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midwestnomadfamily
๐ŸŽ STL Experience Gifts ๐ŸŽ โ € Looking for alt ๐ŸŽ STL Experience Gifts ๐ŸŽ โ € Looking for alternatives to toys for your kids? Here are some fun and local experience gifts to give instead! (๐Ÿ’พ Save this post) โ € โญ Membership to @themagichouse ๐Ÿฆ“ Zoo membership @stlzoo ๐Ÿค– Visit to @stlmyseum ๐Ÿ›Get lost at City Museum @citymuseum ๐ŸŒŽ Science Center membership @stlsciencecenter ๐ŸŒธBotanical Garden Membership @mobotgarden ๐Ÿ  Play Street Museum passes @playstreetmuseum ๐ŸŒผ Membership/passes to Blossom Play Cafe @blossomplaycafe.llc โญ Trip to @edwardsville_childrens_museum ๐Ÿš‚ Visit or membership to the Transportation Museum @museumoftransport ๐ŸŽต Family concert tickets to @stlsymphony ๐Ÿฆ… Trip to World Bird Sanctuary and Lone Elk Park ๐Ÿšก Ride the gondola/Alpine coaster at @aeriesresort โ„๏ธ Tubing or skiing at @hiddenvalleystl ๐ŸŽ„ See Christmas lights in a walk or drive through display (link to full lights list in bio) ๐Ÿคธโ€โ™€๏ธ Passes to Urban Air, Skyzone, or Slick City ๐Ÿง—โ€โ™‚๏ธPasses to @ryzeadventurepark โ›บ Go glamping at @losthilllakeevents ๐ŸŸ St. Louis Aquarium visit @aquariumstl ๐ŸŽก Take a ride on the Wheel @stlouiswheelpark โญ Visit the Arch and ride the tram @gatewayarchstl ๐ŸŒณ Zip lining at @goapestlouis or @graftonzipline ๐ŸŽฅ Movie theater gift card ๐ŸŽณ Go bowling ๐Ÿช™ Visit an arcade โšฑ๏ธMake art at @potteryhollow โšพ Tickets to a sporting event ๐ŸŽข Trip to Six Flags, Silver Dollar City, or Holiday World ๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ Tickets to a kid-friendly event such as Disney on Ice or a Princess Ball ๐Ÿ’… Visit to Sweet and Sassy for hair and makeup ๐Ÿงธ Trip to Build-a-bear ๐Ÿฅพ Go on a family hike (see midwestnomads.com for ideas!) ๐Ÿ› Spend a day playground hopping (Playground ideas in my highlights) ๐ŸŒฟ Stay at a cabin or lodge at a Missouri or Illinois State Park ๐Ÿ’ฆ Visit a rec center with an indoor water park or pool ๐Ÿš— Take a day trip to Casey, IL to see the World's Largest objects ๐ŸŒฟ Take a hike at Giant City State Park and visit the Boo Castle Playground ๐Ÿงณ Take a weekend trip to Kansas City, Springfield (MO or IL), Branson, or Chicago. โ›ธ๏ธ Go ice skating ๐ŸŽ Horseback riding, skating, art, sports, or music lessons ๐ŸจVisit to @sodafountainstl , @fitzsrootbeer, @fountainonlocust, or an ice cream or cookie shop โ € โ“Do you have any other ideas to add?
๐ŸŽ„๐Ÿฆ“ Take a walk on the wild side this Christm ๐ŸŽ„๐Ÿฆ“ Take a walk on the wild side this Christmas with the Wild Lights event at the St. Louis Zoo. โ € We visited Thursday night and had a wonderful time! Weekdays or cooler weather days are a great less-crowded option. โ € This holiday event features: ๐ŸŽ„Light displays and themed areas such as Meet Me in St. Louis, Arctic Alley, Frosted Forest, and more. ๐ŸฆŒRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer showing in the 4D theater (included in admission) โ›„Free crafts and letters to Santa in the Woodland Workshop (located behind Lakeside Cafe) ๐Ÿœ๐ŸงVisit the Insectarium and Penguins & Puffin Coast. ๐Ÿฆ Special scavenger hunt where kids can find the costumed characters to receive a special animal card. โ˜• Hot cocoa, s'mores, and other food and beverages available for purchase ๐Ÿ›๏ธ Extra discounts in the gift shops โ € ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Wild Nights runs select nights through December 30th. ๐Ÿ•ฆAdvance ticket purchase is available online for entry during two time slots of 5-6:30 and 6:30-8:15. You can stay as long as you want after entry until 8:30. Weekends and good weather days can sell out. ๐Ÿ’ฒ Admission is $11-$16. The cost varies by date and whether you are a zoo member. ๐ŸŒŸ Dec 12 is a special sensory-friendly night for those with autism or sensory processing disorders. Tickets are $10. โ € Have you been to the Wild Lights? โ € @stlzoo #usbankwildlights #STLzoo @explorestlouis @visitmo #thatsmymo #stl #stlmom #stlouismom #midwestblogger #midwestnomadfamily #midwestliving #midwestmoment
