Being Savvy: Activities, things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Charleston, SC

How to Cultivate the Tiniest Green Thumb

by Nicole

I'll be frank: I'm a vegetarian, cloth-diapering, thrift-store-shopping mother who has been dubbed the "recycling Nazi" for berating certain family members for tossing out plastic bottles. While folks in Berkeley or somewhere equally self-important might call me a lightweight, around these parts, I'm about as crunchy as they come. This spring and summer, we've been really focused on food -- ... Read more >

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Tales from Four Holes Swamp

by Nicole

We had a family outing this weekend to Four Holes Swamp/Francis Beidler Forest , as we wanted to share this special place with my in-laws visiting from Arizona. A short drive from Charleston just off of I-26, this swamp boasts the world's largest stand of virgin cypress-tupelo forest. And that forest is home to lots of critters: snakes, birds, and turtles have been seen on every visit we've ... Read more >

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Sail Away: Boat Safety for Kids

by Nicole

We're meeting some friends in Edisto this weekend for some summertime fun. They are some of our best friends, not just because we like them a lot, but because they have a boat. (Just kidding!) But while boating can be a great outdoor activity for the whole family, it's most enjoyable when done safely. If you're getting out on the waterways this summer in a watercraft (does anyone besides the ... Read more >

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three days in Charleston: day 1 downtown Chucktown

by Nicole

While some of us are lucky enough to live here in Charleston, our fair city also has a fair number of people smart enough to have chosen it as their destination for a vacation. For the next three days, we're going to be talking through a plan to make the most of three days vacation in Charleston with preschool children. Today, I'll make some recommendations for downtown, tomorrow we'll get wet ... Read more >

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three days in Charleston: day 3 choose your own adventure!

by Nicole

You've got one last day in Charleston. So many options, so little time. Unless you can extend your stay (or simply move here), you're going to have to make some tough choices about how to spend your last day in the beautiful Holy City. Which adventure will you choose: Look for gators in the swamp? Set sail for history? Or see the glory of the old South at a plantation? Only you can decide. ... Read more >

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field trip: angel oak, johns island

by Nicole

Picnics in the park are great. Picnics in the park under a tree older than the United States are awesome and provide a kickin' backdrop to talk about ecology, reflect on history and play hide-and-seek in the branches! The Angel Oak Tree sits in a humble park set off the road near the intersection of Maybank Highway and Main Road on Johns Island, about 40 minutes from downtown Charleston. There ... Read more >

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daytrip adventure: bear island wildlife management area

by Nicole

My husband has a remarkable wanderlust -- one that has taken him to several continents and that seems to take our family in search of hidden corners of the Lowcountry. This weekend we headed south to the Bear Island Wildlife Management Area . What a gem! This place is a beautiful wetland refuge low on facilities but full of wildlife spotting opportunities. We drove back into the marsh along the ... Read more >

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day trip: baby does beaufort

by Nicole

What do you do with a free Sunday, a tank full of gas, and a wanderlust? Why, you go for a drive, of course! About an hour and a half south of Charleston lies Beaufort, SC -- tucked between the quiet of Edisto and the resort of Hilton Head, with a personality somewhere in between, just as the location might suggest. We went yesterday for the first time and had such a fabulous day I ... Read more >

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fall fun on the farm!

by Nicole

If you want to pick your own pumpkins, get lost in a corn maze, or just enjoy good clean (or dirty, as the case may be) fun at a farm, then fall is going to be YOUR SEASON. Here's a round-up of the local farms offering ways to enjoy some beautiful fall weekends. Legare Farms -- The ninth generation of the Legare family still operates this working farm on Johns Island. In October, they open the ... Read more >

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it's time to go to the fair!

by Nicole

Fried dough, spinning rides and blue-ribbon pigs -- it must be time for the fair! The South Carolina State Fair opens today in Columbia, running from October 8 through Sunday, October 19. Opening day hosts a special price on admission -- just $1 gate entry for everyone! After that, regular admission is $8 for ages 6 & up and $2 for kids ages 2-5 (with kids under 2 free). There are daily ... Read more >

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holiday weekend fun!

by Nicole

I think everyone must be out shopping, because there aren't a lot of scheduled events for families this weekend. The James Island County Park Holiday Festival of Lights continues nightly this weekend. Don't miss it! Usher the holiday season in with Santa's arrival at the Mount Pleasant Town Centre, TODAY, Friday, November 28 at noon. Free. Several of Charleston's main family ... Read more >

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