Daycare: The Goddard School of Simpsonville

Skip the Grocery Store and Let Lowes Foods to Go Bring Dinner Right to Your Car Door

Looking for a great way to save yourself a little time and perhaps sanity too? Local mom Kristina recently tried out Lowes Foods to Go and tells us how the services worked out for her. She gives us the scoop on how Lowes Foods To Go works and how to make it work for your family!

There are few things as a parent I dislike more than running to the grocery store with my kids. With a crazy busy schedule, fitting in grocery shopping is usually when we are tired, the kids are cranky, and avoiding hungry purchases are more difficult than usual. But of course, we have to grocery shop.

Lowes Foods, with locations in Five Forks and Greer, has an awesome service to help alleviate some of the stress of grocery shopping called Lowes Foods to Go. I’m a huge fan of Lowes Foods, with their focus on local food and farms. They also have great deals on their weekly circulars. But I’d rather skip the kid-size shopping cart races and just shop online and pick up the groceries – without ever the leaving the car, which is exactly what Lowes Foods offers.

How Lowes Foods to Go works

Using Lowes Foods to Go is super easy. You sign up online and start shopping via desktop or your phone. You can shop the weekly ads and specials so you’re getting the same deals as you would if you went to the store.

I enjoy shopping like this because it saves me from those impulse purchases that I make every single time I run into a grocery store. I can’t help it. By using this service, it’s easy to shop my list and not be tempted to grab a couple extra things.

Once you fill your cart, you choose a time to pick up your order. Either pay for your groceries online or you can do it when you pick them up.

When it’s time to get your groceries, pull your car into the designated area out front at Lowes Foods, push the button to let the staff know you are there and give them your name. Someone comes out with your order and loads everything into your car. And you’re done.

But, No One Can Shop Like Me!

When I grocery shop, I’m picky about everything, especially the produce and fruit and vegetables. I turn over the strawberry carton to see if any don’t look good, check the apples for brown spots, and look over the squash for imperfections. I have the kind of personality that dictates I’d rather do it myself right than clean up after someone I delegate something to and they do it wrong.

So honestly, I had low expectations when I tried this service because I didn’t think someone would shop for groceries like me. I asked the Lowes Foods staff about this concern and they assured me they are as meticulous, or more than, myself. And as a customer, you can give them specific instructions on what you want – such as asking for a mix of green and yellow bananas so you have some later in the week instead of ripe ones all at once. Or make a note, like I did, to look for the manager special meats with discount stickers.

It’s really easy to let them know of your specific likes and dislikes. When I picked up my order, I was pleasantly surprised that the staff did an awesome job of getting me exactly what I was looking for, despite all my hesitations. Way to go, Lowes Foods staff!

Lowes Foods to Go memberships

For the Lowes Foods to Go service, you can register for an entire year for $99. Sometimes they have special promotions where it’s half that cost so check their website.

If you don’t want to register for a membership, that’s no problem. You can pay $4.95 whenever you want to place an order for pickup. If you shop there weekly, it’s certainly cheaper to pay for the year.

Overall, the convenience of ordering online and picking up is absolutely worth joining Lowes Foods to Go. The time and sanity it saves is great for families.

Lowes Foods
2815 Woddruff Road, Simpsonville
864.234.6842

850 E Suber Road #200, Greer
864.848.9666

Would Lowes Foods to go make your life a bit easier?

Heritage Park is the Perfect Park to Visit on a Hot Summer Day

Looking for a family friendly way to beat the heat but still enjoy all that Greenville has to offer outdoors? Head out to Heritage Park, located right off 385 S, in Simpsonville! There you’ll find tons of room to explore, a shaded playground, a giant picnic shelter and more. You’re sure to love it! ~Lauren Lochel, contributor

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Discover Heritage Park

I was simply thrilled at the amount of shade there was at the playground that my daughter and I discovered around 9:30 am Monday morning. It was our first time there so we had to navigate through the “campus” that is Heritage Park! There is only one main road, so it’s not confusing, it’s just so large! We passed by big fields and walking/biking trails, many covered picnic shelters, the Charter Amphitheater, a miniature train station and then finally saw the playground right before the baseball fields.

See also our list of Playgrounds with Shade in Greenville

Safety is always at the top of my radar when I’m out alone with my 2 year old daughter. I immediately felt at ease with all the people around and the two policemen on bikes that continuously rode the trails. We probably saw them ride by three times in the hour we were there.

About the playground

The playground we found was toddler friendly and low, but had some taller, more challenging parts. The entire playground is fenced in, along with a sidewalk that circles it for parents that want to get in some extra steps while watching kids play. There were also park benches and swings along the perimeter.

