The Best St. Louis Parks for Young Kids and Tired Parents

When I became a parent of twins, I don’t think I fully understood how much my life would change. It’s no secret that being a parent can feel physically and emotionally demanding.

One day, you’re enjoying a quiet, lackadaisical Saturday with a hot cup of coffee, and then suddenly, you’re used to being woken up at 4:30 a.m. because your child can’t find their stuffed teddy bear. Although my coffee is reheated on average about 5 times each morning, I find immense joy in being a parent.

The pressure to entertain my children like Ms. Rachel is exhausting and unrealistic. Trying to chase two toddlers as they explore anywhere beyond the confines of our extremely childproofed home feels equivalent to an Olympic-level workout.

Now that I’m a parent, I totally get why people use leashes. I lean on the parks in St. Louis year-round to help share my love of the outdoors with my children and help keep my sanity.

Once I became a mom, I took the opportunity to rediscover my hometown at a time when my wanderlust as a parent felt almost unbearable. St. Louis has over 100 parks. Some have been around since the 1800s, with the same goal: to get people outside.

It is amazing what the sound of crunching leaves under our feet and sun warming our cheeks can do for our whole family’s mood.

I’ve listed six parks that I consider among the most kid-friendly in St. Louis. These are all fairly popular spots, so I recommend going in the morning and bringing all the essentials to make the most out of each visit.

 

Brentwood Park
Brentwood Park is a large 32-acre park that was designed with a purpose. This park is part of a project to restore the Deer Creek floodplain. The park is significantly spread out with castle-like jungle gyms, long zip lines, and a massive hill slide. Also, during the hot summer months, there are many water features for kids to play in.

This park is great for older kids, as a lot of the features require advanced motor skills for climbing and sliding. However, my two-year-olds still have a blast climbing the rock wall, traversing the jungle gyms, and walking to the top of a lookout that gives a picturesque view of the park. In such a densely urban area, the subtle water and nature features make this park feel secluded.

 

Francis Park
Located in St. Louis Hills, Francis Park is another recently renovated park that my family and I visit often. This spot is always busy — for good reason! I have been to this park during the blazing hot summer and when winter brings freezing temperatures to St. Louis. Each time I visit, it’s lively and full of families.

There’s plenty of street parking around the park. Near the playground, you’ll find pickleball courts, Rockwell Brewery, and paved paths that lead into large open spaces. The playground itself offers many climbing structures with intricate webbing, slides, swings, and other equipment that spark children’s imaginations.

 

Crestwood Park
Crestwood Park is a newly renovated park that has kept my children and me busy for hours. This low-traffic park offers two parking lots, a pavilion, a paved trail around the entire perimeter, and a small free library box at one end of a bridge. What I love most about this park is it offers two designated play areas for toddlers as young as two years old. One of the play areas is partially fenced to help keep kids safe and contained.

Additionally, it offers even more playground equipment recommended for ages 5-12. Once kids climb to the top of each structure, there is webbing that encloses the area, which provides peace of mind for nervous parents like myself. With a plethora of slides and unique features that add to the park’s whimsy, this one has been a staple for us!

 

Nature Playscape
Anne O’C. Albrecht Nature Playscape is an artfully designed natural wonderland located in Forest Park. This park truly makes you feel immersed in nature. Now that my two-year-old twins have a solid grasp of parks, they were a bit confused when they didn’t see slides, swings, or other typical park features. Within a few minutes, though, they were digging in the sensory garden, walking across logs like balance beams, and running in every direction to experience the playscape as if we were somewhere far outside St. Louis.

This park offers a unique experience that inspires a sense of play with natural elements. It’s incredible to see my kids mesmerized by rocks, trees, and plants. Forest Park has so many attractions that visiting soon after my little ones wake up is key to avoiding crowds.

 

Watson Trail Park
Watson Trail Park in Sunset Hills is another park that warrants a shout-out. With two large play areas, long walking paths, pavilions, and shaded spots beneath trees, it has always provided my kids’ restless bodies with a sense of calm after a visit. This park features an accessible swing for wheelchair users, designated toddler zones, and musical equipment for kids to create their own symphony.

Our favorite part of this park is walking down the large hill to what feels like a secret playground. We’re greeted by ducks and geese resting in a peaceful pond, a small fairy house, and, my kids’ favorite, a little wooden raccoon hidden under the jungle gym. Because of its larger hills, I always bring our wagon to this park. There is ample parking, as the park also has a pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, and plenty of picnic areas.

 

Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center
Powder Valley is a goldmine for kids who love animals (stuffed or alive!). This gem is situated near Kirkwood with both outdoor and indoor amenities. We took advantage of the free indoor amenities during our latest trip to escape the cold weather. We were welcomed by tanks housing snakes, spiders, lizards, fish, and turtles. The facility features a maze of hallways with engaging nature information on the walls, buttons for cause-and-effect interactions, and cozy nooks for reading.

There’s also a treehouse-inspired play area in the middle of the facility. One of our kids’ favorite spots was a room full of touch-and-feel exhibits and crafts. Kids can color different pictures, touch various animal furs, put on a puppet show, and even touch animal bones! This small facility packs a punch with tons of cool animal features for both kids and adults. Like all the places on this list, it includes elements of nature that can be hard to find in the city.

Author: Dani Critzas-Murphy is a contributor to Terrain.

Top image: Francis Park in St. Louis. (Dani Critzas-Murphy)