Winters in St. Louis can be cold and dreary. It’s easy to spend a lot of time indoors at home, but if your kids are like mine, that doesn’t last very long before they are begging to get out and “do something.” As parents, we have to figure out what that “do something” will be while keeping our activities easy to manage and affordable. Here is a list of some of my favorite St. Louis activities (both for kids and just for parents) that I use to battle the winter blues.
Clayton Restaurant Week
January 15-21, 2024
$25-75
Local restaurant weeks are a great way to enjoy meals at places you haven’t been before (or maybe old favorites) without breaking the bank! Most of the menus are for dinner, but some also participate in lunch. You can still order off the kids menu for your littles while you enjoy a coursed meal. The best bang for your buck if you’re enjoying with your kids is Crushed Red, where their $25 option is for two people! My favorite option if you’re going with your partner is 801 Chophouse. Their food and service are impeccable!
The Loop Ice Carnival
January 20, 2024
FREE
This is a family-friendly event in the Loop which has been happening for 17 years! There are over 40 ice sculptures, an ice carving demonstration, kids’ activities, chocolate coins hidden in ice cubes, a scavenger hunt, and live performers. When the kids get hungry, the Loop has no shortage of great places to pop in and eat!
Superhero Night at the Magic House
January 20, 2024
$18-25
If your kids are superhero fanatics the Magic House has a great event for an action-packed evening! Kids are encouraged to dress as their favorite superhero to meet Spider-Man, Captain America, Black Panther, Batman, Supergirl, and more! They will also get pizza and enjoy superher-themed activities like making their own masks.
Maplewood Sweet Tooth Tour
January 27, 2024
$22
This is one of my absolute favorite events of the winter season! Take a stroll through downtown Maplewood while collecting various treats to enjoy from different local businesses. A hack I learned after my first year: bring Tupperware! The treats are way too much to enjoy at once. I bring a container to collect them all and we enjoy them through the weekend. It’s definitely enough food not to buy a separate ticket for your littles. Maybe get one for older kids so they can enjoy collecting the treats and getting their passports checked off.
United We Brunch
January 27, 2024
$75
This one is best enjoyed with your friends! Riverfront Times has put on this event each year, and this time, they are moving the location to City Winery. For your ticket price you get unlimited food and drinks from local vendors. I have been to past events and the lines can get quite long, so make sure you have enough time to spend there to ensure you are able to try everything they have to offer.
Schnucks Cooking School Tween and Teen Class
Pasta-Bilities!
January 27, 2024
$45
If you’re looking for something to keep your tween or teen busy Schnucks offers some fun cooking classes to explore new skills independently in a hands-on environment. This class is just one option they have available for the 12-17 year old age group. If you have younger kids, they have other options for a family experience throughout the winter season.
National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day
February 3, 2024
Cost of ice cream
I love celebrating Ice Cream for Breakfast Day with my kids each year! You can choose your favorite local ice cream shop that’s participating, but my favorite is to go to any of Clementine’s many locations. Get in line early as it usually wraps around the building. Kids dress in their pajamas and adults can dress up in Breakfast at Tiffany’s theme. There is usually a free gift for the first 50 families in the door, and some people win free Tiffany’s jewelry! They also have breakfast themed ice cream flavors which my kids always enjoy.
St. Louis Food and Wine Experience
February 3, 2024
$75 ($30 for designated driver)
This one is just for the parents! I have been doing this event with my friends for close to 10 years now, and it’s always a blast. It’s located in the beautiful Union Station event hall space with unlimited food and wine samples to enjoy. Make sure to get a safe ride to the event, it’s a lot of wine samples. If you’re pregnant this year, you can still enjoy the food with a designated driver ticket!
St. Louis Mardi Gras Run for Your Beads and The Taste of Soulard
February 3-4, 2024
$35
If you’re the running type of family, the Run for Your Beads event is a part of St. Louis Mardi Gras, with hurricane stops along the route for the adults and beads for the kids. After your run (or if you skip the run altogether), you can enjoy the kick-off for the Taste of Soulard. This is more my speed, I love walking through the Soulard neighborhood enjoying eats from local restaurants. I usually go with friends instead of my kids as some of the stops are located in bars and can be fairly crowded. The run and the Taste of Soulard booklets cost $35 each. Taste of Soulard can also be enjoyed on day two after the Purina Pet Parade.
St. Louis Mardi Gras Purina Pet Parade
February 4, 2024
$10 to participate
FREE to attend
This is such an adorable family-friendly event in the Soulard neighborhood! Dress your doggie up in their best Mardi Gras attire, and your kids can walk them in the parade! If you don’t own a dog or your kids are more of the spectator type, you can watch this fun event for free! After the end of the parade is the Wiener Dog Derby, which is a must-see for lots of laughs.
Daddy / Daughter Dinnerat Eckert’s Belleville
Mommy / Son Date Knight at Eckert’s Belleville
February 17th + March 2nd – $20
Eckert’s Belleville Farm is hosting two special parent/child themed dinners. Tickets are $20 and they include dinner, dessert, a limo ride around the farm, and a keepsake photo. There are several time options to choose from, but each event is only offered on one date— February 17th for Daddy / Daughter and March 2nd for Mommy / Son.
St. Louis Science Center – SciFest Engineering Expo
February 24, 2024
FREE
I love the free St. Louis Science Center SciFest events! Each one has a theme and admission is always free. They showcase different vendors from all around town to educate kids with fun activities. I have been a part of the Health Expo and Great Outdoors events for my job and it was one of the highlights of my year.
