KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Fri, Jul 3: Celebrate Saint Louis
Fri, Jul 3: St. Charles Riverfest
Fri, Jul 3:
Union Firework Festivities
Sat, Jul 4: Chesterfield's Fourth of July Celebration!
Sat, Jul 4: Independence Day Festivities-Ellisville
Fri, Jul 10: St. Joseph Parish Picnic
Sat, Jul 18: MBCH Strawberry Festival
Tue, Jul 21: Madison County Fair
Fri, Jul 31: Celebrate Summerween!
Sat, Aug 1: End-Of-Summer Splash
Fri, Aug 7: RENT
Thu, Aug 13: Missouri State Fair
Thu, Aug 13: Ballwin Days
Thu, Aug 20: Pevely Days 2026 |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
The summer I was 5, my parents took our family to Cape Cod for a week. In Provincetown, we bought a kite, then headed to the dunes in North Truro, where my sister and I spent hours running full-tilt up and down the bare white hills. We’d scramble to the top, turn, and launch ourselves downward, legs windmilling, hair flying, lungs full of salt air and triumph. Invariably, we’d
fall, slap into the soft, sun-warmed sand, pop back up, and do it again. Tumbling down the dunes was gravity. Sand was friction. The kite tugging on our arms was air on the move. We didn't have words to describe these phenomena—we were little kids, not tiny physicists with notebooks. A decade later, my calculus teacher would give me the words and symbols to process motion conceptually, but experiences like this had already taught my body that I was an actor in the physics of
the world. My body understood. Summer is the perfect time for kids to learn motion from the inside out. Motion is in amusement park rides, in waves bobbing ducks and inner tubes up and down at the lake, in trains pulling you forward in one dimension and airplanes moving you through three. It’s in bikes and swings and Frisbees and trampolines and slip-and-slides, in tumbling through the days without realizing that learning is happening. As tour guides to our
kids’ universe, we can point gently: Feel how the swing slows at the top? Notice how the wave lifts you before it lets you down? See how leaning changes the bike’s path? But the point is not to turn summer into physics class. The point is to help kids notice how the world feels as they move through it. The equations can come later; now is the time for motion, and for the emotion that accompanies it. Summer’s gift is the body’s memory: wind, water, speed, balance, falling, landing, and getting up
to run again.
—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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Kiddie Academy-St. Louis offers your child a high-quality early childhood educational experience, with locations in Chesterfield, Des Peres, and O’Fallon. Kiddie Academy's Life Essentials® curriculum is designed to include hundreds of activities from infancy through junior kindergarten to stimulate both the creative and logical sides of your child’s brain. We partner with families to support children in reaching their full potential during these critical years of brain development and elementary school preparation. Our caring, trained educators nurture, educate, and inspire by focusing on six essential outcomes: Character, Confidence, Curiosity, Connection, Critical Thinking, and Creative Expression—preparing your child for a lifetime of learning. Visit our website to learn more or schedule a tour.
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Explore how wildlife survives and thrives in their native environment! With a special focus on wolves and foxes, campers will learn how physical traits, behaviors, and family life help animals adapt to the forest, desert, and Arctic tundra. Investigate how animals camouflage, communicate, hunt, and learn to survive as their environment changes. Each day is full of fun activities that build curiosity, teamwork, and a love for wildlife, while helping campers understand why protecting animals and nature is so important. Wolf Camp is for ages 6-13 .
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Celebrate color and individuality with fun songs, colored lights and a craft! In celebration of Pride Month. Groups, please contact hosting branch for registration and to inquire about space availability for all summer programs. Ages 3-6. Registration required.
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Celebrate summer bugs and their nighttime pals at the Fireflies and Friends Festival! This event is great for all ages. The evening will be filled with fun activities and hands-on exploration as you learn about dragonflies, cicadas, fireflies, and more! BYOF (Bring Your Own Flashlight). The Butterfly House will have extended hours for this event. Admission tickets are valid from 9 a.m.–9 p.m.; Fireflies and Friends starts at 5:30 p.m.; Firefly Walks start at 8 p.m.
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Get ready for high-flying fun and tail-wagging excitement from Ready Go Dog Show, returning to the “Woof-top” this Summer! Join us for a spectacular showcase of talented pups performing jaw-dropping tricks, incredible agility feats, and crowd-pleasing stunts that will leave you cheering. Whether you’re a dog lover, a family looking for a fun outing, or just someone who enjoys a good show, this event is for you!
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It's the first day after winter break at East High. The Jocks, Brainiacs, Thespians and Skater Dudes find their cliques, recount their vacations and look forward to the new year. Basketball team captain and resident jock, Troy, discovers that the brainy Gabriella, a girl he met singing karaoke on his ski trip, has just enrolled at East High. They cause an upheaval when they decide to audition for the high school musical that is being led by Ms. Darbus. Although many students resent the threat posed to the "status quo," Troy and Gabriella's alliance might just open the door for others to shine as well.
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PrideFest 2026 returns to Downtown St. Louis on Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, June 28, 2026, bringing together the LGBTQIA+ community and allies for a weekend of connection, visibility, and celebration. As the region’s largest Pride event, PrideFest continues Pride St. Louis’ mission to Educate. Advocate. Celebrate. This year marks an exciting new chapter as we debut our refreshed brand and build on the incredible community support that made our return possible. PrideFest 2026 will honor our shared history while looking ahead to the future, centering joy, resilience, and community pride.
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Join us for a festive day of open play, themed crafts, photo opportunities, a special pop up T-shirt bar, and a visit from everyone’s favorite blue pup! Kids can explore, imagine, and play while enjoying all the excitement of our Red, White & Blue celebration.
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History will come alive through a series of hands-on activities for all ages, live performances, historical portrayals and exhibits during the kickoff event for the America 250 Celebration in Edwardsville. Sunday's planned events will be hosted by the Madison County Historical Society and Edwardsville Public Library, with assistance from the Edwardsville Children's Museum.
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Catch the Incredible Dog Team at St. Louis Union Station this summer. Performances are FREE! Grab a bite to eat from one of the many eateries on site, explore Union Station’s amazing attractions, and watch high-flying canines in action. We can’t wait to see you!
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The Sprouts program will kick off on May 3! We look forward to seeing all of our youngest market shoppers again! Our goal is to introduce children to a variety of fresh, local produce while encouraging families to shop at the Washington Farmers’ Market.
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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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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the St. Louis area is back! You can search by date, age, or categories like day/overnight, sports, drama, music, theatre, arts & crafts, technology, robotics, horseback riding, preschool, & more.
Our guide puts summer fun right at your fingertips!
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It's almost time for fruit picking! Fruit picking is a great activity to do together as a family. It helps little ones understand where their food actually comes from, and it's a fun tradition to share every year right through the teens.
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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