In March, more than 100 volunteers from the Edwardsville, Ill. community planted 100 trees to get the Edwardsville Children’s Museum Micro Forest off the ground. This educational and environmental initiative led by ECM and sponsored by Phillips 66 has transformed an empty brownfield site into a two-acre urban forest preserve that will help improve air quality, increase the region’s biodiversity and lower ozone levels.
On April 22, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., ECM, along with volunteers from Phillips 66 and Starbucks, will plant a second round of trees in celebration of Earth Day. Thanks to the support of funders, seedlings were purchased from the Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District and include varieties, such as Northern Red Oak, Northern Pecan and American Plum. The community is invited to join the planting effort that day at the Micro Forest, located on Route 143 next to Cedarhurst Senior Living in Edwardsville. Volunteers of all ages are asked to bring along a shovel, and if they have them available, newspaper, spare bricks and wheelbarrows. Visit the ECM Micro Forest webpage for more details.
As part of its mission to serve the needs and interests of children, ECM will also tie the Micro Forest into its new Phillips 66 STEM Forest Exhibit opening Summer 2021. This hands-on exhibit brings the outside indoors, giving kids the change to create their own woodland creatures, explore ECM's Canopy Tree House, and discover steps they can take to protect our natural ecosystem. More information about the exhibit will be available at edwardsvillechildrensmuseum.org in the next few weeks.
The St. Louis African Arts Festival, held in Forest Park, celebrates the rich and diverse cultures of Africa and African people. Children's activities include storytelling, arts and crafts, mask-making and educational workshops. In conjunction with the festival, the Saint Louis Zoo will have special activities focused on a different African animal each day.
There are more than strawberries (but plenty of those too) at this festival! Kids can enjoy carnival rides, a petting farm, pony rides, the children's play area and lots more.
Families are invited to the Saint Louis Art Museum on Sunday afternoon to participate in free hands-on art activities with fun themes and to explore the galleries. Each Family Sunday focuses on a different family-friendly theme.
See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.
See the Purina Incredible Dog Team perform extraordinary feats of athleticism and skill right here in St. Louis at Union Station this summer! Free performances are happening Thursdays through Sundays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Union Station's Performance Plaza in front of the St. Louis Wheel.