Classes

Worldways' hands-on exhibits give kids the sense that they're really exploring the world, not just walking through a museum. From Port St. Louis to Mexico, the Philippines, China, and Senegal, families can make quite a dent in the world map - in a single afternoon.

Note, October, 2008: The museum is closed until further notice due to lack of financial support.

The winner of our 2008 Parents' Picks quest to find the best eco-friendly place for families in St. Louis, the Missouri Botanical Garden features countless thematic sections filled with unique and colorful foliage, flora, and, yes, even fauna.

The 14-acre Japanese Garden - the largest Japanese strolling garden in the Western hemisphere - is a tranquil retreat, with waterfalls, streams, water-filled basins, and stone lanterns.

The Climatron®, a conservatory housed under a geodesic dome, is great fun, feeling and sounding like a tropical rainforest. Kids love trying to spot the variety of animals that live here, including tropical birds.

Near the Climatron is the relatively new and very imaginative Children's Garden, a two-acre site that features a limestone cave, rope bridges, Spelunker's Slide, a wetland ecosystem, a replica steamboat, a giant tree house, "root" swings attached to a fabricated tree, and a Midwestern prairie village complete with a jail.

Great Green Adventures, a drop-in program for families between April and October, features nature-themed activities in the Children's Garden. It typically takes place Tue-Fri 10am-12n and Sat 1pm-3pm, but call ahead to check before heading out. The website has a complete schedule of kids' activities.

MOBOT offers all kinds of workshops and classes for youth, as well as mutli-day summer day camps. Popular camps include the Healthy Plants, Healthy Kids series and the Henry Shaw Academy.

Facing a picturesque lake and fountain inside Faust Park, The Butterfly House, a division of the Missouri Botanical Garden, is housed in a soaring glass conservatory.

More than one thousand live tropical butterflies fly freely here, and if you're lucky, one might alight gently on your shoulder. Native and migrating species can also be seen in the outdoor gardens of the Native Habitat.

Craft Saturdays (11am-2pm) is a creative monthly event for children; the 90-minute Camp Bug-a-Loo offers activities several times a month for children ages two to four.

The Education Center is of great value to educators and homeschooling parents: The Homeschool Academy offers a wealth of insect and science classes for homeschooled students ages six to eight.

The 7,000-square-foot Wildwood Dance and Arts Center hosts dance classes covering children's movement, ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern, and choreography, as well as courses in poms/cheer, tumbling and acrobatics, karate, drama, musical theater, voice, and art.

The Painting Paw boasts that it's the city's only all-inclusive paint-your-own pottery studio - meaning that patrons pay only for the price of the pottery; studio time and all supplies are included in that price.

The store is locally owned and operated - it's not your typical chain store. The studio is cozy, decorated in warm colors like yellow and red. Plenty of tables are available, and staff members are on hand to provide expert consultation.

Among the studio's classes, Paint Me a Story is a popular program for parents and preschoolers. The store also hosts birthday parties - 90 minutes in a private room for up to eight painters - and other private parties. Summer Pawtery Camp for kids ages seven and up take place each week between early June and early August. The camps offer instruction in many artistic mediums, including wood, fabric, and glass arts.

Instruction in ballet, tap, jazz, musical theater, drama, art, and music is the focus of DaySpring School of the Arts, a school that infuses Christian values and character training into its classes. Homeschooling families often take part in many of the school's offerings.

The school is home to "The Company," a dance troupe of the school's strongest and most committed dancers, as well as to a musical theater troupe and The Drama Company, all of which perform throughout the year at community events and schools.

The school's summer programming includes two-week musical theater workshops, week-long art camps, preschool art and dance camp, and Shakespeare at the Lake for older children. Private music lessons can be arranged year 'round.

A neighborhood branch of the St. Louis County Library system, Cliff Cave Library offers a variety of programming for the community, including weekly storytimes, adult book clubs, teen clubs, and computer training classes in its computer lab. The library also has two public meeting rooms available for use by non-profit groups.

At Spanish Clubhouse for Kids, even the tiniest of kids aprenden hablar español; French and Mandarin classes are offered, too. Teachers use theme-related lessons, which include vocabulary, art, games, and songs.

The Education En Casa Program, directed at parents, includes an education booklet, which enables parents to follow each week's lesson with vocabulary lists accompanied by phonetic pronunciation, songs, games, and simple ideas to encourage Spanish use at home.

The Clubhouse hosts computer classes via Imagine Tomorrow instructors, and its Spanish immersion summer camps are quite popular.

A neighborhood branch of the St. Louis County Library system, Grand Glaize Library offers a variety of programming for the community, including weekly storytimes, adult book clubs, teen clubs, and computer training classes. The library's extensive computer lab offers WiFi service and several word processing terminals. Two public meeting rooms are available for use by non-profit groups.

Sur La Table, a purveyor of fine equipment for chefs and professional chefs, also offers cooking classes for junior chefs. Sessions are limited to a small group, well-organized, and tend to fill up quickly. Check the website for details.

Share the joy of playing with food and learning how to cook with your children, whether they like hosting a tea party, baking real pies, or cooking dinner.

The store's junior chef selection includes pint-sized furniture, baking and cookware sets, child-size aprons, and other goodies for the young gourmet.

COCA swept all three categories of our 2008 Parents' Picks quest to find the best artsy class for little kids, big kids, and teens in St. Louis!

An extensive multidisciplinary arts institution located in the historic U-City Loop district, COCA (Center of Creative Arts) offers classes, camps, workshops, and performances in the visual and performing arts for children, teens, and adults.

The COCA Family Theatre Series, held in the center's 400-seat theater, is a favorite of locals, especially because theater workshops are frequently offered before and after shows for the whole family. COCA also hosts summer camps for kids, as well as art, circus, dance, or theater birthday parties.

In addition, COCA is also home to the Millstone Gallery, which features contemporary art exhibitions by regional and nationally recognized artists.

Whole Foods stores, operated by the world's largest retailer of natural and organic foods, are like hybrids, offering the kinds of products usually found in small, local co-ops, but with the wide selection more typical of conventional grocery superstores.

The Town and Country location stands at 55,000 square feet, nearly twice the size of the Brentwood store. It offers free Wi-Fi, café seating for 80, outdoor dining, the Whole Kids' Club for young shoppers, kids' birthday parties and cooking classes, and adjoining walking/running path and bike racks, among many other impressive features.

The produce selection is high quality, with prices to match; same for the meat and seafood departments. The 365 and Whole Kids house brands offer some relief, particularly on kid staples like cereal, snack foods, and peanut butter and jelly. Sample stations throughout the store enable parents and kids to graze while they shop; or they can buy something to enjoy in the cafe area after check-out.

Prepared dishes run the gamut from soups to sushi, with vegetarian, vegan, Asian, and Mexican options. Most stores feature in-house kitchens that serve up hot, ready-to-eat meals, as well as in-store dining tables.
Fresh breads, spices, bulk grains, dietary supplements, frozen and canned foods, sumptuous chocolates and baked goods, and designer cheeses are also available. Pet food, bath products, magazines, cut flowers, and paper goods are some of the non-food items for sale.

Ms. Bridget's Conservatoire of Dance (MBCD) offers dance classes, voice lessons, and fitness classes. The venue can also host birthday parties. Classes are taught by professional dancers, choreographers, and former Rams Cheerleaders in a nurturing, contemporary atmosphere.

Summer camps are popular here. The MBCD Summer Dance Intensive incorporates ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap, and pom/cheer instruction.

The 7,000-square-foot Wildwood Dance and Arts Center hosts dance classes covering children's movement, ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern, and choreography, as well as courses in poms/cheer, tumbling and acrobatics, karate, drama, musical theater, voice, and art.

Ms. Bridget's Conservatoire of Dance (MBCD) offers dance classes, voice lessons, and fitness classes. The venue can also host birthday parties. Classes are taught by professional dancers, choreographers, and former Rams Cheerleaders in a nurturing, contemporary atmosphere.

Summer camps are popular here. The MBCD Summer Dance Intensive incorporates ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap, and pom/cheer instruction.

Aikido emphasizes strength in softness and does not promote overt physical force. For kids, this means that classes at Three Rivers Aikido focus on "Playground Survival": Instructors encourage children to use focus, discipline, and nonviolent conflict resolution techniques.

A number of weekly classes are held for children and adults and for beginners to those advanced in aikido practice.

The Kirkwood Family YMCA features an indoor pool, a gymnasium, an indoor track, a fitness center, aerobics room, racquetball court, sports fields, a childcare nursery, a family changing area, and equipment checkout for basketballs, volleyballs/wallyball, racquetballs, and racquets. The YMCA hosts a range of camps, classes, workshops, and special events throughout the year.

The 7,000-square-foot Wildwood Dance and Arts Center hosts dance classes covering children's movement, ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern, and choreography, as well as courses in poms/cheer, tumbling and acrobatics, karate, drama, musical theater, voice, and art.

Ms. Bridget's Conservatoire of Dance (MBCD) offers dance classes, voice lessons, and fitness classes. The venue can also host birthday parties. Classes are taught by professional dancers, choreographers, and former Rams Cheerleaders in a nurturing, contemporary atmosphere.

Summer camps are popular here. The MBCD Summer Dance Intensive incorporates ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap, and pom/cheer instruction.

The 7,000-square-foot Wildwood Dance and Arts Center hosts dance classes covering children's movement, ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern, and choreography, as well as courses in poms/cheer, tumbling and acrobatics, karate, drama, musical theater, voice, and art.

Instruction in ballet, tap, jazz, musical theater, drama, art, and music is the focus of DaySpring School of the Arts, a school that infuses Christian values and character training into its classes. Homeschooling families often take part in many of the school's offerings.

