Educational games and activities to prepare your kids for back to school or homeschool

So, the time is finally here and the kids will be headed back to school. For some, it's a sigh of relief and for others, it's dread of the strict routine.

Either way, the beginning of the school year brings to mind that we may not really know what has been on our children's minds all summer. Perhaps it's time to see if they actually remember anything they learned last year.

One way to do that, and keep them having fun too, is to play some easy, educational games. Games such as Musical Math, Spelling Mall, Vacation Vocabulary and History in the Making are all great ways to give your kids' brains a back to school boost.

The rules of the games are simple... Read more

Teen heartthrob, singer Justin Bieber comes to St. Louis: Tickets on sale now

If you have a preteen or teenage daughter, granddaughter or niece, or you've been around young girls at all lately, you've certainly heard the name Justin Bieber.

This teen sensation burst onto the music scene with his debut album, My World, and has sold over 5 million albums worldwide. In addition to being a popular singer, Justin taught himself to play several instruments, including piano, drums, trumpet and guitar.

If he weren't already impressive enough, Justin, at just 16 years old, has set out to...Read more

Day trip from St. Louis, Missouri State Fair packed with family-friendly events, activities for kids

The Missouri State Fair runs from August 12th through 22nd and is packed with so much fun you won't know where to start!

Check out the kids entertainment schedule, which includes a dog show, magician, wild west show, strong man show and more.

And, for the teens and adults, concerts galore! The Pepsi Grandstand will present Eli Young Band, Three Dog Night, Darius Rucker, The Band Perry, Colbie Caillat, Sheryl Crow and several others.

This fair is well worth the road trip from St. Louis and will be a lasting end-of-summer memory for you and your kids.

Kid's Block Party at St. Charles Convention Center: Crafts, karaoke, inflatables and more August 14

Summer is almost gone, but there is still another chance to give your kids a day filled with fun activities.

On August 14th, the St. Charles Convention Center will be the site of a Kid's Block Party, sponsored by Community News.

From 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., kids ages 3-11 will get to participate in activities that... Read more

Town & Country Fair in Washington, Missouri: Uncle Kracker, Peter Frampton, plus activities for kids

It's hot out there, so why not fill up on slushies, root beer floats, ice cream and more, and then catch a breeze on one of the fun rides at the Town & Country Fair in Washington, Missouri?

There are so many fun activities for kids at this fair - really creative and engaging ideas such as a bubble gum blowing contest, human foosball, Wii bowling, bungee run, petting zoo, an obstacle course, and more.

Plus, watch pirates sword fight 25 feet in the air. What little guy wouldn't love to see THAT?

Make sure you check out Babaloo too. He's hilariously fun and gets the kids drumming, tapping, and wiggling to his silly songs.

Once the kids are good and worn out, set them down on a blanket for the evening while the adults enjoy the sounds of Uncle Kracker, Rodney Atkins, Ted Nugent or Peter Frampton.

It's going to be a fun week of entertainment in Washington, Missouri. Make sure you don't miss any of the activities available at the fair.

St. Louis fans: Sheryl Crow, Colbie Caillat, Darius Rucker, Montgomery Gentry at Missouri State Fair

The Eli Young Band performs one of my favorite songs, Guinevere. I would love to see them, but you may prefer one of the other amazing singers coming to the Missouri State Fair. See the complete list, which includes Sheryl Crow, Darius Rucker and more, plus lots of great activities for kids as well. It should be a fun week!

Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus Greatest Show on Earth comes to St. Louis in October

I'm so excited that THE circus is coming back to St. Louis. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will be here in October, bringing with it lots of excitement. I haven't seen this show since I was a kid, and all the other circus shows that I've seen since just haven't compared, especially the one where I was forced to sit at the end of an arena, way up high, behind a pole, and joked later that once every half hour or so I could see a horse's tail twitch, but that's about it - LOL.

I had a lot of fun researching this one, and finding out some of the history behind the circus. I hope you enjoy my latest article, which details the kinds of amazing acts you'll see, including the very talented elephant in the pre-show!

Ian Cole the Yo Yo Kid entertains kids of all ages with amazing tricks at the St. Charles Library

Do you remember having a yo-yo when you were a kid? Did you stare in amazement when another kid could make his yo-yo "walk the dog" while you watched yours go hopelessly up and down, up and down?

If you've always been curious how to get more out of that yo-yo, or you just want a fun activity for your kids on a hot Summer day, visit the St. Charles City-County Library in August.

Ian Cole, the Yo Yo kid will entertain you with ...Read more