Looking for something to do around St. Louis this spring? From volunteering with animals and learning new skills to staying active, here are activities to entertain and inspire kids and teens.
Photo courtesy of the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station
ANIMALS
The APA Adoption Center, located in Brentwood and Olivette, has opportunities for kids of all ages to give back to their community. Younger children can provide for adoptable pets by making them special treats and enrichment toys. Teens 16 or older who sign up for volunteer hours, whether as dog walkers or helping out with community events, can earn school credit for their service.
APA Adoption Center; 1705 S. Hanley Road, Brentwood; 10521 Baur Blvd., Olivette; 314-645-4610, apamo.org
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Photo courtesy of HSMO
Enroll your child in one of the youth volunteer programs offered at the Humane Society of Missouri. Kids can get involved by visiting on-site to read to shelter dogs, which can lessen the anxiety of these pets awaiting adoption; or they can become animal advocates through Kind Kids, a program that empowers youth to develop their own idea of how to help shelter pets.
Humane Society of Missouri, 1201 Macklind Ave., St. Louis, 314-647-8800, hsmo.org
Spark your child’s imagination at the “Animal Myths and Legends” Spring Break camp, hosted by the Saint Louis Zoo. From March 20 to 24, campers will explore the origin stories of mythological creatures while meeting real animals and learning the positive impact of the creatures living in our world today. The program caters to grades first through fifth and prices start at $306.
Saint Louis Zoo, 1 Government Dr., St. Louis, 314-781-0900, stlzoo.org
Have an avid “Shark Week” fan in your home? High schoolers can dive into aquatic animal care through the high school shadow program at the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station. Your teen, plus at least four of their friends, can learn behind the scenes what food prep, animal training and even shark feeds entail. Upcoming dates include March 21, April 4 and April 10 from 9 a.m. to noon. Visit the aquarium's Instagram page for additional upcoming events for this month and beyond.
St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station, 201 S. 18th St., St. Louis, 314-923-3900, stlouisaquarium.com
Photo courtesy of City Museum
ARTS AND SCIENCE
Go on a family outing to the fun-filled City Museum, located downtown, on April 22 and 23. The museum is celebrating Mother Earth with hands-on projects that teach around recycling and sustainability. The cost for this special weekend event is free with general admission.
City Museum, 750 N. 16th St., St. Louis, 314-231-2489, citymuseum.org
Children ages six through 12 can learn more about the natural world around them by joining the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Budding Scientist program. This spring, youth can join a morning session from March 17 through April 21 to look for cherry blossoms, leaf budding and active insects.
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, 314-577-5100, missouribotanicalgarden.org
At Yucandu Art Studio in Webster Groves, students in Kindergarten through fifth grade will become little artists as they create paintings, mosaics and other take-home artworks. The spring break camp costs $295 and runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 20 through 23.
Yucandu Art Studio, 20 Allen Ave., Webster Groves, 314-963-4400, yucandu.com
GIVING BACK
If your kid’s nose is always in a book, there’s no better place to spend spring break than at your local library. St. Louis County Library invites older kids to join its Teen Advisory Group, where they can weigh in on how to improve library services for their age groups through program development and by evaluating current services – all while improving their leadership skills.
St. Louis County Library, multiple locations, 314-994-3300, slcl.org
Time off from school can be well spent by serving the greater community. Teens can choose “alternate spring break” projects, such as creek clean-up or flower transplanting, through United Way’s STLVolunteer program.
United Way of Greater St. Louis, St. Louis, helpingpeople.org
TRADITIONAL SPRING BREAK CAMPS
Looking for a place that can offer your child a variety of activities to choose from, with after-hours care also available if your family needs it? Sports, cooking, swimming, crafts and more can be found at The J, which runs camps from March 13 through 27. Mad Science, a worldwide organization that offers STEM-based camps at locations throughout the metro area, teaches kids the science behind being a secret agent, sending rockets into flight and even gross bodily functions like burping and boogers. Explore locations and camps at stlouis.madscience.org.
The J; Staenberg Family Complex, 2 Millstone Campus Drive, Creve Coeur; Marilyn Fox Building, 16801 Baxter Road, Chesterfield; 314-432-5700, jccstl.com
Mad Science, multiple locations, 314-991-8000, stlouis.madscience.org
Amanda Dahl
Digital editor and staff writer Amanda Dahl appreciates the beauty of life, from people trying to change the world for the better to fashion and beauty to picturesque places found around the globe.