๐ŸŽ„Looking for some family holiday fun? The Magic ๐ŸŽ„Looking for some family holiday fun? The Magic House has several great events coming up! โ € ๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿผ๐Ÿคถ๐ŸผMagical Nights โ€“ Photos with Santa, storytime with Mrs. Claus, cookies and milk plus private playtime of the whole Museum! (A great time for exploring without crowds!) We did this event last year and it was so fun! #hosted ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Dec 3, 10, 17 ๐Ÿ•œ 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. ๐Ÿ’ฒ$20 per person, $10 per member โ € ๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿผ๐ŸŽVisits with Santa - Take your own photos with Santa in his red sleigh, enjoy a sweet treat, plus admission to the outdoor Gingerbread Village. ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Dec 2-4, 9-11, 16-18 ๐Ÿ•œ 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. ๐Ÿ’ฒ$15 per family โ € ๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿผ๐ŸฅžBreakfast with Santa - Breakfast by a pancake flipping extraordinaire, have private museum playtime, make a craft, and visit Santa in his sleigh. A professional photographer will capture the memory. ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Dec 4 & 11 ๐Ÿ•œ Event starts at 8:30 with private playtime until 10:30 (you can stay all day) and various time slots for breakfast until 12:30. ๐Ÿ’ฒ$25 per person, $15 per member Slots are filling fast! โ € โ˜•๐Ÿช Cocoa & Cookies with Santa Photos with Cocoa Santa and Mrs. Claus, cookies and hot cocoa, and create gifts for family and friends. ๐ŸŽ…This event is at the satellite location, Magic House MADE (5127 Delmar Blvd) ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Dec 9 ๐Ÿ•œ 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. ๐Ÿ’ฒ$6 per person โš ๏ธ Members: Check your emails for special members only Holiday parties! ๐ŸŽ„ โ € For events details visit : https://www.magichouse.org/specialevents/ #partner @themagichouse #themagichouse #explorestlouis #midwestliving #magichousestl #stlouis #kirkwoodmo #visitmo #thatsmymo #stlmom #stlouismom #stlparents
๐ŸŽ„ Christmas Wonderland ๐ŸŽ„ ๐Ÿ“Rock Springs Pa ๐ŸŽ„ Christmas Wonderland ๐ŸŽ„ ๐Ÿ“Rock Springs Park: Alton, IL ๐ŸŒŸ Rock Springs Park is one of my favorite local lights displays. Each year a group of volunteers, known as the "Grandpa Gang" decorate the park with over 4 million lights! ๐ŸŽ… Santa is back this year in his house along the route. Come visit Santa for free and take a photo in his lighted sleigh. ๐ŸŽ„Don't miss the Enchanted Forest where you can vote for your favorite decorated Christmas tree. ๐ŸŒŸThe park hosted it's once a year walk through night on Monday and is now open to drive through and enjoy the lights for only $7 per car! ๐ŸŒŸThe lights are open 6-9 p.m. Monday-Friday and 5-9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday nights through December 27th. @riversandroutes #rockspringsparkwinterwonderland #altonil @enjoyillinois #midwestmoment #midwestliving
๐Ÿšœ๐ŸŽ„Boonie's Farm Christmas event is back this ๐Ÿšœ๐ŸŽ„Boonie's Farm Christmas event is back this year through December 23rd. Take the country drive out to Worden, Illinois for some outdoor family fun. โ € Boonie's hosted us to check it out and the kids had a blast! Besides the thousands of lights ๐ŸŽ„ and photo ops ๐Ÿ“ท there are other activities including: โ € ๐Ÿšœ Lighted Tractor-Drawn Wagon Ride ๐Ÿš‚ Lighted Barrel Train Ride โ˜ƒ๏ธ Tubing Hill โ„๏ธ Snow for Play โšช Faux Snowball Fight Obstacle Course ๐Ÿ Farm Animals ๐ŸฆŒ Rudolph's Reindeer Games w/prizes ($1 to play and guaranteed a prize) ๐Ÿคธโ€โ™‚๏ธ Yard Games & Play Area ๐Ÿ–๏ธ Happy Elvesโ€™ Workshop (Crafts & Letters to Santa) ๐Ÿคถ Mrs. Claus' Cookie Decorating Station (extra fee) ๐Ÿ”ฅ S'mores & Hot Dog Roasting ๐Ÿฅ› Hot Cocoa, Sweet Treats, and food for purchase โ € SPECIAL EVENTS: ๐ŸŽ… Visit Santa: All event dates 6-8pm ๐ŸŽ Pony Rides (by Donation): All dates EXCEPT 12/2-4 ๐Ÿ‘‘ Meet & Greet w/ Belle: Sat 12/17 (6:30-8pm) ๐ŸŽ Vendor Showcase: Most Weekends โ € ๐ŸŽŸ TICKETS: Online $11.00; At Gate $15.00 2 years and under: FREE - This event is pet-friendly - Merchandise, dรฉcor, gift cards, food, drink, farm animal treats, Rudolph's Reindeer Games, and Mrs. Claus' Cookie Decorating Station are an additional fee โ € ๐Ÿ“… DATES: Friday - Sunday 11/25-12/18 Daily 12/19-12/23 โฐ TIME: 5-9PM ๐Ÿ“ฌ LOCATION: 8863 Dustman Road, Worden, IL ๐Ÿ‘‰ TICKETS & INFO: booniesfarm.com/christmas โ € ๐ŸŽ„Thanks for having us Boonie's! @booniesfarm #booniesfarm @enjoyillinois #riversandroutes #enjoyillinois #stlouismom #stlmom #stlouischristmas #stlchristmas #midwestblogger #midwestnomadfamily #midwestliving
