Local Fun Things to Do for Toddler

We used to live in Saint Louis, and we had two small boys. We loved to go to the Saint Louis Zoo. In Clayton, I think it's called the Clayton center, they had swimming lessons for kids starting at age 6 months. Both our boys did it, and they loved it! We also loved Tillis park in the summer, St Louis Mills Mall at any time, going up the arch (riding an elevator is awesome!), going to the farmer's market in Soulard (lots of fun things to look at and feel), blowing bubbles anywhere, the Magic House (there is a free day every month, maybe call ahead to get the date), lots of stuff at Forest Park, and lots of MOPs groups in the area.

I found that my kids really like to help me go shopping, too. They love to help choose fruits and vegetables, the shapes of pasta we bought, and putting things in the cart. They also loved putting the items on the conveyor belt for the cashier. It was little things like that that somehow saved the day on many occasions.

Have fun!

Thanks for posting this question, I'm looking forward to seeing the answers! My daughter will be 3 in May, and I'm always looking for ideas for fun things to do.

The only "organized" activity that we have been doing since she was about 15 months is kindermusic. My daughter loves it. I'm not sure where you are in St Louis, but Miss Laurie is awesome: http://www.kmwithlori.com/
She has classes in University city and Webster Groves
And you can take a free class to check it out.
This semester has already started, but she prorates the fee if you wanted to start this semester.

Of course there is the Magic House in kirkwood, and the zoo is awesome.

And there are parks that have great playgrounds:
Forest Park has a playground designed for toddlers by the visitor's center
Tillis
Creve Cour (at the top)
Faust
Aubuchon is more north, but has a great playground and even a small toddler friendly bike path

The St Louis Mills Mall has a playground and rides (train ride, mechanical cars...)

Have fun!

There are really a ton of things to do. We live in Kirkwood so lots of our activities are close. I highly recommend Spanish Clubhouse for Kids (www.spanishclubhouseforkids.com). The parent-child classes are a little like Kindermusik but in Spanish and both of my kids (now 3 and 5.5) have loved it. They have a clubhouse in Kirkwood and Ballwin.

Swimming lessons at Little Fishes are excellent. You can also swim indoors at Tot Time at the Lodge at Des Peres and when summer comes they will move it outdoors and many community pools have something similar. Purina Farms is farther out but an awesome animal adventure as is Suson Park in south county which has a great park and a petting zoo of sorts. Tilles Park also has a great playground with water activities in the summer and a cool site where you dig up a dinosaur skeleton. My kids both absolutely love gymnastics classes at St. Louis Gym Center in Webster. Monkey Joes is fun. Gymboree has Play and Music centers where you can drop in for open play or sign up for classes (I've always just done the drop in thing). The Magic House is great (they are open in the morning exclusively for younger kids so it isn't as crowded) and also has monthly classes that you can sign up for (story telling, crafts, science stuff). The Science Center has a children's area (as does the zoo) that is open for an additional cost and is just a show up thing. Creation Station at the Museum of Transportation off Barrett Station is tons of fun for that age group too. Check out your local Parents and Teachers (even though their funding is being cut). They have playgroup formation and monthly fun activites for kids and ours has an activity room and things like messy play and classes like Rug Bug for kids. There is literally so much to do in St. Louis that you sometimes don't have time to do it all (especially once they start pre-school). Let me know if you have any specific questions.

I am "Miss L." that Ann L refers to at www.KMwithLori.com (Kindermusik)

As Ann states, tuition is prorated for late enrollment (w/materials in full). There are also Mini-Sessions, four weeks (four lessons) that begins April 12.

Summer & Fall Schedules will be on the site April 1.

You can also Preview one class for free!

Please see my site: www.KMwithLori.com

I have been a Licensed Kindermusik Educator in the St Louis area for 15 years and have studios in Webster Groves and University City.

Wow. This is a hard question! My daughter is 19 months and we struggle to find things to do as well. I've never been to Monkey Joe's, but I've heard it's a fun place for kids of all ages (It's in Fairview Heights, IL.)

This spring/summer we're planning to take her to the zoo and the Butterfly House. She mostly enjoys just being outside, so we walk the backyard a lot. Yesterday we tossed a bunch of Easter eggs in the back yard and she went around and picked them all up. (We're practicing for the big hunt next week.) We go the local parks occasionally, since she likes to swing and go down slides.

Our daughter is an explorer, so we don't need to plan too many things - she enjoys just wandering around and picking grass/flowers, and discovering new things in the backyard. It seems to boring to me, but she loves it!

We're also part of a MOPS group (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers), so she gets to play with other kids two times a month. They have small activities for her age, but much more for the older ones. That plus going to church every week gets her social interaction with other kiddos.