Family Concerts at Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis City

Location: 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108

Website: https://www.slso.org/en/tickets/family-concerts/

I took my kids here when they were 6 and 8 and it was so much fun. On select Sunday afternoons, the 3-concert Family Series offers a mix of fun, thematic orchestral music to engage and entertain children ages 5-12 and their families. Each concert is 45 minutes in length showcasing a one-of-a-kind live musical experience to share and create magical memories together. The concerts start at 3:00, but get there early for the instrument playground. You can explore, touch and play instruments of the orchestra. Starting at 2:00 p.m. before each family concert, families can discover many different orchestral instruments in this hands-on experience located throughout Powell Hall.

We saw Lemony Snicket's the Composer is Dead. Coming up in 2020 they have Peter and the Wolf and World of Water. Tickets start at just $8 per person! Powell is a beautiful old building and if your kids can't sit still it's always nice to walk around in the halls and take in the beauty of the old place.

Strings section included a violin, a viola, and a cello. 

Woodwinds area included a clarinet and a flute. 

Percussion area with cymbal, triangle, and drum

Brass area- don't worry they sanitize the mouth pieces after each child. 

They color coordinate all the musicians to show the kids where each section is located in the orchestra. Strings in front, brass and woodwinds in the middle, and percussion in the back.

We were in the very back and the seats were still great. My kids loved learning about the symphony!

Community Center at Bellefontaine Neighbors

Location: 9669 Bellefontaine Rd., Bellefontaine Neighbors, MO 63137

Website: https://www.cityofbn.com/departments/parks-and-recreation/community-center

Amenities: 

• an indoor pool- must be a resident
• an outdoor pool- must be a resident
• locker rooms with saunas (Saunas are closed during summer)
• a game room with 2 pool tables
• a weight room
• one racquetball court
• a gymnasium
• two meeting rooms
• a miniature golf course with a playground and gazebo- open to the public
• Recreation Department Office
• outdoor sand volleyball court

This course is behind the rec center, just follow the sign around to the back. Also back there is a playground and an outdoor pool. The course was closed when i was there so I could only get limited photos through the fence. It looks like a well maintained course and the cost for non residents is $4 for adults and $3 for kids.

View of the mini golf course from the playground and gazebo.

Gazebo with pool in the background

They playground needs wood chips badly. There is one play structure but it's a decent size and has a tic tac toe board, slides, tunnel, bridge, and lots of bars and poles.

 

 Currently non residents aren't allowed to swim at this pool unless you are a guest of a resident. 

Arden Park, Pine Lawn

Location: 2502 Arden Ave., Pine Lawn, MO 63121

Website: http://pinelawn.org/resources/parks-recreation/

Playground Ground Cover: Wood chips

There is no signage for this playground. It's an empty lot on a residential street where a home used to be. The City of Pine Lawn was awarded a Let’s Play Grant from the KaBOOM! Dr Pepper Snapple Group for $15,000. They replaced the old play structure with a new one in August 2018. It's much better! There is no bathroom however and there is no designated parking lot (but there is parking available on the quiet street.)

The play structure has slides, a tunnel, a rock wall, and various bars and poles. 

How wonderful that kids in this neighborhood now have a great playground!

Klein Park, Bellefontaine Neighbors

Location: 10005 Bellefontaine Rd., Bellefontaine Neighbors, MO 63137

Website: https://www.cityofbn.com/departments/parks-and-recreation/park-reservations/klein-park

Playground Ground Cover: Poured Rubber

This is a strange playground. It's in the corner of a strip mall parking lot at Bellefontaine and Chambers. It has a tiny playground, a gazebo, a swinging bench, and some picnic benches. The playground has a slide, a rock wall, a pretend window, a chain climber, and various bars and poles.

You can see here from above that it's in the corner of the parking lot next to a very busy intersection. 

Endicott Park, St. John

Location: 2950 Endicott Ave., St. John, MO 63114

Website: https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-departments/parks/places/endicott-park/

Playground Ground Cover: Rubber mats

This park was turned over to the City of St. John for a few years in the 1990's but then returned to the County. The playground, shelter, and restroom were renovated in 2001 using funds from St. Louis County’s metropolitan park funds. The park includes a playground, disc golf, athletic fields, and a shelter.

The parking lot is a bit of a walk from the playground.  The playground is right next to a pavilion and restrooms. There are 2 play structures, one for big kids and one for littles.

The restrooms were clean and there was a baby changing station.

The small playground has an abacus, some slides, a tunnel, a tic tac toe board,  and a pretend window.

The large play structure has a rolling log, tunnel, gear window, a small rock wall, steering wheel, slides, and tons of bars and poles.

They are currently ripping up the tennis courts and replacing them.