When you have kids with a wide age range, it can be a daunting task to find family fun that everyone will actually enjoy. Luckily, new attractions are always popping up around St. Louis, and plenty have activities for all ages.
Below, you’ll find suggestions for age-appropriate hot spots from toddler to teen to all the in be-tweens.
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Toddler to 10
These locales have something to keep little ones engaged–but they also have room for your tweens to explore (and maybe learn a thing or two).
Magic House, MADE
Located in Kirkwood, the Magic House has been a St. Louis favorite for years. Ideal for ages toddler to 10, there are hundreds of exhibits that encourage play, imagination, and learning across all stages of development. Its satellite location on Delmar, MADE for Kids, is more like an art studio or make-it workshop with digital painting, arts and crafts, pottery, button-making, recycling/upcycling, 3D printers, and more. To plan your trip, here’s our guide to the Magic House and MADE.
Myseum
With more than 30 interactive and educational experiences at Myseum in Town and Country, your kids will explore alien landscapes, play zoo vet, go on dino digs, suss through seaweed swamp, and so much more. Cost and visit information can be found here. Don’t forget to bring socks.
Go Play STL
This indoor playground in Chesterfield offers all the fun of playground climbing, sliding, and playing–without having to worry about the weather. Even better? There’s a separate play room for babies who are still crawling. Get pricing information here.
When warmer weather arrives, turn to the outdoors with our favorite playgrounds in St. Louis, as well as the best accessible playgrounds in the area.
Preschool to teen
As kids enter their school years, they’re able to get a bit more adventurous, which makes it a great time to explore the city.
Gateway Arch National Park
If you haven’t been to the Arch since 2018, now’s a great time to go with the kids. Take the tram to the top to see the city from a whole different view. Book a spot on the Riverboat Cruise, or check out the Junior Ranger programs. Be sure to visit the museum and Virtual Reality Theater. Before you go, here’s our guide to visiting Gateway Arch National Park with kids.
Magic Mini Golf
There’s plenty of fun to be had on The Loop on Delmar, but with kids and teens in tow, be sure to visit Magic Mini Golf. With 18 holes of indoor mini golf, two full-sized shuffleboard courts, a mini Ferris wheel, pinball and basketball arcade games, and more, there’s tons of fun to be had. Afterward, grab a bite at Fitz’s, Blueberry Hill, or any of the other delectable dining spots in walkable distance. Pricing for Magic Mini Golf is here.
Ryze Adventure Park
Beginning in March, Ryze Adventure Park in Maryland Heights will open its ropes course with 110 obstacles that range in difficulty. Check out the mini golf, ziplines, yard games— including Jenga, cornhole, giant Connect Four, and ladder golf. For kids ages 4—7, there’s a Little Ninja ropes course with 16 obstacles. Get pricing info here.
Thinking about going ziplining? Here’s our guide to kid-friendly ziplines.
10 to teen
Tweenagers might be tough to please, but these suggestions just might be passable to your harshest critics—even result in some amazing family moments.
Game Show Battle Rooms
Does your family love game shows? Have you ever dreamt of being a contestant on Wheel of Fortune? Do your kids have a score to settle? Ideal for ages 9 and up, Game Show Battle Rooms in Chesterfield gives you and the fam an authentic game show experience, complete with host, producer, lights, music, and even a name tag. You’ll play games like Spin and Solve, What’s That Cost?, Survey Says, and more, depending on your package and number of players. Get the inside scoop here before you plan your visit.
Topgolf
With a new location in Midtown and another in Chesterfield, you can use micro-chipped golf balls with “Toptracer” tech to play games for all skill levels and track your shots. This beloved activity is ideal for ages 10—teen, but anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an over 21 adult at all times. There’s also a bar and restaurant on-site. Pricing varies daily.
Amp Up Action Park
If high-performance go-karting, axe-throwing, elevated ropes challenges, virtual reality, three-levels of laser tag, and pickleball courts sound like they might get your tween or teens’ face out of their phones, Amp Up Action Park in Town and Country might be the place for your brood. The park also offers patio and arcade games. Click here for pricing and packages.
Speaking of pickleball, check out our guide to St. Louis’ pickleball scene.
All ages
There is fun for all ages—including parents—at these locales, and many of them are St. Louis staples.
Union Station
This isn’t the Union Station we grew up with. After a revitalization a few years ago, there is something for every age group in this entertainment and dining complex. Check out the St. Louis Aquarium, where you’ll learn about the local rivers as well as the ocean, sharks, and the deep sea. See the city on the St. Louis Wheel, a 200-foot-tall observation wheel with 42 private gondolas that seat four and have glass floors. Take a spin on the carousel, play 18 holes of interactive and accessible mini golf, or try your skills at the mirror maze, where you’ll have an a-maze-ing time working through the labyrinth, testing your World’s Fair trivia, and checking out the Fun House. Don’t miss the three-story ropes course with more than 90,000 cubic feet and 30 obstacles. Or try out the SkyRailTM, a 100-foot zipline that skims the skies above the Union Station lobby.
Before planning a trip, check out this guide to Union Station for all the details.
Saint Louis Zoo
Great for animal lovers of all ages, there’s something for everyone at the Saint Louis Zoo, including sensory-friendly experiences. Before planning your trip, check out this guide.
Grant’s Farm
Grant’s Farm is a local institution that celebrates German heritage and this city’s history, which includes President Grant, Anheuser-Busch, the Busch family—who lived on the grounds—and much more. See the clydesdales, take a ride on the tram to visit the animals, feed the baby goats, or check out the many other animal exhibits. Plus, stop by the Bauernhof Courtyard for a free Anheuser-Busch beer tasting. For all you should know before you go, here’s our guide to visiting Grant’s Farm.
Saint Louis Science Center
From the Planetarium to the Omnimax to various STEAM programs and interactive exhibits to the dinosaurs, there’s something for all ages at the Saint Louis Science Center. Plan your trip with this guide.
Slick City
With attractions called Fast Lane, Lazy River, Off Ramp, Royal Flush, Big Wave, MegaLaunch, Python, and Long Jump, you might think Slick City Action Park in Chesterfield is a really awesome waterpark, but it’s actually a series of fast-paced indoor slides. There are also three sport air courts (so you can dunk a basketball like never before) and one freestyle air court. For toddlers up to 3 years old, there’s the Junior Jungle, a multilevel playground. Check out cost info here.
City Museum
Whether you’re climbing into the belly of the white whale, descending into the caves, watching circus-like attractions, or climbing around on the rooftop slides, kids of all ages are having fun at the City Museum. There is so much to explore, climb, slide, and do, everyone and their mothers are sure to have a blast. Want more info? Here’s our guide to City Museum in St. Louis.
Endangered Wolf Center
Located in Eureka, Endangered Wolf Center’s mission is to protect the heart of the wild, and they’re accomplishing that by educating the public through endangered species tours, field trips, and virtual visits. You can howl with the wolves, become a keeper for the day, or go behind the scenes as an animal trainer. The center is for all ages, but some tours are only for those who are 14 and older. For more information on pricing and to plan your visit, click here.
Looking for more family-friendly destinations? Here’s our guide to St. Louis escape rooms, bowling alleys, arcades, play spaces, and more.
