Arts & Culture Events for Preschoolers

Free day at Missouri Botanical Garden

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The Missouri Botanical Garden’s founder, Henry Shaw, is turning 211 years old!

To celebrate, the Botanical Garden is throwing a free birthday party this Sunday, July 24. Birthday party activities are from 10 am to 3 pm, but the entire Botanical Garden is open 9 am to 5 pm. Admission to the grounds and the Children’s Garden are free all day.

Family friendly activities this Sunday only include meeting an actor dressed up as Henry Shaw dressed in a sweltering black top hat accompanied by others costumed in vintage Victorian garb, having your silhouette portrait drawn by an artist, watching a stilt walker, listening to a live organ grinder, and seeing enchanting (and a little bit campy, but in a good way) puppet performances by St. Louis’s very own Bob Kramer’s Marionettes. The marionette shows are at 10:30 am, noon, and 1:30 pm, outdoors on Spoehrer Plaza (the fountain area immediately facing you as you exit the second floor of the Visitor’s Center) of the Botanical Garden.

Be sure to play for free in the wonderful Children’s Garden, in the Kaeser Maze located in the Victorian section, and the children’s education area of the Climatron as well during your visit.

If you have some non-kid time to yourself, tour the historic Museum Building this Sunday. Opened in 1859, the Museum Building originally housed the Botanical Garden’s mounted herbarium plant specimens and library, and is usually closed to the public. The Henry Shaw Cactus Society is also presenting a show and sale in the Orthwein Floral Display Hall located inside the Visitor’s Center.

Directions, parking, maps, and more visitor information.

Arts & Culture Events for Preschoolers

Craft Caboose in Kirkwood

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Sparkle glue, foam stickers, paint, rubber stamps, popsicle sticks, colored sand, beads, paper flowers, clay, string, and more await you at Craft Caboose, a young children’s art studio located at 105 East Argonne Drive in Kirkwood. Fueled by the imagination and enthusiasm of owner Sharon Crnko, Craft Caboose is a relaxing and fun place to create art projects such as necklaces, spin art, animal puppets, clay figurines, wreaths, hats, flower pots, sand art, bracelets, crowns, bird houses, and more. The studio fee is $6 per visit (you can stay as long as you like) and art projects cost $1 to $8 each. If your child is more free form, you can also just mess around with more basic items like paper, scissors, markers, crayons, and paint. Doing a more open ended project like that costs starts at $1.50 depending on how many plastic jewels or foam sticker animals your little one decides to stick on his/her paper. Craft Caboose also offers classes and birthday parties in addition to walk-in visits.

My four year old daughter and I have visited Craft Caboose two times this summer and have typically spent $10 during our visit and stayed for about an hour each time. They also have a play area filled with puzzles, plastic dinosaurs, cars, blocks, matching games, books, trains, magnetic builders, and musical instruments. This is an excellent way to spend some time with your child while your paint laden projects dry a bit.

The staff at Craft Caboose is incredibly warm, encouraging, and inviting. In addition to having a great deal of knowledge about child development and art, they seem to intuitively know if your child loves to be squishy in paint or needs multiple paper towels to wipe goopy fingers in between paint strokes!

Craft Caboose Hours

Note: Be sure to check their web site for scheduled closings for booked birthday parties.

Sunday: noon to 4 pm
Monday: closed
Tuesday: 9:30 am to 5 pm
Wednesday: 9:30 am  to 5 pm
Thursday: 9:30 am to 5 pm
Friday: 9:30 am to 5 pm
Saturday: 9:30 am to 5 pm

Tips

1. During the summer, Craft Caboose can get busy in the mornings. The space is quite small, so if your child functions better in more quiet settings, consider going around lunch time or in the early afternoon when some kids are napping.

2. Considering the cost of paying for studio time and art projects, Craft Caboose is probably best suited for three year olds and up.

3. Thinking about bringing your infants with you while your older child creates? The small and very clean bathroom does not have a changing table, so try to arrive with a clean diaper on your baby if you can.