The school is home to "The Company," a dance troupe of the school's strongest and most committed dancers, as well as to a musical theater troupe and The Drama Company, all of which perform throughout the year at community events and schools.

The school's summer programming includes two-week musical theater workshops, week-long art camps, preschool art and dance camp, and Shakespeare at the Lake for older children. Private music lessons can be arranged year 'round.

The past meets the future in the Forest Park complex that is the Missouri History Museum: The Beaux Arts Jefferson Memorial Building, built between 1911 and 1913 with proceeds from the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, joins the Emerson Center, a sleek modern building which opened in 2000 and is organized around MacDermott Grand Hall.

Kids can see a replica of The Spirit of St. Louis here and learn about an array of historical events that impacted the region, including the 1803-1806 Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery expedition.

The museum has several unique programs for schoolage children and classroom groups, including the History Echoing Through the Galleries and the Learning Through Artifacts and Activities programs.

StrollerFit offers moms and babies a 60-minute stroller fitness workout, using strollers, resistance bands, and body weight to achieve muscular strength and cardiovascular fitness.

Children are entertained by songs, nursery rhymes, visual stimulation, and other activities.

Circus Kaput comprises a husband-and-wife team; Ginger Routh is a face-painting specialist, and Joshua Routh is a nationally recognized circus performer. Circus Kaput can travel for shows within a 30-miles radius of St. Louis.

Ginger can paint cheek designs or full-face designs, and she comes to each event with a board of designs from which party-goers can choose. She averages about 12-20 faces per hour.

Josh is the star of Jadoo - A One Man Comedic Circus and received formal training at the Circus Center's Clown Conservatory in San Francisco. His shows combine elements of juggling, magic, teeterboard, partner acrobatics, and tumbling.

Aside from offering traveling party entertainment, Josh hosts special one- to three-hour workshops for kids and adults, including one called "Clowning by the Seat of Your Pants," which incorporates physical comedy and clowning, and "Hokus Pocus," which incorporates magic trick training.

Instruction in ballet, tap, jazz, musical theater, drama, art, and music is the focus of DaySpring School of the Arts, a school that infuses Christian values and character training into its classes. Homeschooling families often take part in many of the school's offerings.

The school is home to "The Company," a dance troupe of the school's strongest and most committed dancers, as well as to a musical theater troupe and The Drama Company, all of which perform throughout the year at community events and schools.

The school's summer programming includes two-week musical theater workshops, week-long art camps, preschool art and dance camp, and Shakespeare at the Lake for older children. Private music lessons can be arranged year 'round.

The 7,000-square-foot Wildwood Dance and Arts Center hosts dance classes covering children's movement, ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern, and choreography, as well as courses in poms/cheer, tumbling and acrobatics, karate, drama, musical theater, voice, and art.

Mind, Body & Baby St. Louis is a network of local baby-minded businesses that work together to provide information and support to expecting and new parents about pregnancy and infant care. Specialists in the network educate about cord blood banking, doula services, stroller exercise classes, cloth diapers, baby slings, acupuncture, and pre-natal/infant massage and yoga, among other topics.

The group hosts classes and workshops throughout the St. Louis area; check the website for its current schedule.

Ms. Bridget's Conservatoire of Dance (MBCD) offers dance classes, voice lessons, and fitness classes. The venue can also host birthday parties. Classes are taught by professional dancers, choreographers, and former Rams Cheerleaders in a nurturing, contemporary atmosphere.

Summer camps are popular here. The MBCD Summer Dance Intensive incorporates ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap, and pom/cheer instruction.

The 7,000-square-foot Wildwood Dance and Arts Center hosts dance classes covering children's movement, ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern, and choreography, as well as courses in poms/cheer, tumbling and acrobatics, karate, drama, musical theater, voice, and art.

Instruction in ballet, tap, jazz, musical theater, drama, art, and music is the focus of DaySpring School of the Arts, a school that infuses Christian values and character training into its classes. Homeschooling families often take part in many of the school's offerings.

The school is home to "The Company," a dance troupe of the school's strongest and most committed dancers, as well as to a musical theater troupe and The Drama Company, all of which perform throughout the year at community events and schools.

The school's summer programming includes two-week musical theater workshops, week-long art camps, preschool art and dance camp, and Shakespeare at the Lake for older children. Private music lessons can be arranged year 'round.

A Shaw Neighborhood resident founded St. Louis BicycleWORKS to give area "at-risk" youths a place to develop skills, interact with peers and caring adults, and safely challenge the limits of their abilities.

BicycleWORKS' primary focus is the Earn-a-Bike Program for kids. Children are taught the basics about bicycle safety and maintenance as a means to build community awareness and personal responsibility. Youths who complete the course graduate with knowledge about bicycles, skills to work as an individual as well as cohesively with a group, and a better understanding of personal safety. Graduating youths earn their own bike, helmet, light, and lock, and participate in a group safety ride with adults and peers.