Free Thinking St. Louis: Nature, Critters, & Farms050

It's a sunny day and the kids' boundless energy needs an outlet. Go outdoors! St. Louis offers a wide range of free (or almost free) nature- and animal-related attractions that are perfect family destinations.

The Missouri Department of Conservation has nature centers throughout the metropolitan area, and all of them offer outdoor amenities and calendars full of free workshop and events all year 'round. Besides its great walking/hiking trails, Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center offers indoor exhibits and a hands-on kids' area. The August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area, the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, and Rockwoods Reservation are equally good MDOC locations.

The free MDOC GoFish! Workshops, aimed at kids ages eight to 15 interested in learning beginning and advanced fishing techniques, are regularly hosted at locations like Suson Park, Forest Park's Dennis & Judith Jones Visitors' Center, and Spanish Lake.

For up-close animal interactions, Grant's Farm is a favorite local attraction. Although parking is $8, admission is free, and with it, you get all kinds of opportunities to see more than 1,000 resident animals, including the famous Anheuser-Busch Budweiser Clydesdales.

Although a bit of a drive, Purina Farms in Gray Summit is worth the effort. The Barn and Play Area is a family favorite: Here visitors can interact with a variety of domestic animals found on a typical working farm, romp in the Barn's hayloft, swing on a rope, or milk a cow. The Pet Center is home to dozens of dogs and cats, and the key attraction is a 20-foot-tall, multi-level cat house, complete with windows, stairways, and rocking chairs.

Other animal-related attractions we like: the World Bird Sanctuary for its awesome birds-of-prey shows; Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary for its quiet environment and cool visiting birds; and Suson Park Animal Farm for its big red authentic barn.

Don't forget Eckert's Country Store & Farms, which offers a bustling farm environment, ever-changing seasonal events calendar, and pick-your-own produce throughout the year. It's likely you spend a bit of money while there, but it's easy enough to make a visit solely for the scenery. The farm also has locations in Grafton and Millstadt .

Finally, what could be easier than taking kids to the park to expend that kid energy? Within St. Louis' city limits, families can't go wrong at expansive Forest Park, which offers amenities like the flower-filled Jewel Box (free Mon-Tue, 9am-12n), the picturesque Grand Basin, Turtle Playground, and free volunteer-guided walking tours, not to mention the free-admission Missouri History Museum and Saint Louis Art Museum.

Tower Grove Park is another of our favorites for its lively farmers market, free summer concert series, and, for kids, the summer wading pool.

What else is free for families and kids in and around St. Louis? Let us know your favorite destinations! Send us an email at stlouis@parentsconnect.com and we'll add your suggestions to our growing Free Thinking St. Louis pages.