KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
For much of the country, it's been the hardest winter in recent memory: cold, monochrome, relentless. The kind of season that reminds us how little control we really have. We do our best to manage routines and moods and expectations, but parents feel it most. February stretches long and flat after the excitement of the holidays, before the lift of spring. You're still packing
lunches, wrangling homework, managing emotions (your kids’ and your own)... all while the cold keeps the family cooped up. This is the season of endurance. Of course, endurance isn’t about being stoic or silent or superhuman; it’s about continuing, even when things are hard. It’s about showing up for your people, your plans, and yourself, day after chilly day. And it’s about knowing that if you’re feeling the drag right now, you’re not alone. Many of us are moving through it
together. Even for those who don't live in Nature's Refrigerator, February can still bring its own version of stuckness: that long stretch between holidays, where kids are restless and routines feel stale. Sometimes, by February, our gray matter feels just as gray as the weather. When that happens, help is allowed! Check out our article and outsource the brainstorming to KidsOutAndAbout: Stuck Inside This Winter? 20 Creative Indoor Activities for Kids is packed with creative, practical, low-effort ways to keep your family engaged (and sane) when outside play isn’t an option. And it shows you how to tap your favorite AI to be your thought partner to personalize it for your
family. February Gray doesn’t need to be conquered; it just needs to be lightened a bit. So whether you're "out and about" or "in and not at all about," we're here to brighten the rest of your winter!
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build
Strong Communities
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
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Celebrate your child’s special day with an unforgettable underwater adventure at the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station! From sharks to stingrays, cake to presents, we’ll handle the details — you bring the fun!
All parties include Aquarium admission and must be booked at least two weeks in advance.
Party Packages:
SHELL-ebration Central A simple, fun-filled celebration with aquarium access.
FIN-tastic Fish Party Includes a private party space and a special gift.
Big SPLASH Shark Party Our ultimate experience! Includes:
Private space
Snacks
Animal ambassador encounter
Group stingray feeding
Visit from mascot Shark Twain
Limited space — book now and get ready to DIVE IN!
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The City of Saint Charles is hosting a family-friendly Mardi Gras celebration! Join us for the Parade down Main Street at 11:00 AM followed by the After Party featuring live music, food, vendors, kids activities and more in the Lewis and Clark Boathouse
Parking Lot.
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Uncover the stories of the Museum’s collection on Sunday afternoons with a gallery exploration and hands-on art activities.
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For the centennial year of Black History celebrations, SLPL invites you to join us in imagining what our Black community might look like in another hundred years. Inspired by the award-winning short story collection by N. K. Jemisin, contribute a short
note, poem, or drawing to our community constellation in the Adult Fiction room.
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This powerful collection of ballets explores the intersection of classical technique, modern rhythm, and emotional depth. From Gen Horiuchi’s St. Louis Blues, a vibrant tribute to the roots of American jazz featuring live music and vocals, to the kinetic
energy of Peter Martins’ Hallelujah Junction and the bold, theatrical flair of The Chairman Dances, both set to the driving scores of John Adams—each work pulses with musical innovation.
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Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a colorful morning of skating fun at Skate City during our Trolls Valentine Skate with Poppy & Branch on Saturday, February 14th from 10am–12pm. Kids can skate with Poppy and Branch, snap photos at the Valentine photo
booth, and enjoy special Troll-themed activities like Troll Hair fun and Partner Limbo. Admission is $8 per skater with $5 skate rental (if needed).
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The crown jewel of Soulard Mardi Gras. Floats. Beads. Music. Costumes. Tens of thousands of people lining the streets. The Bud Light Grand Parade rolls from near Busch Stadium, through Downtown South and the streets of Soulard with all the color, chaos, and
carnival energy you could possibly ask for, before ending at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery – home to where your beer was born.
