1. Take Junior to his first Cardinals game at Busch Stadium
There are few things more memorable than a baby’s first Cardinals baseball game at Busch, but if Junior gets restless, head to the Family Pavilion inside the stadium, located on Level 1, between Gates 5 and 6. There, you’ll find a soft play area and play structure, and for older kids, a virtual reality experience and Speed Pitch game. If that’s not stopping a meltdown, maybe a bribe is your best bet, so remember that there’s always the Build-A-Bear in Ford Plaza. 700 Clark.
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2. Ride the slides at City Museum
Step inside a giant whale sculpture, laugh at a massive pair of underwear, explore caves and tunnels, and head up to the rooftop to gawk at a school bus, Ferris Wheel, and sculpture of a praying mantis. It’s only fitting that this weirdly wonderful museum—housed in an old shoe factory—with curiosities that will intrigue kids and adults alike, is also home to a circus, Circus Harmony. 750 N. 16th.
3. Go to your first MLS game together at Energizer Park
Soccer is part of St. Louis’ DNA, but even if your child wasn’t a Kickaroo kid or a Scott Gallagher player, you can still have a fun day out watching our new MLS team, St. Louis CITY SC. 2100 Market.
4. Spend the day at Eckert’s
The three locations in Illinois are an almost-all-seasons destination for farm fun. In summer, pick your own peaches and blackberries. In the fall, head to the apple orchard or pumpkin patch, or the autumn carnival (think: pig races, a pumpkin cannon, and corn maze) at the Millstadt location. In the winter, stop by the Belleville farm to visit with Santa Claus or cut your own Christmas tree. Belleville, 951 S. Green Mt., Belleville, Illinois. Grafton, 20995 Eckert Orchard, Grafton, Illinois. Millstadt, 2719 Eckert Orchard, Millstadt, Illinois.
5. Have a howlin’ good time at the Endangered Wolf Center
Tucked away on a wooded reserve in Eureka is this center that helps protect our favorite endangered canines. Book an endangered species tour, and watch for the Mexican wolves, red wolves, maned wolves, swift foxes, and African painted dogs that call the place home. Or drive out during the evening for an Evening Wolf Howl, where you’ll walk to an area near the wolf habitats and try to coax the furry friends into talking back to you. 6750 Tyson Valley.
6. Get some ice time at Enterprise Center
Whether you’re watching the Blues at home or Disney on Ice, Enterprise Center is your destination for all manner of ice-related marvels. 1401 Clark.
7. Enjoy a float at Fitz’s
Pop into this spot on the Delmar Loop (6605 Delmar), enjoy a root beer float, and take in the view of the vintage bottling line from your table. Live in the ’burbs? Fitz’s also has a location in South County (5244 S. Lindbergh).
8. Explore, well, everything at Forest Park
It’s many threads in the fabric that makes up St. Louis culture, but that doesn’t mean that things aren’t evolving at the park. At the Saint Louis Zoo’s (1 Government) Michael and Quirsis Riney Primate Canopy Trails exhibit, kids can watch lemurs and monkeys frolic in outdoor tunnels and explore a new climbing structure (this one for humans). The park’s Anne O’C. Albrecht Nature Playscape (Concourse Drive) offers oodles of opportunities for climbing on rocks, squishing in mud, and playing in sand. The future of Steinberg (400 Jefferson) is still in the works, but we’re excited for the all-seasons concept. And then there are the old favorites: Watching a kid-friendly production at The Muny (1 Theatre) on a warm summer night, looking at the mummies in the Saint Louis Art Museum (1 Fine Arts), walking among the glowing hot air balloons during the Great Forest Park Balloon Race each September, and stargazing—at the McDonnell Planetarium at the Saint Louis Science Center (5050 Oakland), that is.
9. Watch a show at The Fox Theatre
A night of musical theater fun at the Fox (527 N. Grand) is a rite of passage for St. Louis kids. So is going to The Fountain on Locust (3037 Locust) for ice cream after.
10. Visit the Gateway Arch Park & Mall
For years, all that was involved in a visit to the national monument was a tram ride to the tippy top, but there’s so much more to explore these days. There’s the museum with six themed galleries that cover 200 years of our history. Or the riverfront, from which you can set sail on a one-hour cruise. Or a helicopter tour, which affords you views of the city from an exciting new vantage point. And just across Kiener Plaza, take a stroll through Citygarden and let your children marvel at the giant bunny sculptures (and if the weather is warm, have some fun on the splash pads). Soon, the Old Courthouse will reopen after renovations as another historic site not to miss. Still, if there’s one experience your STL kiddo must have, it’s climbing into the egg-shaped Arch tram and making your way 630 feet up, to the top of America’s tallest monument. 11 North 4th.
11. Feed a goat at Grant’s Farm
Since 1903, the Busch family has owned and operated this animal farm in Grantwood Village. But the property gets its name from another famous resident, Ulysses S. Grant, who built his Hardscrabble cabin on the site. Make sure you take a peek in between admiring the Clydesdales, feeding the goats, and, for Mom and Dad, enjoying a free Anheuser-Busch beer. 7385 Grant.
