Introducing your kids to graffiti is just fun! In addition to the large walls and bright colors, the kids are enthralled with all the different ways to write a ‘J’ or ‘Z.’ The subjects range from Snoopy to environmentalism, and they spotted more than a few cartoon characters they recognized. Sense graffiti is usually located off the beaten path, our journey aroused excited expectation about what was next.

The Graffiti Trail in St. Louis is a 1.5 mile walk from the Citygarden Sculpture Park, but we drove our car over there to save time.  The city is renovating pathways and parks to better connect the riverfront, the Arch, and downtown. In an industrial zone, between the river and the railroad tracks is a 1.9 mile legal graffiti wall. Paint Louis works with the city to bring in hundreds of artists to work on the wall each year. Even though the wall is sponsored by the city, the artwork appears self-determined and fresh.  On a sunny morning during a holiday week, we passed a few people walking their dogs. The place was peaceful and pleasant. We were amazed by the length of the trail and the variety of work. We wish we had more time to look at all of it.

The most important thing I learned is to bring a can of spray paint! Thanks to the funner and funnest in the family, we had some and practiced making our mark.  Making the most of our adventures, I linked to some of our favorite books and videos about street art. I reviewed “Mon Safari dans Paris” a long time ago because it is a favorite. It’s a wordless, French book that I picked up in Paris when Jake was 7 months old.

Next time we visit, I hope we can arrive on bikes via the Riverfront Trail. It’s a 12.5 mile greenway that follows the Mississippi river, passing the Arch and ending at the Graffiti Trail. The kids and I prefer to travel by bike whenever possible.

Let me know if you make your mark on this trail!