The St. Louis County Library Foundation welcome two children's literature superstars, R.L. Stine and Marc Brown to celebrate their first collaboration, The Little Shop of Monsters.

Enjoy Greensfelder Park under the stars as you ride a haywagon through a beautiful evening setting. After the hayride, you and your kids can roast marshmallows over an open pit fire, sip hot chocolate and listen to live country music performed by Robyn Lee. 

Dress for the weather. Space is limited and registration is required. 

Ride times are 6, 7 and 8 p.m. on Oct. 2 and 4, 5, and 6 p.m. on Oct. 3

Kids ages 6 and up can learn more about the interesting lives of these eight-legged hunters. If possible, this program will include a spider hike, so please dress for the weather.

Preschoolers will learn about wooly worms through stories, crafts and other activities at the Wooly Worm Festival. They'll also take a short hike to look for wooly worms and other wildlife.

Butterflies are beautiful creatures with many unique characteristics. Learn the life history of butterflies and identification techniques for common species found throughout Missouri. You'll also learn how to attract these pollinators to your own backyard. For ages 10 and up.

10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.. Free. At Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center. Reservations are requested.

More information: mdc.mo.gov  

If you walk near woods or trees, the mammals you are most likely to see are squirrels. They are fun to watch as they run and jump and play, flick their bushy tails, chase each other up trees, bury acorns in the fall and dig them up again to eat in winter. But in spite of the playfulness that makes squirrels fun to watch, they face the same challenges in their lives as any other kind of wildlife. Learn more about these lively little mammals as we celebrate their lives with activities and crafts.