Category Archives: Arts & Culture Events for Preschoolers

Family Friendly Theater Events

Here are some great live theater events to take your family to in the next few weeks.

1. Diavolo: Friday, February 28 at 8 pm; Saturday, March 1 at 2 pm and 8 pm
The Minneapolis Star Tribune calls dance company, Diavolo, ““A wild mash-up between Cirque du Soleil and American Gladiators with Vegas-style showmanship.” The company is one of the West Coast’s most prominent dance companies and a designated cultural treasure of the City of Los Angeles. Composed of modern dancers, athletes, gymnasts, ballet dancers, martial artists, actors, and stunt performers, Diavolo pushes the boundaries of dance through its dynamic movement and signature use of colossal set pieces, including skateboard ramps, a 15-foot staircase, an 18-foot aluminum and steel spinning wheel, and a giant cube that turns into a pyramid. A Dance St. Louis presentation. Approximate run time is 90 minutes with one intermission. Best for children 6 years old and up.

Touhill Performing Arts Center
Tickets $33 to $55

 

2. The Tortoise and the Hare: Friday, February 28 at 7 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm)
The Imaginary Theatre Company produces wonderful children’s productions with great singing, dancing, and humor. This well known Aesop’s fable springs to life in a fun new musical adaptation. Henry is a racer, one of the fastest bunnies the forest has ever seen. Shelly’s a tortoise, his quietly devoted best friend. Henry has always been the star of the show, until one day Shelly starts to have some dreams of her own. With the help of their forest friends, Shelly realizes her own worth and Henry finds out that sometimes being the best isn’t the most important thing. Best for children 5 to 8 years old (who can stay up late!). Approximate run time is 45 minutes.

St. Louis County Public Library Headquarters, Main Reading Room
FREE

TortoiseandtheHare

 

3. The Ugly Duckling & The Tortoise and the Hare: Friday, March 21 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, March 22 at 2 pm; Sunday, March 23 at 2 pm
Lightwire Theater, in conjunction with Corbian Visual Arts and Dance, bring their use of cutting edge technology, moving sculpture, and dance to an unforgettable theatrical experience. The Ugly Duckling and The Tortoise and the Hare use Corbian’s signature electroluminescent puppetry. Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling has helped generations of children understand one of humanity’s universal struggles. Lightwire Theater brings this classic story to the modern stage offering hope to us all as we root for the ugly duckling who exemplifies resilience and heroism along the way to becoming a beautiful swan. Aesop’s fable, The Tortoise and the Hare, now more than 2,500 years old, continues to drive home the time-tested adage, “Slow and steady wins the race.” Lightwire Theater, with its dazzling visuals, poignant choreography, and creative use of music ranging from classical to jazz to pop, literally brings these beloved tales into a new and brilliant light. Best for children 3 years old and up. Approximate run time is one hour.

Florissant Civic Center
Tickets $7

 

4. The Snail and the Whale: Saturday, March 22 at 2 pm and 5 pm; Sunday, March 23 at 1 pm and 4 pm
Tall Stories, last seen at COCA in the supremely entertaining production of The Gruffalo, present their latest collaboration with author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler. Through songs and storytelling, The Snail and the Whale is about a tiny snail who takes a ride on the tail of a humpback whale. When the whale finds himself beached, he suddenly needs the help of his tiny passenger. How will the snail save him? This journey is presented through the eyes of an adventurous young girl and her seafaring father. Best for children ages 3 to 10. Approximate run time is 50 minutes.

COCA
Tickets $16 to $20

Top photo: Copyright Tall Stories

The Tortoise and the Hare

TortoiseandtheHareThe Missouri Humanities Council, First Bank, and Whole Foods Market, with Ready Readers and the Imaginary Theatre Company present “The Tortoise and the Hare” on Sunday, January 26, 2014, 1 to 3:30 pm, Clayton High School Commons, 1 Mark Twain Circle, Clayton.

Starting at 1 pm, children ages 3 to 10, can participate in fun interactive activities, face painting, a magician, clowns, and more. The performance of “The Tortoise and the Hare” begins at 2:30 pm.

