COCA, the Center of Creative Arts, and St. Louis Kids Magazine present Come Play! a free day of fun for you and the kids on the grounds of the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) in University City on Saturday, Oct. 2. You and your children can participate in activities from the circus arts, to dance, to family yoga, and arts & crafts, plus enjoy food from your favorite restaurants (and the cupcake and ice cream trucks on site!), live entertainment and more.

Kids as young as toddler age can learn dance moves from the professionals during the preschool dance party, circus arts from seasoned performers, and yoga moves. See a performance by the COCA student vocal ensemble, and take part in musical theatre dance with instructor Gina Bon-Perez. Special guest instructor Redd Williams will lead spectators on an impromptu Hip Hop lesson too.

Kids can also take part in art projects like a giant sidewalk chalk project, make & take wire sculptures, a giant mural, canvas art, make-your-own jump ropes and more creative activities for little ones.

Enjoy food from St. Louis favorites such as Fitz's root beer and Gus's pretzels. Adult refreshments will also be available.

Families can also learn the basics of yoga that you can all do together. It's a great way to connect with your kids and infuse playfulness into your daily routines.

Come Play! celebrates the arts and is especially geared to families with young children. Meet the Gas House Gang from Laclede Gas, and participate in a coloring contest sponsored by Esse Health, where you can win four season passes to Six Flags! Meet representatives from St. Louis' leading schools and educational organizations, including Community School, Forsyth School, Chesterfield Montessori School, The College School, St. Louis Language Immersion Schools, Shining Rivers Waldorf School, Sylvan Learning Centers and more.

The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Center of Creative Arts, 524 Trinity Avenue, University City. All activities are free and open to the public.
Please help us thank our Come Play sponsors, Esse Health and Laclede Gas Kids/The Gas House Gang for supporting this event.

Esse Health is more than a healthcare provider - it's a place where medicine is a calling and not just a profession. It's a belief that staying healthy is just as important as getting help when you’re sick. It's a team of extraordinary medical professionals with the latest ideas for keeping you and your family healthier. At Esse Health, physicians and patients are partners in healthcare. More than 70 independent physicians and 28 offices are dedicated to an exceptional approach to patient-centered prevention and healing. As the St. Louis area's largest independent physician's group, owned and operated by our doctors, Esse Health has a personal stake in your personal care.

The Gas House Gang was created by Laclede Gas Company to teach children about safety, the environment, and the science behind natural gas energy. Laclede Gas Company is the largest natural gas distribution utility in Missouri, serving approximately 630,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in the city of St. Louis and ten other counties in Eastern Missouri. For more than 150 years, Laclede has been a leader in the St. Louis community, providing safe and reliable natural gas to commercial and residential customers. Kids of all ages will enjoy spending time with the Gas House Gang at lacledegaskids.com!

And thank you to our Come Play Partners, including:

Community School is an independent school serving children age 3 through sixth grade where students build skills, abilities and confidence in a balanced, creative environment. Rigorous coursework and challenging academic standards are supported by the 7:1 student-teacher ratio, which allows personalized attention for each student. Test scores at Community School are consistently among the highest in the nation. Music, art, P.E., drama, woodshop, and foreign language complement the academic program and are fully integrated across subject areas, creating a rich learning experience. The 16-acre wooded campus with a pond, nature trail, and playgrounds provides infinite opportunities for discovery, observation and recreation.

Forsyth School offers a challenging, engaging education for children age 3 through grade six with support from exceptional teachers. Located on a one-of-a-kind campus near Washington University, Forsyth stresses individual attention by maintaining a low student-teacher ratio and two teachers per class.With a strong academic foundation that includes the visual and performing arts, sports and challenge education, Forsyth graduates are well prepared for excellent secondary schools. Forsyth offers summer programs, full-time specialist teachers, a commitment to diversity and a comprehensive extended day program with after-school classes and year-round league sports. For more information, contact Director of Admission Erica Axelbaum.

 

 

Chesterfield Montessori School was founded in 1981 as Montessori Children's House, a private school serving children of toddler, preschool, kindergarten and elementary ages, from 16 months through sixth grade. CMS is a non-profit school offering authentic Montessori programs at all levels. The beautiful sunlit facility is situated on five acres in Chesterfield. The campus includes a large swimming pool, two tennis courts, playgrounds and a children's garden. The classrooms are open, inviting, well-organized and equipped with the full spectrum of materials scientifically developed by Dr. Maria Montessori. Students come from many countries and diverse backgrounds and share the richness of their cultures with the school community. The partnership of parents, children and teachers creates a place where children and families grow and flourish. The mixed-age classrooms are calm, peaceful and conducive to learning.

Sylvan Learning Centers. Whether your child needs help with one subject or in school overall, Sylvan's tutors are here to help. For 30 years, our highly trained and certified tutors have been giving children individualized help to catch up, keep up or get ahead in school. Services are for all students, pre-K through 12th grade. Our skills assessment identifies your child's unique needs, and parents get progress reports every step of the way. Sylvan offers the convenience of in-center, in-home and live, online tutoring at home.

 

St. Louis Language Immersion Schools. The choice of a school for your child is a big decision. The St. Louis Language Immersions Schools hope to introduce you and your child to a global world of learning. Studies have shown that early language immersion improves overall academic achievement. It enhances brain development, memory and cognitive learning, increases social awareness and improves achievement in basic skills such as communication and listening. Immersion students become more flexible thinkers and exhibit greater nonverbal problem solving. Call today for a tour of either our French School or Spanish School, and give your child the gift of language.

 

Shining Rivers Waldorf School has provided holistic, experiential education since 1994. As a developing member of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America, Shining Rivers strives to meet children at their unique stages of physical, emotional and intellectual development with a rich arts-integrated curriculum. Early childhood programs are available for full- and half-day care. A gentle, homelike environment is created where beautiful storytelling and songs ignite the imagination for ample play with natural toys. Our Grades program utilizes an interdisciplinary approach, including sensory activities to explore each academic area. Specialty instruction is provided in German, Spanish, handwork, flute, violin, painting and movement. Parent-toddler program available. Home-school and after-school programs are offered for ages 7-13. Summer camp and parent education opportunities too. Serves pre-K to grade 4 and enrichment programs through age 13 for children across the metro St. Louis area.

The College School engages children, ages 3 through eighth grade, in joyful, meaningful and creative learning through an adventurous, theme-based, experiential curriculum. The diverse community works as a partnership, cultivating excellence in academics, character and collaboration, as the school prepares students for life-long learning, service and citizenship. The early childhood program incorporates the Reggio philosophy. Recent campus enhancements include a greenhouse, gardens, teaching kitchen, dining room, Spanish classroom, early childhood playground and theater, plus 28 acres of property for off-site study.

 

My Mommy Manual brings you Yoga Parenting, allowing you to connect with your kids and use yoga poses to infuse playfulness into your daily routines, creating more joy and less stress. We'll present a workshop that will give you a preview of Yoga Parenting, the online course that teaches you to apply universal yoga principles to transform your parenting relationship. For more information, go to www.mymommymanual.com

 

SPECIAL THANKS to KMOV Channel 4 for their media sponsorship of this event!