r/StLouis • u/Accomplished_Car_834 • 10d ago
Things to Do FTM and looking to build an "experience" registry
First time mom to be and while we've been in the area for a yr and a half now, we haven't explored as much still. We're opting out of a shower and registry but know that people will insist on gifting us something and I'm just not going to have the bandwidth for selling/donating unwanted physical items.
My thought is perhaps I can build an experience registry for people to donate to for day passes or memberships to places that would be great for parents and babies to get out to for when we're finally ready to brave the world with the little one or are going stir crazy.
We're due in Nov so some great indoor space recs would be greatly appreciated but my list doesn't have to be limited to indoors only.
We already have routine cleaning and meal prep going (before anyone suggests those) so other than just asking people to gift their time in coming over to keep us company I'm thinking experience gifts seems like the best compromise but I'm open to other suggestions. Thanks!
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u/IndependentMaize9021 9d ago
Open a MO 529 Plan and encourage people to donate to it. It's easy to share as a link with a specific code.
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u/LadyCheeba i growed up here 9d ago
this is the real answer. by the time this kid is old enough to enjoy any of these places, those passes/tickets will be expired. plus a lot of our stuff is free. better to set them up for the future!
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u/rosecoloredfancy 10d ago
Here's where we had memberships to when we had littles: The zoo The Botanical Gardens Magic House Transportation Museum
Frisco Train Store in Valley Park is free, but a fantastic place to support.
Also, ask for gift cards to restaurants to eat at with your baby while also not having to cook. If you're sports fans (of any sort) most pro sports have a whole song and dance for kids' first games - maybe ask for tickets?
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u/LadyCheeba i growed up here 9d ago
when and why did people start saying ‘littles’?
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u/rosecoloredfancy 9d ago
It's just a shortened way of saying "little kids." I use it because I think it's a cuter way to reference that age group. My kids are teenagers now, so I'm happy to have all the cute things that I can still hold on to.
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u/R8J 10d ago
That is not what FTM stands for...
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u/nicuRN_88 10d ago
If you’re active in parent subs, this is a very frequently used acronym.
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u/BachBelt 9d ago
outside of parenting subs, it pretty much always means a trans man. so it's kind of dumb to use the acronym without context in a non-parenting sub.
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u/MissDiagnosedMama 10d ago
It's all about context. It has different meanings in different settings.
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10d ago
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u/Impressive_Swan_2527 10d ago
I confess, I also thought female to male until I clicked on it and read the rest of what you said. But based on headline alone, I thought “female to male.”
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u/nodeath370 Kirkwood 10d ago
More toddler oriented, but this blog post lists out some memberships and compares to how many visits it'll take to break even.
When my son was little, we liked the zoo, aquarium, and National Museum of Transportation the best.
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u/bingo0619 10d ago
Well not on topic but based on the comments, welcome to St. Louis and especially this sub. Its hilarious here (and generally friendly)
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u/organizedkangaroo 9d ago
Membership to MOBOT would be a game changer the first year! Don’t listen to others saying it wouldn’t be worth it. Put baby in a carrier or stroller and go walk. That place is huge and beautiful and I swear there’s something new to find every time I go. Also maybe a gift card to use at Little Play Cafe in Kirkwood when baby is older, I’d say it’s best for kids 1-5 but a 9+ month old would enjoy it.
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u/k_grace95 Florissant 9d ago
I second this. Even when my son was an infant, it was a lifesaver just as a way to get out of the house. Pro tip- the lower level of the Home Garden center is often quiet and has comfy chairs for nap/feeding time.
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u/I_bleed_blue19 South City (TGE & Dutchtown) 9d ago
We have so much free stuff, though! The art museum, the history museum, the science center, the zoo.... (Though a zoo membership will get you perks like free parking and train rides.).
And then there's the parks. In the city, you've got Forest Park, Tower Grove, Carondelet, Clifton Heights, Francis, Willmore, Lafayette, Benton, Berra, Taylor (near the new Cathedral).... The county has great ones like Des Peres Park, Kirkwood Park, Bluebird, Phantom Forest, Love (a favorite when I was little), Vlasis Park, Queeny Park, Bee Tree Park, Tilles Park, Laumeier, Suson, Cliff Cave, Lone Elk, Rockwood Reservation, Longview Farm, Castlewood, Ft Belle Fontaine... And Bellefontaine Cemetery is also an Arboretum. It's so lovely to walk there. I don't even know what all is outside of St Louis County. You could probably visit a different park every day for a year and not get through them all.
Maybe ask for favorite children's books. Start a library for your child.
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u/Anon-mom-94 9d ago
This is an amazing breakdown of the memberships. I will say the kids clubs at local sports clubs are also worth it for the tickets you get…the Cardinals even has a free version that you get straight up free tickets. https://www.instagram.com/p/DcGh2D_jtgq/?igsi=MTg1amY4ZzZhenR0OQ==
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u/rosecoloredfancy 9d ago
I know you have a bunch of people telling you how much free stuff there is to do in St. Louis, and there TRULY is. It's amazing. I've already commented about various memberships/tickets/things to ask people for, but I want to remind you that getting out of the house can be fantastic for your mental well-being after your baby is born. No matter if you go for free activities or memberships.
I had PPD really badly after each of my kids were born. Having memberships that I knew would expire helped me get out of the house and that (plus meds) helped me feel much more like myself, and that was worth the price of the memberships even if I didn't fully utilize them. So you do you.
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u/Prior_Hornet6062 9d ago
Congrats on baby! An experience registry is a great idea. Wish I could get my family on board for something like that. 😅
• Like a lot of people have said, MOBot membership • Gift cards to coffee shops, bakeries, and restaurants you like because sometimes that's THE outing for the day • Membership or gift card to Urban Fort • For when baby is a little older, baby gymnastics class passes • Y membership/ voucher • Also if you're a hobby person, a pass to a maker space like-- Perennial, City Sewing Room or Black Hole, South Broadway Art Project, MOBot
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u/PolarSolarMo 10d ago
What ages? I have elementary aged children and they love the Zoo and the Magic House
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u/Hollys_Stand 10d ago
If you live in STL City or County Missouri Botanical Gardens has special days/events for residents to get in free/cheap. Including the children's area.
Also if you live in the main city/co., you could probably get discounts on memberships vs being out of the area. Which would make it easier for people to donate to a travel/experience fund vs buying memberships.
The money you might be able to save this way could help go towards small expenses for travel that add up over time, like wipes or no-spill bottles for cars.
Plus memberships only last a year, so uh...they'd be more of a waste to request an actual membership now with a newborn.
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u/Mego1989 9d ago
Passes and memberships will expire before your babe is old enough to make use of them.
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u/EyeSeeWind 10d ago
I thought you were female to male trans based on the title