14 Things To Do In St. Louis With Kids

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Located on the banks of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, St. Louis was founded in 1764, and named for King Louis IX.

With a population of just over 301,000, St. Louis has more free attractions than any other place in the United States other than Washington DC.

The city is known for its beer, baseball, toasted ravioli, and iconic arch.

It’s the home to the Anheuser Busch company and is also where Panera Bread Company, Build A Bear, 7-Up, and ice cream cones got their start.

A St. Louis Deejay was the first in the nation to play hip-hop music (Rapper’s Delight), in 1979.

St. Louis is known for having the best BBQ sauce in the country, and its residents consume more than any other city per capita.

It’s also where the first U.S. kindergarten opened in 1873.

The River City is also home to many celebrities, like Tina Turner, Vincent Price, Evan Peters, and Arthur Ashe.

Visitors to St. Louis will find a vast array of activities, from arts and theater, shopping, and delicious food, to nature and outdoor adventure.

Don’t worry about having the kiddos tag along, because there are a ton of exciting activities for them too.

Keep reading to find things to do in St. Louis with kids.

14 Things To Do In St. Louis With Kids

1. The St. Louis Zoo – St. Louis, Missouri

Established in 1910, The St. Louis Zoo is home to over 16,000 animals.

Admission to the zoo is free.

Kids of all ages will delight in the many exhibits, which include a butterfly oasis and an insectarium (which includes live and animatronic bugs).

Visitors can also enjoy the sea lion show and interact with some stingrays. 

Added attractions include The Zooline Railroad, a carousel, and a 4D theater.

There are several eateries and souvenir shops sprinkled throughout the zoo.

2. City Museum – St. Louis, Missouri

Winner of one of USA Today’s Best Immersive Art Experiences awards, this indoor/outdoor playground will keep kids active for hours while teaching them about creativity.

Built on the property of an old shoe factory, kids can climb up, slide down, and crawl through several exhibits.

There are 10-story high spiral slides, secret passages, caves, a labyrinth maze, and even a giant, climbable Praying Mantis.

Visitors can choose a guided tour or explore on their own.

3. Purina Farms – St. Louis, Missouri

Owned by the Purina pet food corporation, this delightful attraction features canine performances, interactive farm animal experiences (like cow milking and feeding), and wagon rides.

Everyone will learn from The Better With Pets exhibit, which shows how pets experience the world.

There’s an interactive barn and a pet training center.

Dozens of cats and dogs also call the farm home and are available for adoption.

The farm is open from April through October.

4. Grant’s Farm – St. Louis, Missouri

Open daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Grant’s farm is home to the iconic Anheuser Busch Clydesdales.

Guests can take a train ride through this amazing property and view the amazing flora, the deer park, and historic buildings.

Some of the buildings include the cabin that belonged to President Ulysses S. Grant and a German-style castle.

There’s a carousel, drone shows, animal feeding, and complimentary beer samples for the adults.

5. The Magic House – St. Louis, Missouri

This popular children’s museum offers hands-on activities for kids of all ages.

Everyone can tinker, create, and explore while developing their problem-solving skills and imaginations.

Time travel with the Xavier Riddle Secret exhibit, and learn what it’s like to be a child in China with China’s kids exhibit.

Visit the Children’s Village, where kids can do everything from caring for a baby in the nursery and fixing a car to serving pizza and catching fish.

It’s an adorable pretend community.

Then move onto the nature play area where children can make mud pies and build stick houses.

Don’t miss out on the bubble room, wonder works, and learning lab.

6. Forest Park – St. Louis, Missouri

With over 1,300 acres and 47,000 trees, Forest Park has been hailed as one of the nation’s best city parks.

Opened in 1876, the park sees over 13 million visitors a year.

The property has over 30 miles of hiking trails and 190 acres of nature preserve.

It’s also home to The St. Louis Art Museum and The Missouri State History Museum.

Visitors can enjoy a great day outdoors with activities like archery, boating, hiking, fishing, ice skating (there’s a rink), tennis, and bird watching.

Don’t miss the chance to get spritzed at the Cascade waterfall area.

There’s even a fish hatchery to visit.

The park has the usual amenities as well, like playgrounds, picnic tables, and grills.

7. St. Louis Science Center – St. Louis, Missouri

With over 700 interactive experiences, kids are sure to love a day at The St. Louis Science Center.

Explore exhibits like Dr. Who (time travel), Earth Science, Space, Food and Farming, The Lab, and a VR Transporter.

There’s also a flight simulator, Omnimax theater, and planetarium.

The center is open from Thursday to Sunday from 9:30 AM until 5 PM.

8. St. Louis Cardinals/Busch Arena – St. Louis, Missouri

Take the kids out to a ball game at the exciting Busch Stadium.

Before the game, you can take a guided tour of the announcer’s booth, dugout, and other areas.

Stop by the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame, and visit the team store.

Then settle in for a great day of baseball with the 11-time World Series champs.

9. Kokomo Joe’s Family Fun Center – St. Louis, Missouri

Open 7 days a week all year round, this family fun center is a great rainy-day activity.

Kids can enjoy the usual arcade games like the claw machine and pinball, but there’s so much more.

Get your adrenaline flowing with a VR King Kong ride, bounce along the trampoline park, go zip lining, play laser tag, bowl, or free yourself from an escape room.

There are even go-karts!

Take a break from the fun to eat at the cafe that offers an array of delicious food.

10. RYZE Adventure Park – St. Louis, Missouri

This outdoor adventure park has a 4-story tower that features over 100 obstacle courses for all abilities.

Visitors can also go zip lining, play mini golf, rappel, and free fall from walls.

There’s a lovely observation deck for adults to relax and watch over the kids.

If yard games are more your style, the deck has activities like cornhole and giant Jenga.

11. Six Flags – St. Louis, Missouri

Spend the day experiencing the nation’s most popular and exciting amusement park, right in the heart of St. Louis. Six Flags is synonymous with family fun and entertainment.

Visitors to the Missouri location can experience a day filled with rides like Batman, Boomerang, and the wooden roller coaster, American Thunder.

On a warm day, go cool off in Adventure Cove with over 70 water attractions, like a giant wave pool and a lazy lagoon.

There’s always live entertainment and special events throughout the park.

Eat at one of several kiosks or restaurants, and shop for souvenirs at several shops.

12. The National Museum Of Transportation – St. Louis, Missouri

Open year-round, this museum houses over 190 transportation exhibits from all around the globe.

Vehicles date back to the 1800s to the present day and include cars, trains, buses, motorcycles, planes, and water crafts.

There’s also a large collection of celebrity cars.

13. Dine At The Hill – St. Louis, Missouri

The St. Louis culinary scene is very kid friendly.

Especially the Hill section of the city which is rife with Italian food.

Between St. Louis’ signature thin-crust pizza and toasted ravioli, kids will not complain about sitting in a restaurant.

Both dishes are made with Provel cheese, a mixture of provolone, mozzarella, and other cheeses that were developed in St. Louis.

14. Big Muddy Adventures – St. Louis, Missouri

Experience the great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers with an exciting guided paddle boat tour.

See sights that can only be experienced from the river, including famous bridges, iconic Route 66, ancient riverfront buildings, and wildlife.

The tour will stop at a remote island where lunch will be served, and you can take a dip in the clean, but muddy waters.

It’s a great way for the family to explore, get fresh air, and get some exercise.

St. Louis Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: St. Louis Safety Review

Safety Index:

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• OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
• TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
• PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
• NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
• MUGGING RISK: LOW
• TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
• SCAMS RISK: LOW
• WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW