St. Louis Parent | stlparent.com

3 Ways to Be Happier in the New Year (Hint: Your Kids Know the Secret)

With 2014 just around the corner, it’s resolution time again. Instead of planning on exercising more or eating better – because where’s the joy in that – I decided to focus on things that would make me truly happy.

New Year's Eve Celebrations For Kids (and Some for Parents Too!)

As St. Louisans ring in 2014 your kids can join the party at these New Year's Eve events designed just for the younger crowd. We've even included one event the whole family can enjoy.

A Social Media Miracle and VIP (Very Important PSA) for the Holidays

Twitter hero reunites loved ones for the holidays

Middle Schoolers Can LEAP Into Art Education at CAM This Winter

For teens and tweens in middle school, their days can be full of confusion, frustration and struggles with low self-esteem.

Why Moms are Flocking to The Nest

A new gathering place for moms, kids and families has “hatched” in the St. Louis area, much to the delight of local parents – and particularly local moms.

The Nest, a self-described “stay and play creative café designed to function as a modern day community center, restaurant and membership club for women and families,” officially opened its doors in Frontenac last week. With an indoor play forest, drop-in childcare, classes for women and children and unique and healthy dining options, The Nest fills a niche that has been long overlooked in the St. Louis region.

According to Co-Founder Christina McHugh, the idea for The Nest was born from what she describes as “a HUGE deficit in the current market.”

“For me,” says McHugh, “what was lacking was a space that caters to children AND offers variety to adults. That was really missing in our area. We try to create an environment that supports families – where mom feels comfortable breastfeeding, where the kids are going to have a good time and not want to leave, where parents will always have that helping hand.”

“We’re the ones,” she continues, “who will hold the baby while you pay your check or put on your coat.”

5 Reasons You Won't Find an Elf on Our Shelf

Like a lot of moms, I have a love-hate relationship with the holiday season. I love baking (okay, mostly eating) gingerbread cookies. I love decking the halls with lights and garland and bright red bows.

Festival of Frights

The most important lesson I've learned this holiday season is that life is as precious as it is fragile.

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Things to Do

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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Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym in Creve Coeur

Friday, June 12, 2026

Saturday, June 13, 2026

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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Sea Lion Shows at the Saint Louis Zoo

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.

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Preschool Science Series at the Saint Louis Science Center

The Preschool Science Series is an open exploration learning lab for young scientists, ages 18 months to 5 years and their families. Activities are designed around research that shows children learn best through play, inquiry and shared experiences with their parents and caregivers.

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Kids Night Out at Olympia Gymnastics

Saturday, June 13, 2026

Saturday, June 27, 2026

Kids Night Out at Olympia Gymnastics is an evening filled with fun! Parents get a babysitter for the night and kids will enjoy gymnastics/ninja-themed activities, group games, crafts, and more! Members and non-members are welcome.

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See All Things to Do

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Popular Stories

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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