September 17, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Free with regular admission.
The Magic House has invited several animal groups to share their love of not-so-cuddly creatures with your kids. If you ever wanted to pet a reptile, this is your chance! There will be lizards, snakes, birds of prey, bugs and spiders brought in by the Saint Louis Zoo, The World Bird Sanctuary, The Butterfly House and more. Serengeti Steve and his mobile reptile zoo will do a presentation with plenty of audience participation.
Squirmy, Slimy, Scaly, Slithery Creatures Kids Love is free with regular admission.
September 25, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. No admission for shoppers. Reserve a booth ($15) if you want to sell.
Do you have a budding entrepreneur at home? The Magic House is inviting kids 16 and younger to set up shop at the 34th Annual Kid's Flea Market. Kids can sell handmade crafts, outgrown toys, books and games at the market and learn valuable business skills while cleaning out their rooms.
October 1 – 2, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. each day.
Big Truck Day is $18 per person for non-members and $12 per person for members. Your ticket includes a picnic lunch, a construction hat to decorate and admission to the Magic House. Space is limited, so reservations are suggested.
Challenge: All September long. Showcase: October 8, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Get your kids to think outside the box with a special Cardboard Creation Challenge going on all September in the Magic House Make-It Workshop. The workshop is stocked with cardboard, tools and accessories for kids to create anything they can dream up. The Challenge is inspired by Caine's Arcade and the Imagination Foundation. Kids can take their creations home or leave them on display at the Magic House.
The Cardboard Creation Showcase is limited to 100 kid inventors, so reserve your space now by calling the Magic House at 314-822-8900. Viewing the Showcase is free with admission.
October 1, 2016 – January 2, 2017. Open daily during regular hours.
Take your kids inside a game of chess at this special exhibit designed by the Magic House and St. Louis' own World Chess Hall of Fame. Kids can learn about chess on a life-sized board, or become the pieces by crafting their own fanciful crowns. They can explore a medieval castle with turret slides, build castle walls with giant interlocking bricks or play a game of chess with a friend while sitting on child-sized thrones.The exhibit is designed for kids 3 to 11 and hopes to pique their interest in learning to play the world's oldest game, chess.
Kings, Queens and Castles is included with admission.
Take your family to watch birds of prey fly right over your head, meet the wonderful bird ambassadors of the World Bird Sanctuary up close and much more.
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.