๐ŸŒŸWonderlights ๐—š ๐—œ ๐—ฉ ๐—˜ ๐—” ๐—ช ๐—” ๐—ฌ ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸšซGiveaway CLOSED โ € โœจWonderlights Christmas is back in the St. Louis area this year. This amazing attraction has over 1 million synchronized lights set to music. โ € โœจI have partnered with them to give TWO families a free admission pass! โ € โœจThe display is open nightly, rain or shine from 5-10 p.m. through January 1st, including holidays. The display is located on the World Wide Technology Raceway in Fairmont City, Illinois. โ € โœจTo enter โฌ‡๏ธ ๐ŸŽ„ 1. LIKE and SAVE this post ๐Ÿ’พ ๐ŸŽ„ 2. Follow @midwestnomadfamily and @christmasinstlouis ๐ŸŽ„ 3. Let me know your favorite Christmas cookie and tag a friend! Tag more friends in individual comments for extra entries! (One tag per comment) โ € GIVEAWAY closes Thursday, December 1st at 11:59 P.M. Central time. Must be 18 years or older to win. Giveaway not affiliated in any way with Instagram. โ € โš ๏ธ Beware of any fake or spam accounts. This is my only account and the winner will be messaged directly from me and announced in stories. No clicking links or downloads required to enter! โ € #enjoyillinois #stlouismom #stlmom #stlchristmas #riversandroutes #wonderlights #christmasinstlouis
โ˜€๏ธ๐—•๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—œ๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฆ๐˜. ๐—Ÿ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—™๐˜‚๐—ป โ˜€๏ธ โ € Looking for ways to keep warm and have fun indoors this winter? โ € โญ๐Ÿ’พ๐—ฆ๐—”๐—ฉ๐—˜ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜! โ € ๐— ๐—ฎ๐—ด๐—ถ๐—ฐ ๐—›๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ (Kirkwood) & ๐— ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ (St. Louis) Two locations to learn & play @themagichouse ๐—ฆ๐—ฐ๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ ๐—–๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ (St. Louis) Free admission with tons of exhibits @stlsciencecenter ๐—š๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐˜„๐—ฎ๐˜† ๐—”๐—ฟ๐—ฐ๐—ต (St. Louis) Free museum or pay to ride to the top @gatewayarchstl ๐—ฆ๐˜. ๐—Ÿ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฆ๐˜†๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—ต๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜† (St.Louis) Check out the family concerts @stlsymphony ๐—•๐—น๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜€๐—ผ๐—บ ๐—ฃ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜† ๐—–๐—ฎ๐—ณ๐—ฒ (O'Fallon, IL) Cute play area & classes @blossomplaycafe.llc ๐—ฃ๐—ผ๐˜„๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—ฉ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—น๐—ฒ๐˜† ๐—ก๐—ฎ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—–๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ - (St. Louis) Free & fun conservation center ๐— ๐˜†๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐—บ (Town & County) Fun west county kids museum @stlmyseum ๐—ช๐—ฒ ๐—ฅ๐—ผ๐—ฐ๐—ธ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ฆ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ฟ๐˜‚๐—บ (Fenton & Edwardsville) Kids of all abilities love this play gym @werockthespectrumkidsgym ๐—จ๐—ฟ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—”๐—ถ๐—ฟ (multi locations) Trampolines, ninja courses, & more @urbanairpark ๐—˜๐—ฑ๐˜„๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฑ๐˜€๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐—น๐—น๐—ฒ ๐—–๐—ต๐—ถ๐—น๐—ฑ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ป'๐˜€ ๐— ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐—บ Fun spot to learn & play @edwardsville_childrens_museum ๐—š๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ฅ๐—ถ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐— ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐—บ (Alton) Free rivers Museum ๐—Ÿ๐—ฒ๐˜„๐—ถ๐˜€ & ๐—–๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ธ ๐—ฆ๐—ถ๐˜๐—ฒ (Hartford) Learn about the voyage at this free site ๐—จ๐—ฟ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—™๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜ (St. Louis) Indoor play area for littles @urbanfortplay ๐—ฃ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜† ๐—ฆ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐˜ ๐— ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐—บ (St. Charles) Indoor village play area @playstreetmuseum ๐—™๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ฐ๐—ผ ๐—ง๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐—ฆ๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ (Valley Park) Huge train tables for play & shopping @friscotrainandtoystore ๐— ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐—บ ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐—ง๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐˜€๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป (Ballwin) The Creation Corner is perfect for play @museumoftransport ๐—–๐—ถ๐˜๐˜† ๐— ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐—บ (St.Louis) The most unique indoor playground ever @citymuseum ๐—•๐˜‚๐˜๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ณ๐—น๐˜† ๐—›๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ & ๐—–๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—น (Chesterfield) See butterflies in the dome & ride a carousel ๐— ๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜€๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ถ ๐—›๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜† ๐— ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐—บ (St. Louis) The free Kids Clubhouse area is fun @mohistorymuseum ๐—ฆ๐—น๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ธ ๐—–๐—ถ๐˜๐˜† (Chesterfield) New indoor adventure park @slickcitystlouiswest ๐—˜๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ผ๐—ป'๐˜€ (Edwardsville) Indoor arcade, bowling, & more @edisonsentertainmentcomplex ๐—ž๐—ผ๐—ธ๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ผ ๐—๐—ผ๐—ฒ'๐˜€ (St. Peter's) Arcade, play area & more
โœจCheck out this must-see light display in St. Lo โœจCheck out this must-see light display in St. Louis! โ € โœจThe Missouri Botanical Garden is celebrating the 10 year anniversary of Garden Glow. Nearly two million lights along a mile long path provide a dazzling display. โ € โœจ The display features old favorites like the projected animated show on the Tower Grove house, photos ops, and the lighted maze. While some exhibits like the kids area are not there this year, there are some new light displays to discover as well. ๐ŸŽ„ The historic Tower Grove House is open for self-guided tours and is free with Glow admission. I had never been inside and it was extra beautiful decorated for Christmas! โ € ๐Ÿด There are several cafes offering food and drinks indoors. There are also outdoor kiosks with more options including s'mores to roast on the fire pits. โ € ๐Ÿ•ฆ The display is open nightly 5-10 p.m. through December 10 then 4:30-10:30 p.m. December 11 - January 7. (Closed Christmas Eve and Day.) โ € ๐ŸŽซ Tickets are available online for purchase for a specific entry time in 15 minute slots. Normally there have been different lines outside for each entry time. However, this year when we entered it was just one big line (which moved quickly) and then multiple employees scanning tickets for entry once inside the new Visitor Center. โ € ๐ŸŽซ Tickets normally range from $8-$22. Family nights are on select Wednesdays when tickets for children ages 2-12 are only $3! โ € ๐ŸŽ„ I recommend booking a time slot early or late as it can become crowded during peak times and weekends. I miss the more limited COVID capacity as it was packed on Wednesday at 5:30! โ € ๐Ÿš— Parking is free and available in the main lot or in the overflow lots down the street. We had no problem finding a spot but the lots can fill up so allow extra parking time. โ € ๐ŸŒผ Have you been to Garden Glow? @mobotgarden @explorestlouis #stl #visitmo #thatsmymo #midwestliving #midwestmoment #stlmom #stlouismom #stlouis #mobotanicalgarden #gardenglow โ € โ € โ € โ €
Looking to shop local? ๐Ÿ›๏ธ It's small busines Looking to shop local? ๐Ÿ›๏ธ It's small business Saturday and there are so many fun shops around the St. Louis area with the cutest kids toys, clothes, and accessories. Here are a few great shops to check out: โ›บ @happycamperclothingco in St. Charles has adorable outdoor themed clothing for all ages plus toys, books, and more ๐Ÿช€@circleofknowledgetoys in Sunset Hills has more than 4,000 quality toys to choose from ๐Ÿš‚ @friscotrainandtoystore is the best place around for everything toy trains plus a huge selection of @melissaanddougtoys ๐Ÿงฑ @the_minifig_shop offers so many options of Legos both new and used plus minifigs. You can even buy Legos by the pound! @citysprouts in Ladue offers non-tradional and designer toys, clothes, and home decor for babies through age 12 ๐Ÿงธ@happyupinc has two locations in Clayton and in Edwardsville. Both offer a huge assortment of fun and unique toys, games, craft, and STEM activities. ๐Ÿงฎ@funkyplanettoys in downtown Alton has some of the coolest and most unique toys around. ๐Ÿช€ @imaginationtoysstl in Ladue offers toys that are both fun and educational ๐Ÿ‘š @grapevinekids in Alton offers boutique kids clothes and adorable toys ๐Ÿ @ihearthoneycomb in the Tower Grove area is a magical shop with unique gifts and sustainable toys โ“Do you have any other local kids shops to add to the list? #explorestlouis #stlmom #stlouismom #shoplocal #smallbusinesssaturday #stlouis_mom #stl