Tickets are $12 per person in advance and $15 per person at the door. Purchase your tickets securely online. For group reservations, contact Lisa Greening at lisa@readyreaders.org. Questions? Call 314.564.8070.

The Tortoise and the Hare, a production of The Imaginary Theatre Company
One of Aesop’s fables springs to life in this fun new musical adaptation. Henry is a racer, one of the fastest bunnies the forest has ever seen. Shelly’s a tortoise, his quietly devoted best friend. Henry has always been the star of the show, until one day Shelly starts to have some dreams of her own. With the help of their forest friends, Shelly realizes her own worth and Henry finds out that sometimes being the best is not the most important thing. Run time is approximately 45 minutes. See photos from the production!

The Imaginary Theatre Company (ITC) is the resident, professional, touring ensemble of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Through the use of literature, folk tales, fairy tales, and new adaptations of classic works, ITC is committed to providing the very finest in theater for young audiences and strives to bring quality performances to schools and community venues throughout the bi-state area.

Ready Readers
Ready Readers is a St. Louis-based nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring preschool age children from low-income communities to love books and to have the emergent literacy skills necessary to become readers when they enter kindergarten. Trained, passionate volunteers read high-quality books aloud to the same classroom of children for 30 minutes every week, and then provide stimulating reading-related activities. Six times during each school year and once during the summer, the volunteer readers also distribute new books for each child to take home and keep.

Photo: Imaginary Theatre Company

Coloring & Drawing Books for Kids

I know… all kids really need are some leftover scraps of paper and a pencil to “create,” but sometimes it’s fun to engage them with books that spark their imagination a bit. Here are some of my favorites coloring and drawing books–perfect for gift giving.

The_Giant_Play_and_Learn_Book

1. The Giant Play and Learn Book by Pascale Estellon. This colorful book has hours of playful activities that focus on letters, numbers, reading, writing, shapes, colors, sorting, counting, sequencing, matching, patterning, and grouping. There are also 250 stickers included. Some of the sticker pages encourage kids to decorate a dinner plate, create vegetable people, and match garden tools. Ages 3 and up.

lotsofthingstofindandcolor

2. Lots of things to find and color by Stella Bagott. This Usborne Activities book features mainly black and white drawings with instructions on each page to find something specific and color it in. For instance, on one page a child has to find the finished face in each row of monsters and color it in, and then, she can finish drawing the incomplete faces in the row. Some tasks are easier, like “color in all the spooky eyes” or “find all the striped fish and color them in.” There are maze, pattern, and matching activities as well. Perfect for a cartoon lover! Ages 4 and up.

guido

3. Guido’s Great Coloring and Drawing Book by Guido van Genechten. I’m a big fan of Guido van Genechten’s books, so this book was extra special to delve into. The humorous drawing activities give kids opportunities to finish pictures, count, imagine, color, design, and study expressions. Some examples include, “add about 827 dots,” “make the tiniest drawing you have ever made,” “give this moose huge horns,” “draw the shark that is chasing this little fish,” “make this spiral as big as you can,” “we’re on Mars… draw the martians,” and much more. Ages 5 and up.

letsmakesomegreatart

4. Let’s Make Some Great Art by Marion Deuchars. This book has more specific art concepts and introductory information about famous artists, but does so with a casual and entertaining approach. For instance, the section on Matisse’s cutouts has instructions on how to make a Matisse-inspired collage but then also features pages of Mattise cut out type shapes and asks the child to draw figures looking out of the “windows” or to turn the shapes into characters with arms and legs. Other artists presented in the book include Leonardo da Vinci (form, shading, upside-down drawing), Pablo Picasso (Cubism, African masks), Vincent Van Gogh (yellow ocher, color wheel), Magritte (Surrealism, dreams), and many more. There are also projects for younger children like fingerprint paintings, ink blots, collage, drawing with an eraser, and experimenting with lines. Ages 5 and up.

thecoloringbook

5. The Coloring Book by Hervé Tullet. Filled with big and bold lines, this book is filled with abstract shapes, curves, loops, superheroes, letters, patterns, flags, houses, and much more. Instructions on some pages ask the user to, “find and color in the word hello,” “draw colored circles around the black dots,” “color in what you like to eat,” and “what are the right colors for happy people… and for sad people?” Ages 3 and up.