4. Free parking is readily available on nearby streets and the Kirkwood Farmers’ Market is across the street on Argonne Drive if you want to have a nice picnic lunch after your Craft Caboose visit.

5. Don’t feel restricted by the set art projects (e.g. make a bracelet, animal puppet, wreath). In some ways, they are there to jump start your imagination or to reduce the endless art creation choices if you and your child don’t know where to begin. As I mentioned above, you can also create free form artworks with the studio’s ample supplies. Just ask for assistance.

6. Birthday parties at Craft Caboose start at $150 for 8 guests. These are becoming very popular so book well in advance for your special date.

7. We really like the puzzles, games, cars, and trains in the play area adjacent to the art studio tables. If you have the time, allow a half hour or so to enjoy this cozy spot.

8. Are you and your child a little frazzled today? A visit to Craft Caboose can be a nice quiet and not too expensive dose of art therapy. It’s always a beautiful thing to see a kid work out their frustrations or anxieties with markers, paint, crayons, clay, or pencils. Plus, a new setting can help clear your child’s head.

9. If you’ve been to Yucandu, a wonderful art studio in Webster Groves, please note that Craft Caboose caters more to the under six year old set. Yucandu has some gorgeous and truly unique options for decoupage projects and mosaics, but is more expensive than Craft Caboose and in general the projects require more dexterity and patience–perfect for older kids. I took my then three year old daughter to Yucandu last year and we were there for over two hours creating a small painted paper house. She had fun but she almost fell asleep while I was glazing and blow drying the piece!

10. Be sure to pick up your Craft Caboose Studio Pass on your visit. After four paid studio visits, you get a fifth studio visit free ($6 value).

Photos: Jennifer Lin


What to Read

Ollie and Moon

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“Ollie and Moon are best friends. Moon loves surprises, and Ollie loves to surprise Moon. One time he surprised her with a spaghetti cake–for no reason. Another time he surprised her with a performance of Irish folk dance.”

If this is your kind of humor, pick up a copy of the new book Ollie & Moon by Diane Kredensor, with photographs by Sandra Kress. Reminiscent of the Knuffle Bunny series that seamlessly juxtaposes urban photography with illustrations that pop off the page, Ollie & Moon is a sweet, funny, and well written children’s book that is perfect for preschoolers.

The story features a boy cat named Ollie and a girl cat named Moon. Set in Paris, Ollie leads his friend Moon through a cheese store, the Metro, a fruit stand, a park, and the usual tourist destinations. Each place the two cats visit adds another clue so that Moon can attempt to guess her surprise.

Here is an example of how Ollie and Moon leave each location and head off for the next:

Moon says, “So my surprise is… ROUND and MUSICAL and it has LOTS OF COLORS.” “True! But that’s not all,” Ollie said as they continued on their way.

My four year old daughter laughed out loud at the illustrations of the expressive animals, the tempo of the text, the detailed photography, the goofy events that happen (e.g. brie rolling down stairs and the image of an elephant on a unicycle juggling animals while playing the French horn), and of course guessing what Moon’s surprise could possibly be.

After many wrong guesses, the story ends at a gorgeous carousel in Paris (did you guess right?) and Moon gives Ollie a big and joyful kiss. Ms. Kredensor writes, “And Ollie was so very happy that Moon hadn’t guessed what it was–otherwise it wouldn’t have been a surprise.”

Ollie and Moon’s creator, Diane Kredensor, is an Emmy Award winning artist who has worked on hit shows Pinky and the Brain, Oswald, and WordWorld. This is her first children’s book and I hope to see many more to come. She is currently developing Ollie and Moon into a children’s TV series as well.

Ollie and Moon is a wonderful book about surprises, friendship, and making others genuinely happy. Go find a copy at your local library or bookstore today. And maybe a wheel of brie and a croissant while you’re at it.

Ollie and Moon on Facebook.