See also our list of Fenced-in Playgrounds in Greenville

We felt like we were really surrounded by nature with all the trees and bushes! My daughter spent half as much time exploring, watching squirrels and birds, as she did playing!

More amenities at Heritage Park

The park was very clean. There are plenty of trash cans around along with restrooms and a covered area right by the playground. Check out the website for all the events that are held at Heritage Park.

If you are looking for a place to beat the heat but still enjoy the great outdoors, I highly recommend you check out Heritage Park! It is one of the MANY outdoor spaces that Greenville, SC has to offer!

Plan a trip to Heritage Park

861 SE Main Street, Simpsonville
Visit the park website.

What is your favorite thing to do at Heritage Park?

Heritage Park is one of the parks in the 2018 Park Hop passport. To learn more about how you can earn prizes this summer by visiting local parks read our Ultimate Guide to Park Hop.

You Can Ride a Zip Line at the New Simpsonville City Park Playground

Goodbye late 1980s, hello sensory play, ADA-inclusive structures, and a zip line. It’s all happening at the Simpsonville City Park, which got a huge makeover in late 2017. Out with old equipment, rusted swings, and questionable slides. In with bright new swings and slides, balancing apparatuses, and sensory play equipment.

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The all-new Simpsonville City Park

The City of Simpsonville spent just under $200,000 of dedicated recreation funds to totally revamp the playground. And additional private money was raised to create the Simpsonville Sensory Playground, an area dedicated to providing kids with sensory disorders a place of their own to enjoy play (although any kids are welcome to use the equipment).

There are several climbing structures and balancing equipment, which definitely lend themselves to kids who are practicing to be little ninja warriors. There are plenty of swings, including two for children who are disabled, baby swings, and regular swings for bigger kids.

And the zip line is pretty awesome, too. Kids (and I imagine adults – truth be told, I really wanted to try it out) line up for their turn to sit on the seat hanging by a thick rope and zip on the line to the other end of the playground. This is a popular feature and certainly a favorite activity for my own kids.

For adults hanging out while their kids play, there are a couple hanging porch swings to enjoy situated near the entrance to the playground. The playground is entirely fenced in, except for the entrance, so it makes it relatively easy to keep track of the little ones and not worry about them wandering off.

The City Park is the only fully inclusive playground in the area compliant with the American Disabilities Act. Way to go Simpsonville!

Besides the new playground equipment, the City Park also has an enclosed dog park, a fitness trail, a disc golf course, and picnic tables. There is also a free book lending library on site. Thankfully there are bathrooms within a short walking distance from the playground as well.

The location is ideal for spending time in downtown Simpsonville. It’s close to restaurants, shopping, and the popular Ice Cream Station. It’s a wonderful town to explore and this new playground just kicked it up a big notch for families.

Want to go?

Simpsonville City Park
100 Park Drive, Simpsonville
(located right off Main Street and next to the Simpsonville Police station)

Have you checked out the all-new Simpsonville City Park yet?

Corral Those Kiddos: Playgrounds with Fenced in Toddler Areas

7 Greenville Parks with Great Outdoor Spaces

Primrose School of Simpsonville at Five Forks Offers Preschool and After-School Care

Thank you to Primrose School of Simpsonville at Five Forks for sponsoring Kidding Around Greenville.

Meggie Bradberry was one of the original Primrose School’s first graduates 30 years ago in Marietta, GA. After all, her parents, Marcy and Paul Erwin, started Primrose Schools and believed enough in its incredible benefits that they wanted Meggie to attend and learn there. Now, Meggie and her husband, Buck, have 2 young children of their own. Not only are Meggie and Buck sending their own kids to Primrose School of Simpsonville at Five Forks, they are the franchise owners of this unique and successful school.

Carrying on the tradition of Primrose Schools, Meggie and Buck are thrilled to be able to offer families in the Simpsonville area an opportunity for their own little ones to grow and learn and have fun in a healthy, safe environment. ~Kristina Hernandez, KAG Contributor

About Meggie & Buck

Meggie graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Georgia but since she is so passionate about nutrition and wellness (this comes in handy as the new owner of Primrose school in Simpsonville – more on this later), she became a Certified Holistic Health Coach (CHHC) and Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach (CTC).

Buck played baseball and got his degree in business administration as well from Columbus State University in Columbus, GA. Both Meggie and Buck are active in their communities, as they are members of both the Greenville and Simpsonville Chambers of Commerce and support the American Heart Association.

