Growing up in St. Louis definitely has its perks. Whether people are visiting the St. Louis Arch or exploring exhibits at the Science Center, there’s always something to do. Especially when for kids.

Places such as the Zoo, Science Center, and Magic House have been around for years capturing the attention of kids in the area. Despite these attractions, however, CHS students have spent their childhood in a variety of ways.
“As a kid, I spent a lot of time at home and at church,” junior Aigner Watkins said. “It still never failed that I’d find myself outside as well.”
Other students share their childhood experience.
“I’ve always been an active person, so I was into playing outside and running around with friends and family,” senior Devonte Bell said.
However, although staying at home and playing outside are everyday activities, these students reveal another side to their childhood.
“When I was little, I loved to go to the Science Center,” Watkins said. “As I got older, though, my parents started taking me to places like the Loop and the riverfront for concerts.”
Although CHS students’ experiences may have been special at that specific time, others saw a common factor that would later relate to them in the future.
“I was the kind of kid who stayed outside, whether it was at Forest Park, the Zoo, or even the City Museum,” Bell said.
Bell, being one of these very cases, continues in his pursuit for the active lifestyle.
“One of my fondest memories, as a kid, was playing basketball from early in the morning to late at night,” he adds.
One of St. Louis’s greatest attractions, as mentioned earlier, is the St. Louis Zoo – a place where kids can explore different animals and activities from infancy to adulthood.
“A lot of the time, a kid’s first reaction depends on their age,” Bridget Ebert, Naturalist Instructor at the St. Louis Zoo, said. “We have tiny ones who get really involved, and then there are older kids who tend to have fun no matter what.”
Many of the kids who first step into the Zoo are amazed at the spark, as well as the overall build, of the many exhibits. Offering hundreds of programs and activities to kids and their families, the Zoo is constantly being overcrowded with kids.
“Kids have the opportunity to sign up for classes based on their personal interests,” Education Programs Supervisor Jaclyn Johnson said. “Occasionally we have parents who just sign up their kids themselves though.”
Another place St. Louis residents may recommend for kids is the Science Center, standing tall off I-64. A place where kids can learn, explore, and discover, the Science Center never fails to dazzle all ages with its irresistible attractions that are showcased weekly.
“I enjoy seeing their eyes light up and watching them run to something they think is their favorite, such as the water table or the train,” Gallery Assistant at the Science Center Nicholas Koltz said.
Wherever the location, there’s no doubt of the joy that comes with the kids of St. Louis.
“To me, the best part about working with the kids is to see their expression or change in them when they get to see or touch an animal they’ve never seen before,” Naturalist Instructor Michael Dawson said.
Dawson, along with Ebert, teaches classes daily to various young age groups. Classes that specialize in wildlife and rainforest animals are family favorites.
“I think it’s important to make a change in their lives,” Ebert said. “I can’t change the world alone, but it’s nice when I have a swarm of kids following me.”
While the Zoo may be a place of significant change in kids in the St. Louis area, the Science Center has stories its own.
“We offer all kinds of activities to kids, including our discovery room, birthday parties, camp-ins, programs as well as presentations,” Koltz said.
Koltz describes his favorite part of working with the kids in the Discovery Room.
“I definitely enjoy having the opportunity to listen to what kids have to say,” he said. “They always have something funny or interesting to say and get a kick out of participating in the activities. We had this one girl, for example, who came in knowing all about bacteria.”
We were all small kids at one point, and childhood memories live in everyone. Employees around the St. Louis area speak on how they spent their childhood as well.
“I live in South County, and I can remember coming to the Zoo a lot for holidays and birthdays. I started working here when I was 16 so I’m pretty used to the setting,” Ebert said.
While some workers grew to be very fond of their work places, holding some of their greatest memories, other employees in the area shed light to other attractions as well – admitting to spending hours at a time at museums, the Arch, and the magic house.