Ollie and Moon on Twitter.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5MxMytkI0Q

Date Night

Death of Klinghoffer at Opera Theatre of St. Louis

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Are you mesmerized by the works of contemporary artists Bill Viola, Shirin Neshat, and William Kentridge? Do you hold your breath at the subtle gestures embedded in William Forsythe’s choreography? Did Meredith Monk’s work (whose performances were utterly filled with undefinable sound) used to keep you up at nights? Have you felt the purity of Bach cello suites resonate in your hands and heart? Have you lost all track of time and place when listening to a choir rehearse in a cathedral in some tiny corner of Europe? Have you “seen” sound float up into the air when hearing a Urtiin duu (longsong)? And does the tender yet collapsing beauty of Prokofiev’s works make you close your eyes?

If some of this makes sense to you (and even if it doesn’t!), go experience Opera Theatre of St. Louis’s production of The Death of Klinghoffer. You’ll discover unspoken pieces of the artists and sounds above throughout a moving and provoking performance. No need to get hung up on the formality or structure of opera–this production is simply and gloriously meaty art. The brilliant score, stunning chorus and orchestra performances, singing, lighting, staging, video projections, gestures, use of props, and stillness will wow you and make your heart ache a little in the communal darkness of the audience.

The Death of Klinghoffer is based on the true story of a hijacking of the ship, the Achille Lauro, in 1985, by Palestinian terrorists and the murder of one of the passengers, Leon Klinghoffer. The 1991 opera was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Adams with an evocative and poignant libretto by Alice Goodman.

Conductor Michael Christie literally eats this score up. If you have a chance, sit in the theater where you can see him conduct. He sings every word with the artists on stage and wraps the orchestra (members of the St. Louis Symphony) together so cohesively, despite the crazy entrances, textures, and meter changes. Stage Director James Robinson has brought together a subtle, smart, and powerful vision of this opera. I absolutely loved the video projections of Greg Emetaz. Chorus Master R. Robert Ainsley did a superb job with the chorus whose moments on and off stage were some of the most memorable sounds in an opera production that I’ve ever heard. Baritone Brian Mulligan who performs the role of Leon Klinghoffer, was a standout. Beyond having an incredibly rich, solid, powerful, and tender voice, he has a unique dreamy yet somehow familiar sound. He sounds like coming home. For me, Brian Mulligan sings so perfectly the most moving phrase of the entire production. This phrase is seemingly so mundane, yet subtlety holds the immensity of everything that this story, this history, and this opera stirs up. Leon Klinghoffer sings to his wife surrounded by terrorists on the sunny deck of the ship in their last moment together (although they don’t know it yet), “I should have worn a hat.”

A huge bravo to Opera Theatre of St. Louis for having the courage to bring this production to light, the intelligence to present meaningful outreach and very thoughtful commentary and discussion, and the creativity and persistence to generate support from the community both in St. Louis and beyond. I feel lucky to have experienced this production.

(The only tiny criticism I feel worth mentioning… the bird “puppet” on a stick at the end was too literal and looked very awkward from the side seats. It kind of broke the moment.)

Tickets
Three performances of The Death of Klinghoffer remain. Tuesday, June 21 at 1 pm; Thursday, June 23 at 8 pm; and Saturday, June 25 at 8 pm. Tickets $25 to $120. Special promotion for the Tuesday, June 21 at 1 pm show ONLY: mention the promo code HOOKYDK online or when you call the box office, and get tickets for $35 in section 2 of the theater. These seats are regularly $100 each.

Recent reviews of Opera Theatre of St. Louis’s The Death of Klinghoffer

St. Louis Post-Dispatch review
The Wall Street Journal review
The New York Times review

The Death of Klinghoffer discussion guides on the Opera Theatre of St. Louis’s web site.

Photo: Opera Theatre of St. Louis
Dance

Staying in ballet shape during the “off-season”

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It’s that in-between season for serious ballet classes in the St. Louis area. If you’re an adult/teen ballet student looking for drop-in classes, many studios in the area are on break or have changed over to their summer intensives which require enrollment for the entire workshop. Here are a few suggestions to keep your technique strong until your regular ballet classes start up again. The ballet studios I mention here offer drop-in classes. COCA in University City does have some great adult/teen ballet classes right now, but you need to register for the entire summer or be a student or professional dancer to purchase a class punch card.

