Tracks in the snow, hair on a fence, loud cries in the night. Could it be a mountain lion? The mountain lion and other large carnivores once served as nature's check on deer and other prey species. Today, humans control the deer herd, so the natural role of this big cat is gone. There aren't many animals that receive more interest in Missouri than mountain lions.
Who's in the forest this time of year? Some Missouri owls stick around all year and are especially vocal during the winter months. Get together to discuss some of the owl's amazing adaptations, dissect some pellets to see what they're eating and take a hike to hear what they're saying. Dress for the weather.
Free. For ages 7 and up. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Explore the special exhibit The Missouri Immigrant Experience and enjoy a day of interactive learning about other places in the world. Families can listen to stories about people around the world, learn a few basic phrases in different languages, make traditional art, hear live music and go on a scavenger hunt.
All activities are free. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Missouri History Museum
More information: mohistory.org
As the St. Louis area’s only all-girls school for grades 1-5, Visitation Academy celebrates
the unique way girls learn and instills confidence and self-esteem. At Visitation, girls are free to express opinions, ask questions, excel in academics and athletics, develop talents, and become leaders.
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.
With the help of ten truckloads of sand, The Magic House's backyard has been transformed once again into a beachfront park for the popular Sandcastle Beach exhibit.
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.
Hear stories in Spanish read by native Spanish-speaking storytellers at the Missouri History Museum's Cuentos En El Museo - Storytelling in the Museum in Spanish. In these free storytelling sessions, the museum's youngest visitors explore traditional and contemporary storybooks and do hands-on crafts.
Join in on First Art, a free art program for toddlers where the focus is on the process of making art rather than the finished product. Dress to get messy!