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๐ŸŽ STL Experience Gifts ๐ŸŽ โ € Looking for alt ๐ŸŽ STL Experience Gifts ๐ŸŽ โ € Looking for alternatives to toys for your kids? Here are some fun and local experience gifts to give instead! (๐Ÿ’พ Save this post) โ € โญ Membership to @themagichouse ๐Ÿฆ“ Zoo membership @stlzoo ๐Ÿค– Visit to @stlmyseum ๐Ÿ›Get lost at City Museum @citymuseum ๐ŸŒŽ Science Center membership @stlsciencecenter ๐ŸŒธBotanical Garden Membership @mobotgarden ๐Ÿ  Play Street Museum passes @playstreetmuseum ๐ŸŒผ Membership/passes to Blossom Play Cafe @blossomplaycafe.llc โญ Trip to @edwardsville_childrens_museum ๐Ÿš‚ Visit or membership to the Transportation Museum @museumoftransport ๐ŸŽต Family concert tickets to @stlsymphony ๐Ÿฆ… Trip to World Bird Sanctuary and Lone Elk Park ๐Ÿšก Ride the gondola/Alpine coaster at @aeriesresort โ„๏ธ Tubing or skiing at @hiddenvalleystl ๐ŸŽ„ See Christmas lights in a walk or drive through display (link to full lights list in bio) ๐Ÿคธโ€โ™€๏ธ Passes to Urban Air, Skyzone, or Slick City ๐Ÿง—โ€โ™‚๏ธPasses to @ryzeadventurepark โ›บ Go glamping at @losthilllakeevents ๐ŸŸ St. Louis Aquarium visit @aquariumstl ๐ŸŽก Take a ride on the Wheel @stlouiswheelpark โญ Visit the Arch and ride the tram @gatewayarchstl ๐ŸŒณ Zip lining at @goapestlouis or @graftonzipline ๐ŸŽฅ Movie theater gift card ๐ŸŽณ Go bowling ๐Ÿช™ Visit an arcade โšฑ๏ธMake art at @potteryhollow โšพ Tickets to a sporting event ๐ŸŽข Trip to Six Flags, Silver Dollar City, or Holiday World ๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ Tickets to a kid-friendly event such as Disney on Ice or a Princess Ball ๐Ÿ’… Visit to Sweet and Sassy for hair and makeup ๐Ÿงธ Trip to Build-a-bear ๐Ÿฅพ Go on a family hike (see midwestnomads.com for ideas!) ๐Ÿ› Spend a day playground hopping (Playground ideas in my highlights) ๐ŸŒฟ Stay at a cabin or lodge at a Missouri or Illinois State Park ๐Ÿ’ฆ Visit a rec center with an indoor water park or pool ๐Ÿš— Take a day trip to Casey, IL to see the World's Largest objects ๐ŸŒฟ Take a hike at Giant City State Park and visit the Boo Castle Playground ๐Ÿงณ Take a weekend trip to Kansas City, Springfield (MO or IL), Branson, or Chicago. โ›ธ๏ธ Go ice skating ๐ŸŽ Horseback riding, skating, art, sports, or music lessons ๐ŸจVisit to @sodafountainstl , @fitzsrootbeer, @fountainonlocust, or an ice cream or cookie shop โ € โ“Do you have any other ideas to add?
๐ŸŽ„๐Ÿฆ“ Take a walk on the wild side this Christm ๐ŸŽ„๐Ÿฆ“ Take a walk on the wild side this Christmas with the Wild Lights event at the St. Louis Zoo. โ € We visited Thursday night and had a wonderful time! Weekdays or cooler weather days are a great less-crowded option. โ € This holiday event features: ๐ŸŽ„Light displays and themed areas such as Meet Me in St. Louis, Arctic Alley, Frosted Forest, and more. ๐ŸฆŒRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer showing in the 4D theater (included in admission) โ›„Free crafts and letters to Santa in the Woodland Workshop (located behind Lakeside Cafe) ๐Ÿœ๐ŸงVisit the Insectarium and Penguins & Puffin Coast. ๐Ÿฆ Special scavenger hunt where kids can find the costumed characters to receive a special animal card. โ˜• Hot cocoa, s'mores, and other food and beverages available for purchase ๐Ÿ›๏ธ Extra discounts in the gift shops โ € ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Wild Nights runs select nights through December 30th. ๐Ÿ•ฆAdvance ticket purchase is available online for entry during two time slots of 5-6:30 and 6:30-8:15. You can stay as long as you want after entry until 8:30. Weekends and good weather days can sell out. ๐Ÿ’ฒ Admission is $11-$16. The cost varies by date and whether you are a zoo member. ๐ŸŒŸ Dec 12 is a special sensory-friendly night for those with autism or sensory processing disorders. Tickets are $10. โ € Have you been to the Wild Lights? โ € @stlzoo #usbankwildlights #STLzoo @explorestlouis @visitmo #thatsmymo #stl #stlmom #stlouismom #midwestblogger #midwestnomadfamily #midwestliving #midwestmoment
