MADE by the Magic House, St. Louis City

Location: 5127 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108      314-328-0561

Website: https://www.magichouse.org/made/

MADE opened in June 2019 and is the first satellite location of the Magic House. It has an industrial vibe with concrete floors and pillars, exposed pipes, and high ceilings. MADE stands for Makers' Space, Artists' Studio, Designers' Lab, and Entrepreneurs Marketplace.  They have lots of hands-on fun for elementary and middle school kids. I'll explain the 4 different areas and show you everything you can do there.  They have the same hours as the Magic House. Admission is only $7.50 per person over the age of 1. They offer a family membership for $75, which, in my opinion, is well worth it. They also offer $3 per person after 3 pm. 

This was a coding table with little robots, my son had a blast creating a track of different colors. Once you drew it the little robot would follow the line and go slow or fast depending on the color.

There were several employees walking around that were happy to stop and help us when we didn't know what we were doing.

The 3D printer was so engrossing, that I couldn't stop watching it. The plastic they use is made of corn and it cools almost immediately. 

My son's favorite thing was the Stop Motion Video area. He made several movies here, he couldn't get enough. He came home and downloaded the Lego movie maker app and made more videos at home. I must say he's coming up with really creative storylines! 

 

The art area was full of everything an artist could dream of, including colored pencils, pastels, stamps, a die-cut machine, a screen printing machine, a still life area, digital easels, and a pottery wheel. Kids could play with the leftover clay and paint their creations.

The building area had imagination playground blocks, and wood building materials as well. Some kids built a wooden cart and gave each other rides around the place. 

 They had a textile area with sewing machines, looms, and a cricut. 

They also had a button maker so my daughter made matching BFF pins for her and her friend.

Rockets and parachutes

 Lego table

MADE is on the second floor, and they also have an adult makerspace on the first floor. 

This article is fantastic if you want to learn more about the creation of this wonderful space.

Once a year or so they have the Tape Scape, which is a huge tunnel made out of tape that the kids can climb in. So fun!

 

Chesterfield Elementary School Park, Chesterfield

Location: 17700 Wild Horse Creek Rd, Chesterfield, MO 63005

Website: https://www.chesterfield.mo.us/parks-and-trails.html

Playground Ground Cover: Wood Chips

Like Green Trails Elementary School, and River Bend Elementary School, this playground is developed and maintained in a cooperative partnership agreement with the Rockwood School District (the other 2 schools are Parkway but it's the same arrangement). During the school year, the school has priority over the playground, but after school hours anyone is free to enjoy it. And there's a lot to enjoy! They have a story walk around the perimeter, and a ton of equipment as seen below. There are 6 sling swings but no baby swings as this playground is intended for school-aged kids. There is also a walking path, multipurpose court, and athletic fields.

Storybook walk