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Celebrate Talon-tine's Day at the Edwardsville Children's Museum! On Saturday, February 14th from 10-12 we will have a bald eagle visiting the museum that you can see up close, courtesy of Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery. We will have Valentine's Day
activities to enjoy with your little Valentine and adorable eagle keychains for the first 150 kiddos! Our hearts are soaring with excitement!
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Join local LEGO® enthusiasts and contestants from LEGO® Masters for impressive and interactive LEGO® displays and activities!
All proceeds benefit World Vision International. World Vision provides more clean water than any nongovernmental organization in the world, providing clean water to one new person every 10 seconds.
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Learn about tree identification and tapping, the history of maple sugaring, and how to turn sap into syrup. The entire program is outdoors, so please dress for the weather.
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Live at SLPL presents: Life Doesn't Frighten Me
Inspired by Dr. Maya Angelou’s powerful poem Life Doesn’t Frighten Me, this original play by multi-disciplinary hip-hop artist Paige Hernandez brings to life the everyday fears we all face—and the courage within us to rise above them. Told through spoken word, hip-hop, and dance, the story celebrates every child’s unique strength and reminds us all that we are indeed fearless royalty!
Best enjoyed by K-8th grade.
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Join Belleville Parks and Recreation at the Campus Arena for a movie on the big inflatable screen. We will be showing "Gnomeo and Juliet". Put on your cozy pj's and snuggle in for a night of fun. Pizza and popcorn will be provided for your snacking
pleasure.
Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. This movie night is only $5.00 per person. Registration deadline will be Feb. 12th.
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Tommy Terrific's Wacky Magic will be performing a magic show about Satchel Paige and Negro League Baseball. The show will be filled with baseball-themed magic tricks, and it will explore the life and accomplishments of baseball pitcher Satchel Paige. From
his all-star touring shows, to his amazing records with the Negro Leagues, to his Hall of Fame induction as baseball's oldest rookie and oldest player, Satchel Paige is a true American original.
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- How Long Til Black Future Month? St Louis' Black Community 100 years from now - St. Louis Public Library - Central Library, 1301 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63103, Friday, February 13 to Sunday, February 15, all day
- Life
Doesn't Frighten Me with Metro Theatre Company - Metro Theatre Company, 3309 South Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63118, Friday, February 13, 10-11 am
- Budding Artists: Messy Valentine - 1010 Meramec Station Road, Manchester, MO, Friday, February 13, 10 am
- Valentines Day Party - St. Louis County Library- Eureka Hills Branch, Workman Road, Eureka, MO, Friday, February 13, 2 pm
- Songs and Stories - Babies & Toddlers - Maplewood Public Library, 7550 Lohmeyer
Ave, Maplewood, MO 63143, Friday, February 13, 10-10:30 am
- Tommy Terrific Presents: Satchel Paige and Negro League Baseball! - 2750 State Highway K, O'Fallon, MO, Friday, February 13, 2-3 pm
- Go for Gold with Girl Souts! - Girl Scouts, 2300 Ball DR, Friday, February 13, 6:30PM
- Galentine's Day With Girl Scouts! - Girl Scouts, East Springfield Road, Saint Clair, MO, Friday, February 13, 6:30pm
- Bud Light Grand Parade of Mardi Gras -
2200 Dolman Street, St. Louis, MO 63104, Saturday, February 14, 11 am
- Life Doesn't Frighten Me with
Metro Theatre Company - Metro Theatre Company, 3309 South Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63118, Saturday, February 14, 10-11 am
- African Masks - 12863 Willowyck Drive, St. Louis, MO, Saturday, February 14, 10:30 am
- Cookie Craze - St. Louis County Library- Eureka Hills Branch, Workman Road, Eureka, MO, Saturday, February 14, 2 pm
- Valentine Cake Pops - 10267 Saint Charles Rock Road, Saint Ann, MO, Saturday, February 14, 2 pm