1. East West Ballet (Crestwood)
Kay Tabisaura-Hahn owns and runs this excellent studio located inside Crestwood Mall. Kay is a certified Royal Academy of Dance teacher and previously performed with Ballet Philippines and Singapore Dance Theatre. On Saturdays she teaches a beginning class from 8:45 to 9:55 am. On Sundays there is an intermediate class from 2:30 to 4 pm. Class cards are $53 for 5 classes or $12 drop in rate. If you’re new to the studio, there is a $5 trial class rate. Kay is also offering an adult ballet workshop on Saturdays from 1 to 3 pm (June 25 through July 30). The workshop includes strengthening floor exercises, a regular ballet class, and a variation. If you’re interested in the workshop, be sure to email info@eastwestballet.com to register. East West Ballet has a great noncompetitive environment, beautiful floor, and quality teaching. Your turnout will thank you! There are also spots available in the kids summer camps.

2. Caston Ballet Academie (Webster Groves)
Caston Ballet Academie offers adult/teen intermediate classes from 6 to 7:30 pm, Monday through Thursday, from now until July 21. The classes are taught by Lynette Khoo-Summers, Shannon Caston, or Akari Manabe (they rotate, so contact the studio if you’re interested in a particular teacher’s class). Akari’s classes are particularly comprehensive, well-paced, and full of smart corrections. The only drawback on these classes is that the drop-in rate is $20!

3. Dance Center of Kirkwood (Kirkwood)
This gem of a studio has a dedicated group of adult ballet students and a wonderful teacher and owner, Kathleen Massot. The studio is currently on break but will be open July 5 through August 15. The adult ballet classes are offered on Wednesdays at 9:30 am and Saturdays at 1:15 pm. The drop-in rate is $12 per class. The adult classes are mixed levels, but tend to be geared towards advanced beginners and early intermediate students. These classes are a perfect place to gain some strength, back flexibility, musicality, and a clean tendu.

4. Bikram Yoga
What? That’s not ballet. And why would I want to get heated to 105 degrees inside when it’s hot and muggy already outside? I recently returned to Bikram yoga classes after several years off from it, and am happy at how it is affecting my ballet strength, flexibility, and endurance. The 90 minute sweat fest is not necessarily something I look forward to, but Bikram yoga’s 26 postures definitely work your body thoroughly in parallel (even turned in), your mid and upper back, and your core. There is a tough mental aspect to Bikram yoga as most of the teachers tend to be boot camp-ish in approach. Regularly practicing this type of yoga can build your self-reliance and focus, both great skills for ballet. Bikram yoga studios in St. Louis include Yoga St. Louis and Prana Yoga. Both studios offer a $18 drop-in rate.

Are you an obsessive adult ballet dancer with a crazy work/family schedule in the St. Louis area? How do you get your fix in the summer?

Arts & Culture Events for Preschoolers

Circus Flora’s “Little Top” perfect for the squirmy set

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Jam packed into one hour, Circus Flora presents a delightfully entertaining performance designed for the irregular attention spans of most toddlers and preschoolers. The “Little Top” shows (on Wednesday mornings at 10 am) are abbreviated versions of Circus Flora’s full length 25th anniversary production and also highlight a great deal of acrobatics and animals doing humorous and amazing feats.

We went to the show this morning and brought my four-year old daughter. After consuming some heavily salted boxed circus popcorn, she settled into her front-row side box seat and grabbed onto her Dad’s leg. Then her eyes popped wide open. There were miniature horses and donkeys, enormous and comedic horses, juggling, dogs running around on their hind legs (and front legs for that matter–that was just whacky), a woman demonstrating her abs of steel on a very, very high rope, a family riding bicycles on the high wire, the St. Louis Arches (a youth circus performance troupe) flipping all over the place, a rooster, a sweet and wry clown, a mystical narrator, beautiful music, and plenty of outstretched ta-da arms to get the audience cheering. I also loved how engaging all the performers in Circus Flora are. During the end of show bows, my daughter covered her ears because the tent got pretty loud. One of the performers smiled at her and covered his ears too. Compared to last year’s “Little Top” Circus Flora production, this one is much tighter in continuity, cleaner in technique, and a lot more daring.

