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

Urban Wildlife: Bee City

by Nicole Teed

April 13, 2009

Take a family with a good-sized piece of land and a thing for honeybees, mix in some domestic and exotic animals in a petting zoo, and throw in a restaurant and gift shop for good measure -- that should give you a good idea of what to anticipate for a day trip to Bee City.

Getting There: Follow the directions on the website and it's surprisingly easy to find. If you're leaving from West Ashley or downtown Charleston and want a nice drive in the country, you can take Hwy 61 (Ashley River Rd) the whole way there.  They're only open to the general public on Fridays and Saturdays most of the year.  Parking can be a bit of a bear if it's a busy day. Get there early to avoid crowds.

Main Attractions: While a name like "Bee City" might make you believe that bees will be the focus of your visit, the observable hive and bee-related education classroom actually sit off from the main building.  Be sure to go there, though -- it's a great window into bee life.  If your children are like mine, however, you'll spend most of your time in the petting zoo.  There are the usual suspects, to be sure: goats, bunnies, donkeys, even llamas and alpacas.  But my daughter loved the monkeys and lemurs the best, with their gentle little hands that steal "Monkey-Os" and (occasionally) shiny objects from your hand. There were also wallabies, the largest hares I've ever seen, a collection of gorgeous pheasants, and a koi pond. The petting zoo costs $3 admission for everyone ages 3 and up, plus you'll probably want some animal food for the tour ($3 as well).  I can honestly say that our outing there last Friday was the most fun my children and I have had for under $10 in a long time!

Food and Drink: You are welcome to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy it at the tables outside.  There is also a cafe inside the main building that serves up delicious home cooking.  We ate at the cafe during our visit, and I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food and absolutely thrilled with the family-friendly service.

Groups:  If you are a member of a playgroup (or you just have a lot of friends), plan ahead for a group program.  Costs range from $3 (petting zoo and talk only) to $10 (petting zoo, program, plus honey and beeswax crafts to make and take).  You'll need 15 kids minimum to pre-schedule, but if you can make it happen your group can have the place to itself during the week.

Tuesday Top Five: Five Ways to Teach Your Child About Life Cycles

by Nicole Teed

March 17, 2009

The season is shifting again. Winter into spring, and -- sooner than we might be ready! -- spring into summer. Your children are noticing, too, even if they can't express it: coats and jackets can be left home some warm mornings, the later sunset might be pushing back bedtimes a bit. We saw a pair of cardinals in our yard the other day, and both kids watched them carefully until they flew away. 

The cycle of the seasons is just one pattern of change and renewal. Learning about the life cycles of the earth helps build a connection between us, other living things, and our planet. Here are five ideas for sharing life cycles with your children.

Daytrip adventure: bear island wildlife management area

by Nicole

August 25, 2008

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...

Weekend events for the whole family: August 16-17, 2008

by Nicole

August 15, 2008

It's the last weekend before school starts! Time to get out and enjoy! Why leave Fido out of the family fun? The Animal Planet Expo is coming to town on Saturday, bringing with it exotic species, Frisbee-catching dogs, pet adoptions, a kids' zone, and water and misting stations (misting stations!) for your pet. Trot on over to the Ladson Exchange Park Fairgrounds from 10 am - 4pm for some  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...

Tales from Four Holes Swamp

by Nicole

June 25, 2008

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...

Enriching your seashore experience

by Nicole

June 04, 2008

It definitely feels like summer already in Charleston, and one of the best ways too cool off when the temperature spikes and the humidity sticks is to head to the beach. The beaches near Charleston are easy to access and, on the whole, quite family-friendly. You can spend plenty of time splashing in the surf and building sand castles on the shore, but why not learn a little something about sea  Read more...

Five Best Day Trips (within an hour's drive)

by Nicole

May 21, 2008

1. Edisto Island I pink puffy heart Edisto in all of its simplicity: beaches, gift shops and family restaurants, and lots of unspoiled natural spaces. Edisto offers the best seashell finds of any nearby shore, as well as the Lowcountry's only Serpentarium . (Don't be a sissy they won't get cha.) 2. Caw Caw Nature and History Interpretive Center Out Highway 17 South, this county-run center  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...