๐ŸŽ„Looking for some family holiday fun? The Magic ๐ŸŽ„Looking for some family holiday fun? The Magic House has several great events coming up! โ € ๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿผ๐Ÿคถ๐ŸผMagical Nights โ€“ Photos with Santa, storytime with Mrs. Claus, cookies and milk plus private playtime of the whole Museum! (A great time for exploring without crowds!) We did this event last year and it was so fun! #hosted ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Dec 3, 10, 17 ๐Ÿ•œ 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. ๐Ÿ’ฒ$20 per person, $10 per member โ € ๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿผ๐ŸŽVisits with Santa - Take your own photos with Santa in his red sleigh, enjoy a sweet treat, plus admission to the outdoor Gingerbread Village. ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Dec 2-4, 9-11, 16-18 ๐Ÿ•œ 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. ๐Ÿ’ฒ$15 per family โ € ๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿผ๐ŸฅžBreakfast with Santa - Breakfast by a pancake flipping extraordinaire, have private museum playtime, make a craft, and visit Santa in his sleigh. A professional photographer will capture the memory. ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Dec 4 & 11 ๐Ÿ•œ Event starts at 8:30 with private playtime until 10:30 (you can stay all day) and various time slots for breakfast until 12:30. ๐Ÿ’ฒ$25 per person, $15 per member Slots are filling fast! โ € โ˜•๐Ÿช Cocoa & Cookies with Santa Photos with Cocoa Santa and Mrs. Claus, cookies and hot cocoa, and create gifts for family and friends. ๐ŸŽ…This event is at the satellite location, Magic House MADE (5127 Delmar Blvd) ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Dec 9 ๐Ÿ•œ 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. ๐Ÿ’ฒ$6 per person โš ๏ธ Members: Check your emails for special members only Holiday parties! ๐ŸŽ„ โ € For events details visit : https://www.magichouse.org/specialevents/ #partner @themagichouse #themagichouse #explorestlouis #midwestliving #magichousestl #stlouis #kirkwoodmo #visitmo #thatsmymo #stlmom #stlouismom #stlparents
๐ŸŽ„ Christmas Wonderland ๐ŸŽ„ ๐Ÿ“Rock Springs Pa ๐ŸŽ„ Christmas Wonderland ๐ŸŽ„ ๐Ÿ“Rock Springs Park: Alton, IL ๐ŸŒŸ Rock Springs Park is one of my favorite local lights displays. Each year a group of volunteers, known as the "Grandpa Gang" decorate the park with over 4 million lights! ๐ŸŽ… Santa is back this year in his house along the route. Come visit Santa for free and take a photo in his lighted sleigh. ๐ŸŽ„Don't miss the Enchanted Forest where you can vote for your favorite decorated Christmas tree. ๐ŸŒŸThe park hosted it's once a year walk through night on Monday and is now open to drive through and enjoy the lights for only $7 per car! ๐ŸŒŸThe lights are open 6-9 p.m. Monday-Friday and 5-9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday nights through December 27th. @riversandroutes #rockspringsparkwinterwonderland #altonil @enjoyillinois #midwestmoment #midwestliving
๐Ÿšœ๐ŸŽ„Boonie's Farm Christmas event is back this ๐Ÿšœ๐ŸŽ„Boonie's Farm Christmas event is back this year through December 23rd. Take the country drive out to Worden, Illinois for some outdoor family fun. โ € Boonie's hosted us to check it out and the kids had a blast! Besides the thousands of lights ๐ŸŽ„ and photo ops ๐Ÿ“ท there are other activities including: โ € ๐Ÿšœ Lighted Tractor-Drawn Wagon Ride ๐Ÿš‚ Lighted Barrel Train Ride โ˜ƒ๏ธ Tubing Hill โ„๏ธ Snow for Play โšช Faux Snowball Fight Obstacle Course ๐Ÿ Farm Animals ๐ŸฆŒ Rudolph's Reindeer Games w/prizes ($1 to play and guaranteed a prize) ๐Ÿคธโ€โ™‚๏ธ Yard Games & Play Area ๐Ÿ–๏ธ Happy Elvesโ€™ Workshop (Crafts & Letters to Santa) ๐Ÿคถ Mrs. Claus' Cookie Decorating Station (extra fee) ๐Ÿ”ฅ S'mores & Hot Dog Roasting ๐Ÿฅ› Hot Cocoa, Sweet Treats, and food for purchase โ € SPECIAL EVENTS: ๐ŸŽ… Visit Santa: All event dates 6-8pm ๐ŸŽ Pony Rides (by Donation): All dates EXCEPT 12/2-4 ๐Ÿ‘‘ Meet & Greet w/ Belle: Sat 12/17 (6:30-8pm) ๐ŸŽ Vendor Showcase: Most Weekends โ € ๐ŸŽŸ TICKETS: Online $11.00; At Gate $15.00 2 years and under: FREE - This event is pet-friendly - Merchandise, dรฉcor, gift cards, food, drink, farm animal treats, Rudolph's Reindeer Games, and Mrs. Claus' Cookie Decorating Station are an additional fee โ € ๐Ÿ“… DATES: Friday - Sunday 11/25-12/18 Daily 12/19-12/23 โฐ TIME: 5-9PM ๐Ÿ“ฌ LOCATION: 8863 Dustman Road, Worden, IL ๐Ÿ‘‰ TICKETS & INFO: booniesfarm.com/christmas โ € ๐ŸŽ„Thanks for having us Boonie's! @booniesfarm #booniesfarm @enjoyillinois #riversandroutes #enjoyillinois #stlouismom #stlmom #stlouischristmas #stlchristmas #midwestblogger #midwestnomadfamily #midwestliving