Chalk Festival in the Loop

The Delmar Loop hosts its third annual chalk festival on Saturday, August 31, 2013 (rain date is September 1) at the Chuck Berry Statue, 6555 Delmar, 9 am to 5 pm. Great for artists of any age!

Artists can register and compete in one of four categories:
* Best of The Loop Theme: The Loop was designated “One of the 10 Great Streets in America” by the American Planning Association. Capture in chalk what you love most about The Loop.

* Chalk of Fame: Choose an inductee from the St. Louis Walk of Fame and portray an important aspect of his or her life or achievements through chalk.

* Most Creative: Free your mind. Draw anything.

* Chalk Land: Chalking space for children ages 12 and under.

Entry Fees for Artists (includes all supplies)
$10 for adults (ages 18 and up)
$8 for students (ages 13-18)
$6 for children (12 and under)
Free for spectators.

Prizes
The winning artists in each category will be featured on The Loop’s website with photos of their winning artwork, artistic biographies, and links to their portfolios or personal websites. Winners will also receive cash prizes and gift certificates from a variety of Loop businesses.

Register
Register here in advance. After registration is complete, artists should print out the confirmation of payment and bring it along with them to the event check-in on Saturday, August 31, 2013 starting at 9 am, at the Chuck Berry Statue. Participants will receive chalk and designated areas where they can get their chalk on! Be sure to arrive in time to complete your masterpiece. Judging is 5 to 6 pm. You can also register in person the day of the event.

Summer Arts & Crafts at the Sheldon Art Galleries

The Sheldon Art Galleries presents “Summer Fun for the Kids!” an arts and crafts program, June 27 through August 10 (no class on Thursday, July 4), Saturdays from 11 am to 1 pm and Thursdays from 1 to 3 pm. The art activities take place in the Sheldon’s Children’s Gallery. There is a $3 suggested donation per child. Art projects for children include creating paper plate clown masks, metallic masks with feathers, paper and clothespin dolls, cloth doll dresses and costumes, personal journals, friendship/button bracelets, and more. Be sure to view the Circus Summer exhibition during your visit. The exhibition features art work by area children who were inspired by Circus Flora performances in 2012.

Summer Fun for the Kids!
Arts and Crafts Activities Schedule

Thursday, June 27, 2013, 1 to 3 pm
Saturday, June 29, 2013, 11 am to 1 pm
Saturday, July 6, 2013, 11 am to 1 pm
Thursday, July 11, 2013, 1 to 3 pm
Saturday, July 13, 2013, 11 am to 1 pm
Thursday, July 18, 2013, 1 to 3 pm
Saturday, July 20, 2013 11 am to 1 pm
Thursday, July 25, 2013, 1 to 3 pm
Saturday, July 27, 2013, 11 am to 1 pm
Thursday, August 1, 2013, 1 to 3 pm
Saturday, August 3, 2013, 11 am to 1 pm
Thursday, August 8, 2013, 1 to 3 pm
Saturday, August 10, 2013, 11 am to 1 pm

Questions? Call the Sheldon Art Galleries at 314.533.9900.

Photo: Sheldon Art Galleries

CAM for Kids

The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM) offers families and youth engaging, approachable, and entertaining events this summer. Be sure to experience the stroller tours, play dates, summer family concert, studio workshops, or a week long summer camp. Many of these events are free, but please consider a donation to the museum or become a member.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013, 9 to 10 am: Stroller Tour
FREE
Complimentary refreshments. Recommended for infants to 24 months. Informal guided tour of the exhibitions.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013, 10 to 11 am: Morning Play Date
FREE
Complimentary refreshments. Recommended for ages 2 to 5. Enjoy exciting artist-led activities, storytelling, toddler yoga, interactive performances, and more.

Saturday, June 15, 2013, 1 to 3 pm: Summer Family Concert
FREE for Family Level Members and children under 12.
$10 for first adult, $5 per additional adult.
Celebrate Father’s Day weekend with a special family concert featuring the foot-stomping musical acts Babaloo, the Boogers, and more. Plus, enjoy face painting, balloon animals, and a make-your-own “air guitar” project to take home.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013, 9 to 10 am: Stroller Tour
FREE
Complimentary refreshments. Recommended for infants to 24 months. Informal guided tour of the exhibitions.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013, 10 to 11 am: Morning Play Date
FREE
Complimentary refreshments. Recommended for ages 2 to 5. Enjoy exciting artist-led activities, storytelling, toddler yoga, interactive performances, and more.

