What Are You Doing This Weekend?

FRIDAY

Preschool Art Day. Bring your preschool-aged children to see museum exhibits and participate in hands-on activities. Families will move throughout the gallery and classroom spaces at their own pace as they complete activities incorporating touch, movement, smell, sound, art and more. Each class has a different theme. Classes are held each Friday in April at 11:30 a.m. Activities are appropriate for children ages 2-5. Reservations are required. To make yours, call (314) 361-9017.

SATURDAY

Botanical Garden FREE MORNINGS. Admission to the Missouri Botanical Garden is FREE every Wednesday and Saturday morning. From 9am - Noon, St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents (bring proof of residency) can get into the garden for free. Free admission may not be available during special events.

CHILD SAFETY SEAT CHECK. 9-noon. Certified child passenger safety technicians will be available to check your child's seat. Metro West Station 3, Wildwood.

Lowe's BUILD AND GROW WORKSHOP. 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.Learn to build a bird feeder at this activity for kids. Visit the Lowe's website for area locations and to register.

Plein Air Art Painting Day. Kids love to create masterpieces and St. Peters’ Community & Arts Center has just the event to get their creative juices flowing. Bring your children ages 5-12 to St. Peters Community & Arts Center for our Plein Air Painting Day from 9-11 a.m. “Plein Air” is a French term that means to paint in the open air. This free event will encourage your child to let their imagination run wild while creating original masterpieces in the great outdoors. Each child will receive a certificate of participation at the conclusion of the event.

Participants will also have the opportunity to enter their work into the “Small Wonders & Large Ideas” art competition/exhibition to be held at the Community & Arts Center starting May 22. There is an entry fee of $5 per piece for artwork entered into the youth category of the competition and your child’s work will be hung in a real art gallery for the duration of the exhibit. To register for the FREE Plein Air Painting event, call Cindy DuBois at 636.397.6903, ext. 222.

FAMILY FUN FAIR. The public is invited to enjoy a day of free exercising, swimming, kids’ activities and more at the Renaud Spirit Center’s RSC Family Fun Fair. The indoor recreation complex is located in O’Fallon Sports Park at 2650 Tri Sports Circle in O’Fallon, Mo. Admission and parking are free during the event, which includes: prizes, discounts on new memberships, free use of exercise facilities from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.: indoor track, weight room, exercise machines, cardio theater, etc. (Age restrictions may apply.); free children’s activities from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., including carnival games, pony rides, a petting zoo, bounce house, big bounce slide and face painting, free swimming from noon - 6:30 p.m., raffles, giveaways, fitness and program demonstrations and vendors offering health and fitness products and services. For more information, call the front desk at 636-474-2732.

LAUMIER FREE FAMILY DAYS. Free hands-on activities for all ages at the Laumeier ArtSpace in Crestwood Court from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

MEET THE MACHINES. Bulldozers. Cranes. Rollers. Kids loooooove machines that move the earth and hoist concrete to the top of tall buildings. That's why you should mark your calendars this Saturday to Meet the Machines. Now in its sixth year, this educational, hands-on event introduces 3- to-15-year-olds to the heavy equipment side of the construction business.
Your little Bob the Builder can get up close and personal with an excavator or climb into the cab of a crane. There will be plenty of photo ops, so don’t forget your camera. Kids can also operate a crane with a training simulator, dig for prizes or create a designer hard hat at Sticker City. While you’re there, treat the family to a hotdog, chips and soda for just a buck. The first the 2,000 kids receive a free Meet the Machines hard hat. Meet the Machines is runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Budrovich Excavating & Contracting headquarters, 10328 Lake Bluff Drive, in south St. Louis County.

GO GREEN HOUSEHOLD CHEMICAL DISPOSAL EVENT. Leftover household chemicals can be dropped off for free and be disposed of safety at this Spring household chemical collection event sponsored by the St. Louis County Health Department. Unwanted chemicals, such as paints, stains, pesticides, herbicides, motor oil, flourescent tunes, rechargeable batteries, anti-freeze, pool chemicals and more will be disposed of in a safe way that will pose no harm to the environment. Proof of St. Louis County residence is required. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at South County Center, Lemay Ferry Road. More information call 314-615-4130. Similar events will be held May 8 at St. Louis Community College - Florissant Valley Campus and May 15 at Parkway Central High School.

SUNDAY

EARTH DAY PARTY FOR THE PLANET. As part of the St. Louis Earth Day Festival in Forest Park, the St. Louis Zoo will have family-friendly activities and entertainment throughout the day. 11 am-3 pm.

GO FLY A KIT! 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. outside the Art Museum, you can decorate your own kite made of recycled materials. Plus, get tips on flying your kite from the Gateway Kite Club.

ST LOUIS EARTH DAY FESTIVAL. Exhibits, crafts and performers gather to celebrate and teach about Earth Day. 11 am-6 pm