Springtime Adventures: Fun Activities for Dads and Kids in Missouri

As the days grow longer and the temperatures start to rise, springtime in Missouri offers a plethora of exciting opportunities for dads to bond with their kids. From outdoor adventures to creative endeavors, the Show-Me State is brimming with activities that are sure to create lasting memories. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, a sports fan, or an art aficionado, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. So, grab your gear and get ready for a season of fun with these fantastic activities across Missouri!

Outdoor Adventures

1. Exploring State Parks

Missouri is home to an array of stunning state parks, perfect for outdoor exploration. Take a hike along the rugged trails of Castlewood State Park, where you can discover picturesque bluffs and scenic overlooks. For those interested in water activities, Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park offers refreshing swimming holes and natural water slides.

2. Fishing Fun

Springtime marks the beginning of fishing season in Missouri, making it the perfect time to introduce your kids to this timeless pastime. Head to one of the many fishing spots across the state, such as Lake of the Ozarks or Bennett Spring State Park, known for its premier trout fishing.

3. Bike Riding Adventures

Dust off your bikes and hit the trails for a family biking adventure. Missouri boasts excellent biking trails, including the scenic Katy Trail, stretching for 240 miles across the state. For younger riders, local parks often have paved trails perfect for a leisurely ride.

Sports and Recreation

4. Play Ball!

Springtime means baseball season, and catching a game with your kids is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon. Cheer on the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium or catch a minor league game at one of Missouri’s many ballparks.

5. Miniature Golf Madness

Challenge your family to a round of miniature golf at one of Missouri’s whimsical courses. Cool Crest Family Fun Center in Independence or Swing-A-Round Fun Town in St. Charles offer delightful courses with colorful obstacles and challenges.

6. Skateboarding and Rollerblading

If your kids are into skateboarding or rollerblading, head to one of Missouri’s skate parks for some adrenaline-pumping fun. Tilles Park Skate Park in St. Louis or The Wheel Park in Kansas City are popular spots for skaters of all ages.

Art and Creativity

7. Visit a Children’s Museum

Spark your kids’ imaginations with a trip to a children’s museum. The Magic House in St. Louis offers hands-on exhibits, while Science City in Kansas City combines fun and learning with interactive science displays.

8. DIY Nature Crafts

Take advantage of the budding springtime flora by collecting leaves, flowers, and twigs for nature-inspired crafts. Create leaf rubbings, flower collages, or even build birdhouses together for your backyard.

9. Pottery Painting

Unleash your artistic side at a pottery painting studio. Places like Creativita in St. Louis or Pottery Hollow in Kansas City provide all the supplies you need to create colorful masterpieces.

Festivals and Events

10. Spring Festivals

Missouri comes alive with festivals and events during the spring months. From cherry blossom celebrations to music festivals, there’s always something happening. Don’t miss the Dogwood-Azalea Festival in Charleston or the Art in the Park event in Columbia.

11. Butterfly House

Delight in the fluttering beauty of butterflies at the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House in Chesterfield. Wander through lush gardens filled with colorful blooms and watch as these magnificent creatures take flight.

Culinary Adventures

12. Picnic in the Park

Pack a basket full of tasty treats and head to a local park for a picnic in the sunshine. Forest Park in St. Louis or Swope Park in Kansas City offer scenic spots perfect for enjoying a leisurely meal outdoors.

13. Farmers’ Market Fun

Explore the vibrant farmers’ markets across Missouri, where you can sample local produce, artisanal cheeses, and freshly baked goodies. The Soulard Farmers Market in St. Louis or the City Market in Kansas City are popular choices.

14. Cooking Together

Get creative in the kitchen with your kids by cooking up some springtime recipes together. From homemade pizzas to colorful fruit salads, let their imaginations run wild as they help prepare delicious meals.

What Are You Waiting For?

Spring in Missouri offers a wealth of opportunities for dads to bond with their kids through exciting adventures and creative endeavors. Whether you’re exploring the great outdoors, unleashing your artistic talents, or savoring culinary delights, there’s something for every duo to enjoy. So, embrace the season of renewal and make the most of this special time with your little ones. From hiking trails to pottery painting, the memories you create together will last a lifetime.

