p.m. to win BIG prizes, including three months of free tuition, and free Kid's Night Out and Open Gym sessions! All attendees can try out the new Ninja challenges & equipment, meet the awesome coaches, enjoy face painting, balloon animals and snow cones. Learn about Ninja Central's classes for ages 4 and up here. Register to attend Ninja Central's Grand Opening Celebration here. From beginner to advanced Ninja skills, Ninja Central in Maryland Heights is the place for confidence-building, not just muscle-building, for flipping fear into fun, and for kids who need space to grow, move, and belong. Classes begin January 5!

Plan your child's summer at the biggest Summer Camp Expo in the St. Louis area, featuring 60+ local and regional summer camps offering day- and sleep-away camp experiences all across the St. Louis region and beyond. Bring your kids to Summer Expo 2026 and learn about a wide variety of summer learning and summer camp opportunities for kids of all ages. The Summer Expo is presented by Parkway-Rockwood Community Ed, sponsored by STL Parent and STL Camps, and is open to all families from any school district across the St. Louis metro area. Admission is free! 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Parkway West High School. Stop by the STL Camps booth at the entrance and enter to win a free week of camp!

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