12. Look at a big eyeball at Laumeier Sculpture Park
Wander among the unforgettable and larger-than-life sculptures—a giant eye, a big deer—on the Art Hike Trail. For kids who are super into art, Laumeier also offers workshops where little Picassos can get even more hands-on. 12580 Rott.
13. Count the animals Lone Elk Park & World Bird Sanctuary
These days, Lone Elk Park (1 Lone Elk Park) is a misnomer. There are actually quite a few elk—not to mention bison, turkey, waterfowl, and deer—that call the park home. You have two options: Take a ride through the park and observe the animals from your car, or, if you’re a little more adventurous, go on a hike. One thing to keep in mind: Park staff feed the animals early in the morning, so the best time to go if you want to see some action is before 8 a.m. Next door, find the World Bird Sanctuary (125 Bald Eagle Ridge), a preserve for all manner of winged friends. Meet and greet a colorful parrot, have an encounter with an emu, and get up close and personal with a raptor.
14. Spend a day at The Magic House & MADE for Kids
Every nook and cranny in this Kirkwood mansion (516 S. Kirkwood) has activities to engage young kids: work in a supermarket, climb a giant beanstalk, go “fishing,” and step onto a construction site (with pea gravel) for a day. If your kid is ages 4–14, you can also explore MADE for Kids (5127 Delmar), a partnership between The Magic House, MADE STL, and Cortex where children can screen-print, 3D print, make pottery, and work with stop-motion animation.
15. Look at fossils and replicas at Mastodon State Historic Site
Budding paleontologists will go gaga over the Kimmswick Bone Bed, which contains evidence that humans and mastodons roamed Earth at the same time, as well as the mastodon skeleton replica. 1050 Charles J. Becker.
16. Experience nature at Missouri Botanical Garden, Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House & Shaw Nature Reserve
St. Louis parents know that one of the best playgrounds in the city is actually on 2 acres next to the Climatron inside the Missouri Botanical Garden: the Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden (4344 Shaw). Kids will love splashing in the stream or playing with the locks and dams; navigating a rope bridge; climbing all over the treehouse; or cooling off in a limestone cave. The garden is open April through October, so in the colder months, head to another MOBOT-operated family-friendly jewel: the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House (15050 Faust). Inside the balmy, butterfly-laden attraction, your kid can watch a number of species fly by. If they can hold still, one might just land on them. Last, at MOBOT’s Shaw Nature Reserve (307 Pinetum Loop), kids can take advantage of outdoor areas that promote things like nature art, balance, and music and movement.
17. Go back in time at the Missouri History Museum
The history museum’s family exhibit, History Clubhouse, affords kids the opportunity to step back in time and visit Cahokia, pilot a steamboat down the Mississippi River, and work at a café during the 1904 World’s Fair. 5700 Lindell.
18. Pretend to be a vet at Myseum
The combo children’s museum/science museum/indoor playground has a number of exhibits that will keep kids entertained. They can play vet at an imaginary zoo clinic, create different runs on a magnetic ball wall, dig for dinos, and more. Just one thing to remember: Bring socks. 283 Lamp and Lantern.
19. Ride the mini train over and over at National Museum of Transportation
Train fanatics will love walking around the giant rail yard full of locomotives, but young ones will also enjoy unlimited mini train rides around the museum grounds, a trolley ride, and the Major Lee Berra Creation Station, an indoor area with train tables and play structures. 2933 Barrett Station.
20. Watch the dog show at Purina Farms
Cheer on the dogs in the Incredible Dog arena as they perform their tricks for the crowd, explore the tunnels in the barn, watch the cow-milking demonstration, and ooh and ahh at the 20-foot-tall home for adoptable kitties. 500 William Danforth Way, Gray Summit.
21. Ride a roller coaster for the first time at Six Flags St. Louis
It’s not summer without at least one day spent at the Eureka amusement park. Little ones will love the gentler Looney Tunes–themed attractions like the Bugs Bunny fort and Daffy Duck swings. Teen thrill-seekers can try out the new Catwoman Whip or classic Screamin’ Eagle. 4900 Six Flags.
22. Enjoy the quintessential cold treat at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
Grabbing a concrete at the frozen-treat institution is a summertime must. In the winter, die-hard fans pick out their Christmas tree from the Chippewa stand. 6726 Chippewa; 4224 S. Grand.
23. Savor the summer weather at Tower Grove Park
Kids will love the two playgrounds (one in the middle of the park, and one on the eastern end, near Grand) as well as the waterlily pond and children’s fountain and pop jets for splashing. Parents will love exploring the farmer’s market on the weekends. 4256 Magnolia.
24. Experience all there is to do at Union Station St. Louis
There’s so much to do at the reimagined train station: Go under the sea at the St. Louis Aquarium or high in the sky on the St. Louis Wheel. Pick up on the 1904 World’s Fair vibes in a mirror maze, or hitch a ride on the carousel. Adventure-seekers will love the ropes course. Round out the day with a game of mini golf or a freak shake at the Union Station Soda Fountain. 1820 Market.
25. Learn to play the game at World Chess Hall of Fame
Even if your kiddo isn’t old enough to learn the rules of the game, it’s still well worth a trip to see and play with the massive chessboard and pieces outside the Central West End clubhouse. 4652 Maryland.
