Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in charleston, SC

Tuesday Top Five: Passes and Memberships to Consider

by Nicole Teed

May 26, 2009

I've just started to look at the summer ahead, trying to figure out how to enjoy all that Charleston has to offer with my children.  While there will be plenty of simple fun -- beaches, pools and parks, oh my! -- we also like to get out to the venues in town that promise fun and education wrapped into one.  While the upfront cost of some memberships seems expensive, they can really be a worthwhile investment if you use them regularly.

Recommended for consideration:

1. A South Carolina Aquarium membership gets you unlimited visits to the aquarium, access to special members-only events, discounts at the gift shop, and more.  

2. A membership to the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry will let you explore the museum year-round, with great discounts on summer camps and birthday parties too!

3. Water Park Splash Passes are great for guaranteed summer fun.  The Super Splash pass includes all three county water parks, and the basic Splash pass grants admission to Splash Zone and Splash Island only.  Groups buying passes get a discount, and you can also apply Greenbax toward the cost of passes for further savings.

4. County Park Gold Passes let you explore the eight county parks year round and give you free admission to some of the city's fun events.  All of the beach parks are included in this pass (Kiawah, IOP, Folly), so if you like the facilities offered by the parks, this pass could easily pay for itself in the summer season alone.  Gold passes are discounted when you buy a water park pass at the same time.

5. The South Carolina State Park Passport offers similar benefits for the state parks, which includes local favorites Charlestowne Landing, Givhans Ferry State Park, and Edisto Beach State Park.

Making Spring (Break) Special: Day Trips and Activities

by Nicole Teed

March 30, 2009

Most of the local preschools and all of the Charleston County Public schools have spring break coming up this month. I look forward to spending those extra hours with my kids, but know that I need to plan some special outings in order for all of us to maintain some excitement and prevent the cries of, "I'm boooooored." Here are a few of the half-day trips and activities I'm considering for that week. (If you don't have a spring break to plan, consider these ideas for spring weekends!)

Weekend Round-Up: March 27-29

by Nicole Teed

March 26, 2009

Charleston is going WILD this weekend with animals! Take your pick of these grrrrrrreat events!

The Cole Bros. Circus is in town! See clowns, elephants, and daredevils perform under the big top this weekend at the Exchange Park Fairgrounds. Showtimes are 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm on Friday; 1:30 pm, 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm on Saturday; and 1:30 and 4:30 pm Sunday. Tickets are $12 general admission higher for reserved and VIP seating.

If fuzzy bunnies are more your style, why not enjoy the performance of the Velveteen Rabbit, offered this weekend by the Flowertown Players at the James F. Dean Community Theatre in Summerville. Shows are Friday at 7:00 pm and Saturday at 3:00 pm. $5 general admission.

Have kids and dogs? Or at least kids who like dogs? The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission is hosting a Pet Fest this weekend at Palmetto Islands County Park in Mt. Pleasant. There will be booths from local pet organizations and businesses, dogs diving off docks, and plenty of children's activities. Saturday from 10 am - 4 pm and Sunday from 12 - 4 pm. Admission is $5, but kids 12 and under are free.

Calling all early-birds! If you're a member of the South Carolina Aquarium, rally early Saturday to catch their opening from 8 am - 9 am. This is a nice chance to meet the new penguins before the weekend crowd hits.

Volunteer this weekend to help the coast and the coastal wildlife at Folly Beach. Charleston Waterkeeper has joined forces with Starbucks Coffee to host a morning beach sweep from 9 am - 12 noon on Saturday. This is a great opportunity for the whole family to volunteer together, so bring the kids and put them to work!

Finally, the end of the hockey season is nigh. The South Carolina Stingrays play their last season home game vs. the Mississippi Sea Wolves on Sunday at 5:00 pm at the North Charleston Coliseum. There will be a free family festival before the game from 3:00 - 5:00 pm.  Come out and cheer for the home team!

Weekend Round-Up: March 20-22

by Nicole Teed

March 19, 2009

Spring has sprung!  Tomorrow, Friday, March 20, marks the official beginning of spring!  The vernal equinox marks the date where sunlight and darkness are equal.  The change of season is definitely worth celebrating!  I'm considering an early morning trip to the beach to watch the sunrise.  How will you mark the transition to spring?
With the weather warming up, the calendar is getting busy too!  This weekend is packed with events for the whole family.

Weekend Round-Up: February 20-22

by Nicole Teed

February 19, 2009

It looks like it's going to be a great weekend to take it easy with the family.  The events calendar isn't crazy busy and the weather looks fair but not fabulous.  Enjoy!

The Isle of Palms Recreation Department in association with the Crabpot Players presents Alice in Wonderland, this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, February 19-21.  The curtain rises at 7:00 pm for all shows, with doors open 30 minutes prior.  $5 general admission.  24 28th Avenue, IOP. 

