Hey, moms, dads, grandparents, and caregivers who are starting to think about how to keep your kiddos entertained this summer! We are so lucky to live in the upstate. We are blessed with many opportunities for fun to help make summer a little more magical. As always, we know that collectively, our kiddos are different, our capacities are different, and our budgets are different, so we’ve included a little bit of something for everyone, depending on the stage you and your children are in. Take what works, leave what doesn’t! Summer always seems to fly by, so making a checklist/ bucket list can help me make the most of this precious time. Without further ado, here is the list!
- Bowling | some local businesses ascribe to the kids-bowl-free programs!
- Craft store crafts | cruise Michaels/Hobby Lobby and pick something new
- Home Depot Kid’s Craft Workshops | 9 am the first Saturday of every month
- Libraries are a goldmine of fun | summer events, story times, shows, and reading challenges galore
- Plant some flowers/ a garden | kids love to help and learn how the world works, plus who doesn’t love flowers?!
- Cabela’s | watching the fish is an event for my little man
- Kids Eat Free Restaurants
- Regal Summer Movie Express | $1 Movies
- Duke Energy’s World of Energy | often has summer events for children (Seneca, SC)
- Family Fun Gym at Acrosmith Gymnastics
- Indoor Play Centers | Village Play in Fountain Inn is great for the littles, Frankie’s Fun Park in Greenville for the bigs
- TReehouse Café and Art Studio (Traveler’s Rest, SC)
- Salvation Army Kroc Center Programs (Greenville, SC)
- The Children’s Museum of the Upstate | Greenville, SC & Spartanburg, SC
- Model Train Museum (Taylors, SC)
- A Cut Above Maker Space| has a variety of art camps and summer programs (Spartanburg, SC)
- Upcountry History Museum (Greenville, SC)
- DIY picnics at the park
- Saturday Farmer’s Markets
- Vacation Bible School at Church
- Local splash pads
- Heritage Park Railway (Simpsonville, SC)
- Mice on Main Hunt (Downtown Greenville)
- Zoo day (did you know you can feed the giraffes at the Greenville Zoo?!)
- Roper Mountain Science Center (Greenville, SC)
- Pottery Painting
- Watch planes & grab a bite at Runway Park at GMU
- Lake Conestee Park trails and Nature Discovery Center
- Free putt-putt at McPherson Park | bring your own clubs (Greenville, SC)
- State parks/hiking
- Pool days
- Greenville Drive | Watch some summer baseball!
- Get ice cream or snow cones (our favorite is Ice-Cream Station in Simpsonville!)
- Make smores by a fire
- Pick peaches, lavender, and blueberries at one of Upstate’s local farms
- Free outdoor movie nights (Falls Park, Heritage Park, Greer City Park, Trailblazer Park, etc!)
- Make chalk art outside
- And, of course, bubbles! 😊
Did we miss anything? Let us know! Summer will be here before we know it, and we hope these ideas ease the stress of planning and add something fun to your days! We would love to know what your favorites were, so make sure to tell your pediatrician next time you are in the office. We hope it’s the best summer yet!