If you want a little wow, a little magic, or a little inspiration for you and your child this summer, get your tickets to a “Little Top” Circus Flora show soon. Only two performances of the special one hour production remain: Wednesday, June 15 at 10 am and Wednesday, June 22 at 10 am. The “Little Top” shows are $8 to $18 per person. Children ages 2 and younger do not require a ticket, however, must be seated on an adult’s lap.

How to buy Circus Flora tickets
About the circus stars
Some tips about your visit from my earlier post
Directions to the show

Arts & Culture Events for Preschoolers

Creation Station at the Museum of Transportation

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Located inside the “vintage” (i.e. a little scruffy and quirky but pretty fascinating) Museum of Transportation is the preschooler fun-filled playroom, the Creation Station. Wooden trains, blocks, play cars, miniature parking garages, magnetic trucks, an enormous pirate ship, dress up clothes, a puppet theater, play kitchen, arts and crafts, books, and more await you and your child (age five and under). The open play sessions are one hour.

Summer schedule (May 1 through September 5)

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
9:15 to 10:15 am; 10:30 to 11:30 am; and 11:45 to 12:45 pm

Thursday
9:15 to 10:15 am; 10:30 to 11:30 am; 11:45 to 12:45 pm; 1 to 2 pm

Admission fees to the Museum of Transportation

Adults: $6
Children (age 5 to 12), Seniors, Military, and Teachers with valid ID: $4
Children 4 and under: FREE (two kids free admission per paying adult)
Members: FREE (six guests admitted per visit)

Admission to the Creation Station is extra (in addition to the general admission fee to the museum)

The cost is $1.50 per person per one hour session in addition to regular museum admission. Ages 1 and older. Admission is based on availability, tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. No reservations or pre-sales accepted.

Membership

If you plan on going to the Creation Station with your child several times throughout the year, consider buying a tax-deductible membership (and check with your workplace for any matching gift programs). The $60 conductor membership level gives you 35 Choo Choo Choose Stamps that can be used for Creation Station and/or train ride admissions.

Tips

* The morning Creation Station play times fill up quickly, so be sure to arrive early to secure your spots. Especially with school being out for the summer, many of the play times are busy.

* Pack a snack or lunch. The snack bar at the museum is mainly pretzels, hot dogs, and popcorn.

* Encourage your child to help clean up a little before he/she moves on to the next play area inside the Creation Station. During busy play sessions, the place can get a little chaotic.

* There is a nice miniature train that you can ride around the museum’s large parking lot. The scenery is kind of blah but kids love riding the train. The $4 train ride (buy your ticket at the front desk inside the museum) lets you go around a loop two times and you even get to ride a tram to the train. There’s no food or drink on the tram or the train, so make sure everyone is post bathroom and snack break. The train leaves on the hour, and 20 and 40 minutes after the hour. Detailed train schedule.

* Explore the old train cars in the rail yard. Our favorite is the Monsanto tank. My daughter calls it an echo chamber, so break out the Broadway tunes inside!

* There is an old bookmobile located outside of the museum that sells used books for $2 and under. It has odd hours, but take a peek if you catch it on an open day. We’ve found some wonderful out of print children’s books.

* The Creation Station is available for birthday parties on the weekends. Book early. Most time slots are filled two to three months in advance.

Arts & Culture Events for Preschoolers

Chinese Culture Days

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The Missouri Botanical Garden’s Chinese Culture Days is this coming weekend, Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22. This annual event highlights the vast and fascinating culture, arts, and history of China. Parades, circus performances, cooking and painting demonstrations, martial arts, fashion shows, tea tastings, traditional Chinese music concerts, folk dancing, and plenty of delicious food to sample will give you and your family much to discover. Finding quality Chinese culture is a bit of a challenge in the middle of the Midwest, so now’s your chance to experience a little something different! Read more about the weekend’s programs.