So, what are you waiting for? Dive into springtime fun in Missouri with your kids, and let the adventures begin!

Hiking Through a Pandemic

What do you do when everything is shut down and there is nowhere to go? You go hiking over the hills and through the woods, that’s what you do.

With playgrounds, skateparks, businesses, and just about everything else shut down during this pandemic we had to go elsewhere to keep from getting cabin fever and that elsewhere was the various parks that were still open that had hiking options available… and apparently, just about everyone else had that idea too. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

We went everywhere that we could and a few places we weren’t suppose to visit, but I won’t list those. It is such a major accomplishment when you knock out a trail. Especially when the kids come along with us. They are great hikers and love finding and identifying rocks, plants, and other things found out in the woods. We have been using the app All Trails to find cool spots to hike and explore and we have been using the app Seek to help us identify plants along the way.

We also have started taking grocery bags with us and picking up liter that we find on the trails as well. It is astonishing how much trash people will just leave on a trail. Did you really think taking a 32 ounce styrofoam cup with you on a 3 mile hike was a good idea? Apparently so, which is why we are now cleaning up after you.

Read up on the 7 principles of the Leave No Trace project. It is a great resource and helpful guide on how best to mind your manners while out exploring.

So where have we gone? Well, all over. We want to explore more, so if you have a recommendation please share in a comment or reach out on social media. Here is a list of just a few of the trails we have checked out this year.

Loutre River Trail
Saint Stanislaus Trail
Connors Cave
Spring Brook Trail Loop via Devil’s Icebox Trail
Castlewood Loop
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
Fort Bellefontaine Loop Trail
River Scene Trail Loop
Spring Branch Trail
Wildflower Trail
Mina Sauk Falls Trail
Rock Quarry Trail
Hogsback Trail
Trail Among Trees
Klondike Park Katy Trail
Elephant Rock State Park

Like I mentioned, we started to use the app All Trails this year to keep track of the trails we have rocked. It is a handy app that gives you some nice GPS data and other information about the trail you are on. It’s not a bad tool to have when you are out there in the wilderness. It also helps keep track of other cool stats over the lifetime of using the app. I kind of wish we started using it sooner as I think my stats would be much higher had I did.

All in all hiking has become one of our families go to activities. We just love getting outdoors and exploring the world around us. I have some video and photos from some of these hikes that I hope to put together at some point, but most importantly with all that is going on, getting out and getting back to nature this year has been a perfect way to be mindful and balance yourself.

Stay tuned for a future post where I share what I have in my hiking bag and why my wife thinks it is way too heavy!

Our Escape to Fugitive Beach

FugitiveBeach-01Every now and then you wish you could just get away but you really can’t because you’re broke and “away” is thousands of miles and somewhere tropical… Well, this isn’t exactly that but it’s pretty awesome in it’s own regard. May I present, Fugitive Beach, which is located in Rolla, MO (about a 2 hour drive from St. Louis). My wife, daughter, niece, and myself took a little day trip to Fugitive Beach to see what it all about. It was very cool. When you enter you can immediately see this massive water slide. Then upon further inspection you can see two different platforms where you can jump into the water. There was a bar and grill there if you didn’t bring your own food. You cannot bring your own alcohol which I think is a good idea, but you can buy beer, etc at the bar there. You can also bring a cooler with food, soda, water, etc, but no glass and remember to not be a litter bug and pick up your trash.

It cost us $6 per person and we also had to sign a waiver before entering. Makes sense. This is/was a quarry. We setup our beach blanket, some chairs, and a cooler. Leaving all of that behind we took to the water. Everyone but my daughter Abby went down the slide and jumped off the cliffs. I don’t blame her. When I was her age I would only hold onto the ladder whenever I got into the pool.

Did I mention I took my GoPro? I didn’t? Then maybe instead of reading all of this you should just watch this instead…