- Valentine's Day Family Hangout - 9909 Lewis and Clark Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, Saturday, February 14, 2 pm
- Let's Explore: The History of Valentine's Day - St. Charles City-County Library - Spencer Road Branch, 427 Spencer Road, St. Peters, MO 63376,
Saturday, February 14, 3-4 pm
- Lego Club - Kirkwood Public Library, 140 East Jefferson
Avenue, Kirkwood, MO 63122, Saturday, February 14, 2-3 pm
- Littles @ the Library: Valentine's Party - Jefferson County Library - Arnold Branch, 1701 Missouri State Rd, Arnold, MO 63010, Saturday, February 14, 3 pm
- Wee Weekend - Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis Art Museum, Saturday, February 14, 10 am
- Valentine's Day Saturday Storytime - 8001 Dale Avenue, Richmond Heights, Missouri 63117, Saturday, February 14, 10-10:30 am
- STEAM Club - Rock Hill Public Library, 9811 Manchester Rd, Rock Hill, MO 63119, Saturday, February 14, 11 am- 12 pm
- Free Reading Tutoring - St. Louis Public
Library - Carpenter Library, 3309 South Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63118, Saturday, February 14, 12-1 pm
- Kids Challenge Room : Escape From Wonderland - St Louis Public Library - Schlafly Library, 225 North
Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63108, Saturday, February 14, 10 am- 12 pm
- Chooks With Books: Chicken Storytime - SLPL, 2260 South Vandeventer Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, Saturday, February 14, 2-3 pm
- Family Crafternoon - St. Louis Public Library - Walnut Park Library, 5760 West Florissant Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63120, Saturday, February 14, 3-4 pm
- Bedazzle a
Book/Valentine - Webster Groves Public Library, 301 E Lockwood Ave, Webster Groves, MO 63119, Saturday, February 14, 1:30-3:30 pm
- "Free & Enslaved Black People in the Western Theater of the American Revolutionary War" - St. Charles City-County Library - Spencer Road Branch, 427 Spencer Road, St. Peters, MO 63376, Saturday, February 14, 10-11 am
- Galentine's Day With Girl Scouts! - Girl Scouts, 111 Lamar Pkwy, Pacific, MO, Saturday, February 14, 1:00pm
- Sunday S'mores with Nature Valley - Nature Valley, 17409 Hidden Valley Drive, Wildwood, MO 63025, Sunday, February 15, 3 pm while supplies last
- Family Sunday—Love Potion - Saint Louis Art Museum, Fine Arts Drive, St. Louis, MO, Sunday, February 15, 1-4 PM
- Family Sunday—Love Potion - Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis Art Museum, Sunday, February 15, 1-4 PM
- Mardi Gras Parade and After Party - St Charles St, Downtown, St. Louis, Missouri, Sunday, February 15, Parade begins at 11 am After Party from 12-2 pm
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the St. Louis area! Use our Big List to help find the best one for your kiddos and check our events calendar to find Open Houses where you can meet teachers and tour the
schools.
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Winter is here and fun options for families just keep getting better! Whether you stick with what you love or decide to try something new, KidsOutAndAbout has plenty of ideas. From Ice skating, kid-friendly museums, indoor play centers, and outdoor
activities to thinking ahead to next year's school options - we've got you covered.
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the St. Louis area? Escape rooms are interactive, puzzle-packed experiences where you and your team work together to solve clues and complete your mission-all before time runs out! Whether you're escaping
a spooky cabin, cracking a high-stakes heist, or breaking a magical curse, escape rooms offer exciting, screen-free fun for kids, teens, and adults.
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the St. Louis area. From Arcades to Ziplines our Big List will help you think outside the box and plan the party of your kids' dreams! KidsOutAndAbout has dozens of ideas!
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Best places to take kids in St Louis in 2024! Once again, our readers have spoken! Thousands of parents voted in the KidsOutAndAbout survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Kids. Our Top 20 results page includes a list of your top picks, including winners in
special categories like favorite spot for indoor play, favorite nature center, favorite museum, and much more!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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