The St. Louis Chapter of Families with Children from China (FCC) presents the festival’s Children’s Program with hands-on activities, including creating a dragon boat and fans, and trying out Chinese jump ropes, chopsticks, and yo-yos. All children’s activities are indoors at the Ridgway Visitor Center.

Chinese Culture Days
Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22
10 am to 5 pm both days
Missouri Botanical Garden

Tickets
$12 adults (13 to 64 years old)
$10 Seniors (65+)
$5 Children (3 to 12 years old)
$5 Garden members
Free (members’ children 3 to 12 years old)

Tips
* Parking for any of the Botanical Garden’s big events like this can become very busy. If possible, have someone in your group drop off people at the front entrance and then go park. If the parking lot is full, try the lot at Shaw and Vandeventer.

* Bring snacks for your young children. In the past, we’ve ended up waiting for 20 minutes or more in concession lines. Try eating earlier to avoid some of the crowds.

* Buy your tickets online to save waiting around time at the Botanical Garden. If you’re a member, have your membership number handy to get the reduced price.

* Performances in the outdoor Cohen Amphitheater can get crowded and you might end up sitting or standing pretty far back. Bring your binoculars if you want to see some of the Chinese acrobat contortions close up!

* If you have time, be sure to visit the Children’s Garden or play in some of the fascinating tree houses located throughout the Garden.

* Consider becoming a member of the Missouri Botanical Garden if you’re not already. The member benefits and discounts are quite generous. Check with your workplace for any matching gift programs as well.

A video from last year’s festival.

Top photo: Erin Whitson, Courtesy of the Missouri Botanical Garden
Bottom photo: Brent Johnston, Courtesy of the Missouri Botanical Garden
Arts & Culture Events for Preschoolers

Places to go: May 7 and 8

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It’s Mother’s Day weekend! Okay, so I had to make my own Mother’s Day lunch reservation and send my husband a link to a gift I had my eye on… but I will take whatever bit of relaxation I can get over the weekend, even if it was self-initiated. Here are some family friendly places and events to experience May 7 and 8:

1. Art Fair at Laumeier is a fun family event where you can view a wide variety of art for sale and talk with the artists. While you are at  the fair, enjoy the live music, children’s activities, concessions (lines can be long), and of course the sculptures throughout Laumeier Sculpture Park. Head into the Eastern Woodland area for a quiet break from the Art Fair mania. Parking can be tough and far away from the entrance, so consider being dropped off with the kids (and have your loving husband go park) or bring your stroller/baby sling. $8 for adults, $5 children ages 6-11, and children under age of 6 are free. May 6, 7, and 8. Read more about enjoying the Laumeier Sculpture Park with kids in my St. Louis Sprout & About article.

2. St. Louis Storytelling Festival. On Saturday, May 7, the annual festival presents many free, family storytelling events throughout the day. No reservations required. By the St. Louis Arch.

3. Cinco de Mayo Celebration on Cherokee Street. Saturday, May 7, 11 am to 9:30 pm. Floats, minstrels, puppets, Elvis impersonators, drag queens, Mexican wrestlers, robot makers, live music, art demonstrations, mask making, and more, are sure to generate some wide eyed kids. Go celebrate the vibrancy of Cherokee Street and the neighborhood’s Mexican heritage.

4. Citygarden. Free and open daily from sunrise to 10 pm, Citygarden is a beautiful spot to interact with outdoor art (touching is okay), play with water on a warm day, climb stairs, skip, hop, and run. Bring snacks or lunch (the cafe food is just okay and kind of overpriced for what you get).

5. Grant’s Farm is open for the season! The park is open this Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 9:30 am to 4 pm. Enjoy a fun tram ride while viewing the animals, see giant turtles, watch the elephants, ride the carousel, feed the crazy baby goats, and sample a beer. Also don’t miss the famous Clydesdales on your way out near the parking lot. $11 for parking and free admission. Fees for feeding the ravenous goats, riding the carousel, and concessions.

The Arts, Culture, & More for the St. Louis Parent & Beyond