The Trident United Way is Counting Down to Kindergarten with free entertainment, backpack giveaways, and health screenings this Saturday, February 21 from 9 am - 12 noon at North Charleston Elementary School, near Park Circle.

As usual, Satruday brings a line-up of free events at Charleston County Public Libraries:

• Family Storytime at the John's Island Regional library at 11:00 am.
• African American "Tall Tales" presented in honor of Black History Month at the Otranto Road Regional library at 1:00 pm.
• Saturday Movie: Lion King at the Dorchester Road Regional library at 3:00 pm.

The Children's Museum of the Lowcountry is celebrating Mardi Gras this weekend (family-friendly style, of course!) with a party on Sunday from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm.  Free with admission ($7 for ages 1 and up).

Sea and Save discounted admission continues through February 28 at the South Carolina Aquarium.  $10 flat rate entry for South Carolina residents!  Go see some fishies.

[Photo credit: SXC/Shannon Pifko]

What's Up for the Weekend: February 6-8

by Nicole

February 06, 2009

Free library events on Saturday! Sing and Learn Chinese with Wei, 10:30 -11:30 a.m. at the West Ashley branch. Valentine's Day Craft Make-and-Take with Grace Dunbar, 10:30 a.m., Poe-Sullivan's Island branch. Saturday Family Storytime, 11:00 a.m. at the John's Island branch. African American Read-In Celebration, 2 p.m., Main Library. Saturday Movie: Igor, 3 p.m. at the Dorechester  Read more...

tuesday top five: best spots for indoor play

by Nicole

January 20, 2009

Like a good part of the nation, we're in the midst of a cold snap. In fact, the prediction for this morning is SNOW! In Charleston?! Crazy. Of course, it won't be cold enough for it to stick around, but the temperatures outside will be too cold for the next few days to have the kiddos outside. What is a parent to do when the little ones start getting cabin fever? Find somewhere to play indoors!  Read more...

Tuesday top five: holiday events for Charleston's children

by Nicole

December 09, 2008

There are plenty of special events to choose from in Charleston this month, but there are a few that are truly great times for families with kids! Here are my picks for the best of the season. 1. The Holiday Festival of Lights at James Island County Park. This might be the tenth or so time I've mentioned this spectacular show of lights and fun at Santa's Village. I don't know how else to make  Read more...

Welcome to your weekend!

by Nicole

November 14, 2008

There is plenty to keep you busy this weekend in Charleston (like most weekends in our great city, I suppose!). Let's take a look at what's happening around town. The Holiday Festival of Lights is now open in James Island County Park! If you're ready to jump into the holiday spirit, take a drive this weekend through a gorgeous and wonder-filled park filled with over 600 light displays. Check out  Read more...

Tuesday top five: best places to see fish in Charleston

by Nicole

August 19, 2008

Considering we live on a peninsula (or thereabouts) surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and countless smaller waterways, there is no shortage of fish in Charleston. Here are my top five recommendations for places to go to view the watery world -- and all of the life teeming within it! 1. I like the South Carolina Aquarium . A lot. And while I've talked about it before , they keep adding children's  Read more...

Aquarium in august: admission discounts!

by Nicole

August 01, 2008

Here's a way to enjoy the aquarium for less! During the entire month of August, the South Carolina Aquarium is offering a special deal on admission for residents of SC. Adults get to "play like a child, pay like a child" -- which means admission is only $10 for anyone in the family, ages 2 and up. Check out their discount page to see if there are additional discounts for which you might  Read more...

A walk on the wild side: sea turtle release

by Nicole

July 16, 2008

If your child thinks she might want to be an animal doctor, this experience will make her want to specialize and become a sea turtle doctor. For the rest of us, it'll just be really cool. The South Carolina Aquarium has a sea turtle hospital designed to rehabilitate injured turtles and, when possible, return them to their natural home. A loggerhead turtle named "North Litchfield" has been fixed  Read more...

Three days in Charleston: day 1 downtown Chucktown

by Nicole

July 08, 2008

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...

What's Up this Weekend: Savvy Picks for Family Fun

by Nicole

June 13, 2008

Here are three events that look like a great way to spend Saturday! Legare Farms is hosting their sixth annual Sweet Corn Festival at their farm on John's Island. We *heart* Legare Farms for pumpkin picking and we had my daughter's last birthday party at their place as well. The Sweet Corn Festival promises pony rides, a jump castle, face painting and a corn shucking contest at 12 noon. (Who  Read more...

Lionfish, tiger sharks and otters, oh my! Discovering the wilderness of the urban jungle

by Nicole

May 16, 2008

Many of our out-of-town visitors have been surprised to learn that Charleston doesn't have a real zoo. (The state's large zoo, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden , is located about two hours away in Columbia.) However, that doesn't mean there is a shortage of wildlife to be found. With our coastal location and love of all things maritime, it makes sense that the best place for spotting animals in  Read more...