Just for Fun: The new Polar Bear Plunge at the St. Louis Zoo

Sometimes a day of hooky with your kids is in order, and one is never too old for a day at the zoo...

The time has come- the boys go back to school in 2 days.  Taking in the new Polar Bear exhibit at the Saint Louis Zoo was a terrific way to bid farewell to summer, even for my 2 teens.

Chinese Lantern Festival at the Missouri Botanical Gardens

Almost a year after announcement, this exhibit finally opens at the Missouri Botanical Garden next week!  The Nenonen Family is chomping at the bits to explore the night exhibit...


 Per the MOBOT website: 

The Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis will host an international exhibition of larger-than-life, lighted works of art from China in 2012.

"Lantern Festival: Art by Day, Magic by Night" will attract visitors from throughout the country to experience one of China’s most treasured events and ancient traditions – the annual lantern festival.

Elaborate outdoor sets crafted of silk and steel will celebrate Chinese culture through bold color, dazzling light and striking design. The exhibition offers visitors a unique opportunity to witness a spectacle rarely staged outside of Asia.

WHEN:

May 26—August 19, 2012:  9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

May 31-July 29: Thursday through Sunday evenings: 6 to 10 p.m. (last entry at 9 p.m.)

August 1-19: Monday through Sunday evenings: 6 to 10 p.m. (last entry at 9 p.m.)

ADMISSION:

The exhibition is included with daytime Garden admission from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning May 29

Special evening exhibition rates apply on Thursday through Sunday evenings from 6 to 10 p.m. (lanterns are lit at 8 p.m.):

$22 adults (ages 13 +)
$10 children (ages 3—12)
$15 Garden members
$5 Garden members' children (ages 3—12)
Free children ages 2 and under

FOR MORE INFO:
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/things-to-do/events/special-exhibitions/lantern-festival.aspx

Deal Alert: St. Louis Science Center

I received this tip from my client over the weekend and had to share... On the back of local Diet Pepsi cans you will find a discount for the new Grossology exhibit at the St. Louis Science Center. The offer expires in March. If you are local and have children, this is the PERFECT Winter Break Activity!

The Grossology Exhibit is exactly what it says... um, totally disgusting. That being said, if your children are anything like mine and have already explored the super yucky Grossology books with grins on their faces... they should LOVE the rude and crude fun. ;)

NITTY GRITTY:
Explore why your body produces mushy, oozy, crusty, scaly, and smelly gunk in GROSSOLOGY at the Saint Louis Science Center. Based on the best-selling children’s book Grossology®, this science-in-disguise exhibition uses animatronics and imaginative exhibits to tell you the good, the bad, and the downright ugly about the human body.

-Visit the Vomit Center and learn the many reasons humans vomit
Stop by the Toot Toot exhibit to create different sounds that replicate the physics of gas

-Find out what causes runny noses, sneezes and allergies with Nigel Nose-it-All

-Crawl and slide through a 3-D model of the digestive system

-Play surgery and attempt to remove organ parts from a body without touching the sides of the patient.

TICKET INFO:
Member Adult - $4.50 / Member Child $3.50
Non-Member Adult - $9 / Non-Member Child - $7

The discount is a WHOPPING $3.00 off the ticket price, with a limit of 4. Great deal.

FOR MORE INFO:
http://www.slsc.org/WhatToDo/GROSSOLOGY.aspx

Thanks for the tip, Amy!!! =)