“I’m not originally from St. Louis, but I definitely would have gone to the City Museum or the Science Center if I had been given the chance to as a kid,” Koltz said.Growing up in St. Louis definitely has its perks. Whether you’re here visiting the St. Louis Arch or exploring exhibits at the Science Center, there’s always something to do. Especially when you’re a kid! Places such as the Zoo, Science Center, and Magic House have been around for years capturing the attention of kids in the area. Despite these attractions, however, CHS students have spent their childhood in a variety of ways.
“As a kid, I spent a lot of time at home and at church,” junior Aigner Watkins said, “It still never failed that I’d find myself outside as well.”
Other students share their childhood experience.
“I’ve always been an active person, so I was into playing outside and running around with friends and family,” senior Devonte Bell said.
However, although staying at home and playing outside are everyday activities, these students reveal another side to their childhood.
“When I was little, I loved to go to the science center,” Watkins said, “As I got older, though, my parents started taking me to places like the loop and the river front for concerts.”
Although our CHS students’ experiences may have been special at that specific time, others saw a common factor that would later relate to them in the future.
“I was the kind of kid who stayed outside, whether it was at Forest Park, the Zoo, or even the City Museum,” Bell said.
Bell, being one of these very cases, continues in his pursuit to the active lifestyle.
“One of my fondest memories, as a kid, was playing basketball from early in the morning to late at night,” he adds.
One of St. Louis’s greatest attractions, as mentioned earlier, is the St. Louis Zoo – a place where kids can explore different animals and activities from infancy to adulthood.
“A lot of the time, a kid’s first reaction depends on their age,” Naturalist Instructor at the St. Louis Zoo Bridget Ebert said. “We have tiny ones who get really involved, and then there are older kids who tend to have fun no matter what.”
Many of the kids who first step into the Zoo are amazed at the spark, as well as the overall build, of the many exhibits. Offering hundreds of programs and activities to kids and their families, the Zoo is constantly being overcrowded with kids.
“Kids have the opportunity to sign up for classes based on their personal interests,” Education Programs Supervisor Jaclyn Johnson said, “Occasionally we have parents who just sign up their kids themselves though.”
Another place St. Louis residents may recommend for kids is the Science Center, standing tall off Highway 64. A place where kids can learn, explore, and discover, the Science Center never fails to dazzle all ages with its irresistible attractions showcasing weekly.
“I enjoy seeing their eyes light up and watching them run to something they think is their favorite,” Gallery Assistant at the Science Center Nicholas Koltz said, “such as the water table or the train.”
Wherever the location, there’s no doubt of the joy that comes with the kids of St. Louis.
“To me, the best part about working with the kids is to see their expression or change in them when they get to see or touch an animal they’ve never seen before,” Naturalist Instructor Michael Dawson said.
Dawson, along with Ebert, teaches classes daily to various young age groups. Classes that specialize in wildlife and rainforest animals are family favorites.
“I think it’s important to make a change in their lives,” Ebert said. “I can’t change the world alone, but it’s nice when I have a swarm of kids following me.”
While the Zoo may be a place of significant change in kids in the St. Louis area, the Science Center has stories its own.
“We offer all kinds of activities to kids,” Koltz said, “including our discovery room, birthday parties, camp-ins, programs as well as presentations.”
Koltz describes his favorite part of working with the kids in the discovery room.
“I definitely enjoy having the opportunity to listen to what kids have to say,” he said. “They always have something funny or interesting to say and get a kick out of participating in the activities. We had this one girl, for example, who came in knowing all about bacteria.”
We were all small kids at one point, and childhood memories live in everyone. Employees around the St. Louis area speak on how they spent their childhood as well.
“I live in South County,” Ebert said, “I can remember coming to the Zoo a lot for holidays and birthdays. I started working here when I was 16 so I’m pretty used to the setting.”
While some workers grew to be very fond of their work places, holding some of their greatest memories, other employees in the area shed light to other attractions as well – admitting to spending hours at a time at museums, the Arch, and the magic house.
“I’m not originally from St. Louis, but I definitely would have gone to the City Museum or the Science Center if I had been given the chance to as a kid,” Koltz said.