๐ŸŒŸWonderlights ๐—š ๐—œ ๐—ฉ ๐—˜ ๐—” ๐—ช ๐—” ๐—ฌ ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸšซGiveaway CLOSED โ € โœจWonderlights Christmas is back in the St. Louis area this year. This amazing attraction has over 1 million synchronized lights set to music. โ € โœจI have partnered with them to give TWO families a free admission pass! โ € โœจThe display is open nightly, rain or shine from 5-10 p.m. through January 1st, including holidays. The display is located on the World Wide Technology Raceway in Fairmont City, Illinois. โ € โœจTo enter โฌ‡๏ธ ๐ŸŽ„ 1. LIKE and SAVE this post ๐Ÿ’พ ๐ŸŽ„ 2. Follow @midwestnomadfamily and @christmasinstlouis ๐ŸŽ„ 3. Let me know your favorite Christmas cookie and tag a friend! Tag more friends in individual comments for extra entries! (One tag per comment) โ € GIVEAWAY closes Thursday, December 1st at 11:59 P.M. Central time. Must be 18 years or older to win. Giveaway not affiliated in any way with Instagram. โ € โš ๏ธ Beware of any fake or spam accounts. This is my only account and the winner will be messaged directly from me and announced in stories. No clicking links or downloads required to enter! โ € #enjoyillinois #stlouismom #stlmom #stlchristmas #riversandroutes #wonderlights #christmasinstlouis
โ˜€๏ธ๐—•๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—œ๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฆ๐˜. ๐—Ÿ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—™๐˜‚๐—ป โ˜€๏ธ โ € Looking for ways to keep warm and have fun indoors this winter? โ € โญ๐Ÿ’พ๐—ฆ๐—”๐—ฉ๐—˜ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜! โ € ๐— ๐—ฎ๐—ด๐—ถ๐—ฐ ๐—›๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ (Kirkwood) & ๐— ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ (St. Louis) Two locations to learn & play @themagichouse ๐—ฆ๐—ฐ๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ ๐—–๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ (St. Louis) Free admission with tons of exhibits @stlsciencecenter ๐—š๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐˜„๐—ฎ๐˜† ๐—”๐—ฟ๐—ฐ๐—ต (St. Louis) Free museum or pay to ride to the top @gatewayarchstl ๐—ฆ๐˜. ๐—Ÿ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฆ๐˜†๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—ต๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜† (St.Louis) Check out the family concerts @stlsymphony ๐—•๐—น๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜€๐—ผ๐—บ ๐—ฃ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜† ๐—–๐—ฎ๐—ณ๐—ฒ (O'Fallon, IL) Cute play area & classes @blossomplaycafe.llc ๐—ฃ๐—ผ๐˜„๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—ฉ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—น๐—ฒ๐˜† ๐—ก๐—ฎ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—–๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ - (St. Louis) Free & fun conservation center ๐— ๐˜†๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐—บ (Town & County) Fun west county kids museum @stlmyseum ๐—ช๐—ฒ ๐—ฅ๐—ผ๐—ฐ๐—ธ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ฆ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ฟ๐˜‚๐—บ (Fenton & Edwardsville) Kids of all abilities love this play gym @werockthespectrumkidsgym ๐—จ๐—ฟ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—”๐—ถ๐—ฟ (multi locations) Trampolines, ninja courses, & more @urbanairpark ๐—˜๐—ฑ๐˜„๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฑ๐˜€๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐—น๐—น๐—ฒ ๐—–๐—ต๐—ถ๐—น๐—ฑ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ป'๐˜€ ๐— ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐—บ Fun spot to learn & play @edwardsville_childrens_museum ๐—š๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ฅ๐—ถ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐— ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐—บ (Alton) Free rivers Museum ๐—Ÿ๐—ฒ๐˜„๐—ถ๐˜€ & ๐—–๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ธ ๐—ฆ๐—ถ๐˜๐—ฒ (Hartford) Learn about the voyage at this free site ๐—จ๐—ฟ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—™๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜ (St. Louis) Indoor play area for littles @urbanfortplay ๐—ฃ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜† ๐—ฆ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐˜ ๐— ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐—บ (St. Charles) Indoor village play area @playstreetmuseum ๐—™๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ฐ๐—ผ ๐—ง๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐—ฆ๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ (Valley Park) Huge train tables for play & shopping @friscotrainandtoystore ๐— ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐—บ ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐—ง๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐˜€๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป (Ballwin) The Creation Corner is perfect for play @museumoftransport ๐—–๐—ถ๐˜๐˜† ๐— ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐—บ (St.Louis) The most unique indoor playground ever @citymuseum ๐—•๐˜‚๐˜๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ณ๐—น๐˜† ๐—›๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ & ๐—–๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—น (Chesterfield) See butterflies in the dome & ride a carousel ๐— ๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜€๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ถ ๐—›๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜† ๐— ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐—บ (St. Louis) The free Kids Clubhouse area is fun @mohistorymuseum ๐—ฆ๐—น๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ธ ๐—–๐—ถ๐˜๐˜† (Chesterfield) New indoor adventure park @slickcitystlouiswest ๐—˜๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ผ๐—ป'๐˜€ (Edwardsville) Indoor arcade, bowling, & more @edisonsentertainmentcomplex ๐—ž๐—ผ๐—ธ๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ผ ๐—๐—ผ๐—ฒ'๐˜€ (St. Peter's) Arcade, play area & more
โœจCheck out this must-see light display in St. Lo โœจCheck out this must-see light display in St. Louis! โ € โœจThe Missouri Botanical Garden is celebrating the 10 year anniversary of Garden Glow. Nearly two million lights along a mile long path provide a dazzling display. โ € โœจ The display features old favorites like the projected animated show on the Tower Grove house, photos ops, and the lighted maze. While some exhibits like the kids area are not there this year, there are some new light displays to discover as well. ๐ŸŽ„ The historic Tower Grove House is open for self-guided tours and is free with Glow admission. I had never been inside and it was extra beautiful decorated for Christmas! โ € ๐Ÿด There are several cafes offering food and drinks indoors. There are also outdoor kiosks with more options including s'mores to roast on the fire pits. โ € ๐Ÿ•ฆ The display is open nightly 5-10 p.m. through December 10 then 4:30-10:30 p.m. December 11 - January 7. (Closed Christmas Eve and Day.) โ € ๐ŸŽซ Tickets are available online for purchase for a specific entry time in 15 minute slots. Normally there have been different lines outside for each entry time. However, this year when we entered it was just one big line (which moved quickly) and then multiple employees scanning tickets for entry once inside the new Visitor Center. โ € ๐ŸŽซ Tickets normally range from $8-$22. Family nights are on select Wednesdays when tickets for children ages 2-12 are only $3! โ € ๐ŸŽ„ I recommend booking a time slot early or late as it can become crowded during peak times and weekends. I miss the more limited COVID capacity as it was packed on Wednesday at 5:30! โ € ๐Ÿš— Parking is free and available in the main lot or in the overflow lots down the street. We had no problem finding a spot but the lots can fill up so allow extra parking time. โ € ๐ŸŒผ Have you been to Garden Glow? @mobotgarden @explorestlouis #stl #visitmo #thatsmymo #midwestliving #midwestmoment #stlmom #stlouismom #stlouis #mobotanicalgarden #gardenglow โ € โ € โ € โ €
Looking to shop local? ๐Ÿ›๏ธ It's small busines Looking to shop local? ๐Ÿ›๏ธ It's small business Saturday and there are so many fun shops around the St. Louis area with the cutest kids toys, clothes, and accessories. Here are a few great shops to check out: โ›บ @happycamperclothingco in St. Charles has adorable outdoor themed clothing for all ages plus toys, books, and more ๐Ÿช€@circleofknowledgetoys in Sunset Hills has more than 4,000 quality toys to choose from ๐Ÿš‚ @friscotrainandtoystore is the best place around for everything toy trains plus a huge selection of @melissaanddougtoys ๐Ÿงฑ @the_minifig_shop offers so many options of Legos both new and used plus minifigs. You can even buy Legos by the pound! @citysprouts in Ladue offers non-tradional and designer toys, clothes, and home decor for babies through age 12 ๐Ÿงธ@happyupinc has two locations in Clayton and in Edwardsville. Both offer a huge assortment of fun and unique toys, games, craft, and STEM activities. ๐Ÿงฎ@funkyplanettoys in downtown Alton has some of the coolest and most unique toys around. ๐Ÿช€ @imaginationtoysstl in Ladue offers toys that are both fun and educational ๐Ÿ‘š @grapevinekids in Alton offers boutique kids clothes and adorable toys ๐Ÿ @ihearthoneycomb in the Tower Grove area is a magical shop with unique gifts and sustainable toys โ“Do you have any other local kids shops to add to the list? #explorestlouis #stlmom #stlouismom #shoplocal #smallbusinesssaturday #stlouis_mom #stl
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