The Saint Louis Zoo will will host the Big Eyes, Big Minds International Children's Film Festival of St. Louis, showcasing the best films from around the world to educate, enrich and inspire kids ages 1 to 16. All programs feature age-appropriate live-action and animated short films which are universally relevant to kids. The mission of the film festival is to expose children to diverse and imaginative works to broaden their view of the world, foster critical thinking and inspire creative expression.
Each program includes a series of 6 to 11 short films from various countries, ranging from award-winning animated films to child-produced films. Each film is between 1 and 30 minutes long.
Films will be shown on Saturdays: Feb. 9, 16 and 23. Tickets are available online and at the door. Showtimes are 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:15 p.m.
Tickets are $9 per person for ages 2 and up. Children under 2 are free. Children under 12 years old must be accompanied by at least one adult. Films are shown in the Anheuser-Busch Theater in the Living World /North Entrance at the Saint Louis Zoo.
After each screening, members of the Zoo education Department will offer a short filmmaking opportunity and other film-related activities for kids. The Wild Wonder Outpost discovery room for young children, located in the Living World, will be free of charge after the 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. film screenings.
More information, a full schedule of times and dates of each movie, and tickets: stlzoo.org
Kids can work on existing gym skills, learn new skills or just play around during Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym in Creve Coeur.
The Saint Louis Science Center has expanded its Preschool Science Series to include new offerings for different age groups of young scientists. Storybook STEM is for ages 3 to 5.
At Free Family Saturdays at Craft Alliance, families create together in each of the Craft Alliance studios, exploring clay, fiber, metals and graphic arts. These free workshops are led by professional artists and are for families with kids ages 5 and up. They are open to the public and all family structures are welcome. Please dress for a fun and sometimes messy art experience!
Young visitors and their families are invited to the Life Science Lab Classroom at the Saint Louis Science Center to enjoy interactive read-alouds of science-themed picture books. Story times are followed by a short demonstration or discussion connected to the book's main concepts.
Valentine's Day workshops at Yucandu Art Studio allow kids to express their creativity and bring home amazing Valentine's Day projects! Workshops are for kids in kindergarten through grade 5.