Sunday, July 14, 2013, 1 pm: Sunday Studio, Indigo Dyeing
$5 general, FREE for CAM members.
Recommended for ages 16 and up.
Artist Josh Faught introduces participants to dyeing with indigo. One of the most ancient natural dyes, indigo is steeped in mythologies from witchcraft to the blues. Participants are encouraged to bring in t-shirts or handkerchiefs they would like to “blue.”

Monday, July 29 through Friday, August 2, 2013, 9 am to noon: Stop-Motion Madness Camp
$150 general, $75 for Family Level Members (includes supply fee)
Ages 9 through 13
Don’t miss this special week-long, half-day summer camp with artist and animator Sarah Paulsen. Learn the ins and outs of stop-motion animation, including how to create collage, claymation, and live action animation videos. Participants will complete their own short film to take home and share at the end of the week.

Sarah Paulsen has taught art and animation through the Saint Louis Art Museum, Washington University, SCOSAG, Laumeier Sculpture Park, Lewis and Clark Institute, and Columbia Public Schools. She currently teaches at Jefferson College and Marian Middle.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013, 9 to 10 am: Stroller Tour
FREE
Complimentary refreshments. Recommended for infants to 24 months. Informal guided tour of the exhibitions.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013, 10 to 11 am: Morning Play Date
FREE
Complimentary refreshments. Recommended for ages 2 to 5. Enjoy exciting artist-led activities, storytelling, toddler yoga, interactive performances, and more.

Photo: CAM

Upcoming book sales

Celebrate the joy of reading with your children! Pick up some new, entertaining, out of print, and well-priced reads at these upcoming book sales. Note: the preview days for both of these sales mainly tend to attract book sellers.

Friends of Kirkwood Public Library Annual Book Sale, April 24-28, 2013
Olympic Oaks Shopping Center, 12145 Manchester Road, Des Peres, MO 63131
314.821.5770 x1023 or KPLFriends@kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org

Wednesday, April 24, 2013, 1 to 8 pm: $5 entry fee, Wednesday ONLY. Line tickets given out starting at 8 am.
Thursday, April 25, 2013, 9 am to 8 pm
Friday, April 26, 2013, 9 am to 8 pm
Saturday, April 27, 2013, 9 am to 5 pm
Sunday, April 28, 2013, 11 am to 5 pm, Bag Day: a bag of books for $5 (bags are provided)

Over 35,000 Books. Thousands of fiction and nonfiction books at bargain prices in a wide variety of categories. Hardcovers, paperbacks, CDs, DVDs, audio books, old/rare books. Proceeds benefit the Kirkwood Public Library. Cash and checks accepted, no credit cards.

Greater St. Louis Book Fair, April 25-28, 2013
Macy’s at West County Center
80 West County Center, St. Louis MO 63131
East Parking Garage, Lower Level
314.993.1995 or info@stlouisbookfair.org

Thursday, April 25, 2013, Preview Event, $10 General Admission, 4 to 9 pm
Friday, April 26, 2013, FREE General Admission, 10 am to 9 pm
Saturday, April 27, 2013, Shopping for persons with disabilities, 9 to 10 am
Saturday, April 27, 2013, FREE General Admission, 10 am to 9 pm
Sunday, April 28, 2013, FREE General Admission, Half-Price Day, 11 am to 6 pm

Greater St. Louis Book Fair is one of the nation’s oldest, largest, and most popular charity book sales. For over 60 years, book lovers and collectors have enjoyed bargain prices on a diverse and quality selection of new, gently-used, and rare books, as well as records, CDs, DVDs, comics, and more. Fair proceeds benefit local nonprofit education and literacy programs for underserved individuals in the St. Louis region. Most items are $1 to $5 each. Cash, check, and credit cards (MasterCard, Visa, and Discover) accepted.


