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The Hottest Accessory at This Kids Fashion Show? Self Confidence.

Often the one thing holding our daughters back from achieving their dreams is poor self-esteem.

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Head Lice Love Summer Vacation as Much as Your Kids Do

Your kids aren’t the only ones celebrating the end of the school year. Head lice love summer, according to removal expert Libby Lutz. There’s heat, there’s humidity and, best of all, there’s a lack of school personnel disturbing their peaceful procreation.

Lutz, who founded Lice Busters St. Louis, said the back-to-school season is her busiest time, but lice are common in the summer too. Because it takes four to six weeks for lice to cause itching and thus give away their hideout, school vacation is a great incubation period for an infestation.

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What's New Under the Big Top at Circus Flora

My daughter and I were lucky enough to attend the first night of the 25th season of Circus Flora. This year’s show, Vagabond Adventures, is full of death defying tightrope walkers, high-flying acrobats, talented animals and everyone’s favorite clown, Nino. Unlike many large-scale circuses you may have seen, every seat under this big top is a great seat. In fact, the venue is so intimate you may feel the wind through your hair as the trapeze act The Flying Pages whiz past your head.

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What Do You Really Need for a New Baby?

I have three children and I must admit when I was pregnant with my first we picked out Pottery Barn bedding, a high-priced swing, crib, bassinet and more! I had no clue what a baby actually needed so anything in the baby section went on the registry. Well, three children later I realized that I made some mistakes. When baby #3 arrived all I really wanted was a few gift cards and diapers.

So what do you really need?

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Give Your Brain a Work Out at Body Worlds & the Brain at the Saint Louis Science Center

In 2007, St. Louis was introduced to Gunther von Hagens’ incredible Body Worlds 3 exhibition at the Saint Louis Science Center. Visitors were amazed, shocked and intrigued at the display of preserved transparent body slices, bones, organs and hundreds of bodies in various poses and positions. The show has since moved on, but von Hagens’ is back with a new installation of twisting, jumping and leaping bodies.

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Five Great Summer Family Hikes in St. Louis

In honor of Summer Fun Week at St. Louis Kids Magazine's SmartParenting blog, I am going to overcome my fear of snakes and disgust of mosquitoes (I obviously need to stop watching Animal Planet) and start hiking with my family. Maybe I’ll ease into nature with a "Gentle Hike" at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area.

Each second Saturday of June, July and August, a naturalist will take hikers on a flat, paved and short walk to a different part of the Conservation. June’s adventure will travel to the prairie demonstration area in front of the Visitor Center.

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Kicking off a Healthy St. Louis Summer

The weather seems to be having a tough time making up its mind just what season it should be, but we SmartParenting bloggers have no doubts: Next weekend is the start of summer!

This week we’re focusing most of our attention on ideas for summer – things to do, recipes to cook, books to read, and (my topic for today) ways to stay healthy.

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Seven Reasons to Plan a Kid-Free Getaway

This past week, Mr. P and I spent a few glorious, gin-soaked days in Savannah, Georgia.

We truly loved Savannah. I loved the way the jasmine and honeysuckle smelled when we walked through the city’s 22 park-like squares. The way the locals stopped us on the street to offer us help and suggestions when we were lost, their accents like, as Andy on The Office says, “molasses just sort of spillin’ out of their mouths.”

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How to Prepare Your Child for Sleep Away Camp

When Jenny Wolkowitz’ youngest daughter went to a two-week sleepover camp for the first time, the girl decided she didn’t need her favorite stuffed animal and left it at home. Days later, Wolkowitz had to put the toy in a box and send it to her homesick daughter by overnight delivery.

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Things to Do

Movies Under the Stars at the Chesterfield Amphitheater
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Spend an evening watching a free family movie under the stars at the Chesterfield Amphitheater. Movies will be shown at dusk using laser projection technology on the roof of the amphitheater for a unique viewing experience. Enjoy food trucks and the Bubble Bus too!

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Summer Family Fun Series at the Missouri History Museum
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Friday, July 11, 2025
Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Join the Missouri History Museum for free family fun in June and July at the Summer Family Fun Series! Enjoy a variety of free family activities, including crafts, performances, and scavenger hunts, all are tied into Museum exhibits and centered on a different theme each week. Learn about Caribbean, Latin American, and German cultures in STL, discover Missouri’s trains, planes and other forms of transportation innovation, celebrate the 10th anniversary of the History Clubhouse, and more!

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Popular Stories

Festivals & Fireworks to Celebrate July 4th in St. Louis

It's time to celebrate Independence Day in St. Louis, and because this year July 4th falls on a Friday, your family can look forward to a full weekend of festivals and fireworks. Check out these family-friendly celebrations that include carnivals, fantastic fireworks and lots more.

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Why Summer Camp is Great for . . . Parents

Being able to focus on yourself, your partner, and other people in your life who mean a lot to you is no small matter. As parents, we’re used to being responsible providers and caregivers. However, there’s so much more to a person: we’re also partners and friends. These are important parts of our identities that we need to cultivate. Sending your kids to summer camp may bring out your more playful side that you haven’t shown for a while.

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7 Signs Your Kids Are Ready For Their First Sleepaway Camp

It’s time to decide whether to send your kids to sleepaway camp, but how do you know that's the right thing to do? How can you tell whether your kids are ready for their first extended stay away from home? Here are 7 important signs that experts say should inform your decision.

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Want Your Kids to Learn? Teach Them It’s Okay to Make Mistakes

It’s normal for parents to want to protect their children from failure. It’s also normal to want them to achieve, win, and do their best. But here’s the truth: We don’t learn anything new without making mistakes. I’ll say it again. Making mistakes is a crucial step in learning. If we’re fearful of making mistakes, learning comes to a screeching halt.

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10 Ways to Improve Your Child's Listening Skills

Focused listening is one of the most important skills your child will ever learn. Children with strong listening skills do better in school, sports, relationships and, eventually, in their careers. But many children lack this important skill and parents are rightly concerned. First, listening is much more than just hearing.

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