The Heights Playground and Outdoor Classroom, Richmond Heights

Location: 8001 Dale Ave, Richmond Heights, MO 63117

Website: https://www.richmondheights.org/departments/parks___recreation_cooperative/facilities___parks/parks/index.php

Playground Ground Cover: Astroturf

This playground is amazing! It includes an outdoor nature classroom. Here is a wonderful article about all the features and benefits of Nature Classrooms. There are now several in the St. Louis area! In addition to this one, here's a list of the other Nature Classrooms:

• The Green Center in St. Louis, MO
• Kids International Early Childhood Center in Ellisville, MO
• Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, MO
• Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, MO
• Towne Park in Foristell, MO
• Anne O. Albrecht Nature Playscape in Forest Park 

You can also swim here. Here's that post. 

The playground is at the back of the Heights

 The outdoor classroom has several areas: building, movement, gathering, nature art, messy play, and climbing. 

                                          

                              

 Messy play area complete with sandpit

 Nature Art Area

Building area

                              

                                           

                              

                                            

                                

                                

This playground is completely enclosed with a fence and a locking gate. It was replaced in 2025 and has everything, including large gear boards, a modified merry-go-round, boulders to climb on, tunnels, slides, bubble windows, bridges, ramps, and shaded picnic benches.

Tall enclosed bridge

Another cool interactive board

Missouri Live Steamers, Union

Location:  200 Grant St., Union, MO 63084

Amenities: Free miniature train rides - select dates monthly during the summer

Website: https://www.stlouislivesteamers.org/

The St. Louis Live Steamers organization is a group dedicated to building large-scale model railroads. Since 2005 they have been in Kircher Park, however, after excessive flooding, they decided they had to relocate. They struck a deal with the city of Union and are now ready to ride as of 2025! 

Each train only holds 15 or so people, but we only had to wait for a couple of full trains before it was our turn. The trains are smaller than the Wabash, Frisco, and Pacific Railroad. Before you take off, they instruct you not to lean to one side or the other during the ride, and to keep kids centered on your lap with their feet inside yours so they don't stick them out of the train. There's a narrow bridge that the train crosses during its loop trip, and you don't want to catch your foot on it! We looped around the track 3 times before our ride was over, and many families with small train fans immediately circled back to the end of the line for another ride. They run the trains on Saturdays starting at around 10 am. 

If you have a kiddo who likes trains, check out these other train activities!