Community Music School Summer Programs

The Community Music School of Webster University offers a variety of excellent summer music programs for children ages birth through 18 years old. Programs include: Family Camp (early childhood music), Band, Flute, Low Brass, String Orchestra, Chamber Music Encounter, Summer Composition Intensive, and Individual Lessons. The registration deadline for June camps is May 15 and deadline for July camps is June 15. For more information, call 314.968.5939.

Music Program Application
Music Program Brochure

Family Camp: Creatures at the Ocean! For children aged birth-6 years and their caregivers. Strauss Center (in Chesterfield): 9:30 to 10:30 am. Thursdays, June 20, 27, July 11, 18, 25. Webster Groves: 9:30 to 10:30 am. Tuesdays, June 18, 25, July 9, 16, 23.

Band Camp: Students entering grades 7-12 in Fall 2013. June 24-28, 9 am to 3 pm in Webster Groves.

Flute Camp: Students entering grades 7-12 in Fall 2013. June 10-14, 2 to 5 pm in Webster Groves.

Low Brass Week: Trombone, baritone/euphonium, and tuba students ages 13-18 years. June 10-14, 9 am to 3 pm in Webster Groves.

String Orchestra Camp: Violin, viola, cello, and bass students ages 7-high school. June 17-21, 9 am to noon in Webster Groves.

Chamber Music Encounter: Violin, viola, cello, and piano students through high school. June 17-21, 12:30 to 3 pm in Webster Groves.

Summer Composition Intensive: Students entering grades 7-12 in Fall 2013. July 8-19 (Monday-Friday), 9 am to 2 pm in Webster Groves.

Founded in 1925, CMS offers outstanding music education and performance opportunities to students of all ages and abilities and serves the entire St. Louis metropolitan region and beyond. Classes are available at CMS headquarters located on the Webster University campus in Webster Groves, at Faust Park in West County, and in University City. The Community Music School of Webster University is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music and is a certified member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education.

Photo: Community Music School of Webster University

Enjoy live music with your kids

Upcoming Music Performances for Families

String Orchestra/String Ensemble Concert
Sunday, January 20, 2013 at 2 pm
535 Garden Avenue, Webster Groves, MO 63119
Free. Call 314.968.5939.

School Recitals
Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 2 pm, 3:30 pm, and 5 pm
535 Garden Avenue, Webster Groves, MO 63119
Free. Call 314.968.5939.

Old-time Fiddle Tune & Bluegrass Jams
Saturday, January 19, 2013, noon to 3 pm
Saturday, February 2, 2013, noon to 3 pm
Saturday, February 16, 2013, noon to 3 pm
3155 Sutton Boulevard, Suite 101, Maplewood, MO 63143
Free. Call 314.781.2244.

Jug Band Jam (no experience necessary)
Sunday, January 20, 2013, 1 to 3 pm
3155 Sutton Boulevard, Suite 101, Maplewood, MO 63143
Free. Call 314.781.2244.

Magical Movements: The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
DanceWorks Chicago, special guest artists
Sunday, February 17, 2013 at 3 pm
Powell Hall, 718 North Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63103
Tickets $12 to $17. Call 314.534.1700.

Saturday, February 23, 2013 at 2 pm and 5 pm
Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm
524 Trinity Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63130
Tickets $16 to $20. Call 314.725.1834, x130.

Sunday, March 3, 2013 at 3 pm
Washington University, 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity Avenue, University City, MO 63130
Tickets go on sale February 4, 2013. $10 adults, Free for ages 5 to 18. Call 314.993.9626.

Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 3 pm
Powell Hall, 718 North Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63103
Tickets are free, but there is a $1 per ticket service fee. Call 314.534.1700.

The Remarkable Farkle McBride
Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 3 pm
Powell Hall, 718 North Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63103
Tickets $12 to $17. Call 314.534.1700.

Live swing, hot jazz, and Django Reinhardt inspired music with The Sidemen, Miss Jubilee, Phantz Jango, and more, Saturday and Sundays, 11 am to 2 pm
2026 Lafayette Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63104
FREE performance, but be sure to buy a delicious chocolate croissant and coffee. Call 314.772.2233.

Photo: St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, Sarah Carmody