Primrose school model

The Primrose experience consists of four main elements: their people and culture that strive towards creating a “caring and nurturing environment and build trusted relationships”; their Balanced Learning ® System which “supports children’s social-emotional, cognitive, creative and physical development”; their Standards of Excellence which provides parents and students with specific accreditation; and their Partnership with Parents, which seeks to develop a strong connection between the parents and the school for the benefit of the children.

The Balanced Learning® System has been developed by and taught exclusively at Primrose Schools. It is a research-based curriculum that blends teacher-guided and child-initiated activities with a special emphasis on character development.

The exclusive Balanced Learning® curriculum of Primrose schools will be available for children ages 6-weeks-old to 6-years-old.

The school has really neat tools they use at each age – they teach sign language to babies (this is so cool – my oldest daughter learned sign language and it was so much easier to communicate with her), they nurture imaginative play and creativity with toddlers and preschoolers through their special proprietary character development program and their Rhythm and Notes ® Music Classes, and they teach pre-kindergartners about different cultures, have a reading and math program and even teach them generosity by donating food and coins to food drives and animal shelters. They also have their very own Spanish program, called Mucho Mundo!

Nutrition is key

With a stellar background in nutrition, Meggie and Buck are the perfect people to teach Primrose students about healthy – and yummy – eating. In fact, prior to becoming franchise owners, they founded a health consulting company that focused on healthy eating alternatives for both individuals and businesses. They love health and nutrition and certainly plan on making that a focal point in the balanced meals and snacks offered at their school.

Primrose School of Simpsonville at Five Forks offers breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and a late afternoon snack. All of their meals and snacks, which are coordinated by certified dietitians, will be balanced with lean protein, nutrient dense foods, whole grains and fruits and vegetables. This is where kids seeing other kids trying new foods and wanting to copy them can really come in handy!

Coming full circle

“When my parents started Primrose more than 30 years ago, they had no idea how much of a success it would become,” said Meggie. “All this time, the core values of Primrose have never changed. I’m thrilled to see it come full circle for my own family, and we’re so excited to offer Simpsonville parents the high-quality early education and care that all children deserve.”

Meggie handles the day-to-day operations of Primrose School of Simpsonville at Five Forks, working with parents, children and staff regularly. Buck will also be on the premises and working in the school’s operations.

Meggie and Buck want to ensure that Simpsonville-area children are well-loved and well cared for and that their Primrose school will be a productive, healthy and fun environment for children to grow their Active Minds, Healthy Bodies and Happy Hearts®.

They offer After-School Care too

Not only does Primrose School of Simpsonville at Five Forks offer preschool, they also offer after-school care. With Primrose Explorers Club, for kids 5 – 12 years old, kids can hang out with friends, get help with homework, and relax after school. There’s plenty of time to explore creative expression, sports, technology, drama, music, games or enjoy some downtime.

What their current families say

It’s hard to believe that Primrose School of Simpsonville at Five Forks has been open for 2 years now! Here is what one of their first families has to say about them:

Primrose mom, Maria, said “We chose Primrose for private kindergarten for our five year old. We picked Primrose over the other schools in the area because of the smaller classes, the educated teachers, the curriculum and everything they have to offer (gardening, life skills, Grandparent program, etc…) The teacher was wonderful. My daughter warmed up to her right away even though she is very shy. I am so glad we chose Primrose for our daughter! I think it is worth every penny. (BTW- We pass 3 schools to get to Primrose every day.)”

Primrose mom, Marissa, said “Our daughter started attending the Primrose School of Simpsonville at Five Forks when she was 12 weeks old and is currently in the Young Toddler room. We’ve been a Primrose family for close to a year now and our daughter has flourished and grown by leaps and bounds. The teachers have been incredible and what she is learning is invaluable.”

Primrose mom, Brooke, said “Our daughter has been with Primrose since the day their doors opened in Five Forks. As a first time mom going back to work, there is nothing more powerful and priceless than dropping your child off knowing that they are in the hands of people who genuinely love and care for her as their own. From our first months in the older infant room to the early preschool program we are constantly enjoying watching her grow, and that is ALL thanks to the commitment and hard work of such amazing teachers and leadership!”

Enrollment

Primrose School of Simpsonville at Five Forks is open 6:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Monday – Friday, which is perfect for parents who need a little flexibility. The school is still enrolling for the fall 2017 as well as after-school care and they invite you to call today for a personal tour! Visit their website or call them to learn more. Also, don’t forget to like their Facebook page for information about events held at the school, which are often open to the public!

Primrose School of Simpsonville at Five Forks
2255 Woodruff Rd
Simpsonville, SC 29681
(864) 757-1191
www.primroseschools.com/schools/simpsonville-five-forks

Has your child ever attended a Primrose School?

Mom Review: College Street Park

Local mom Andrea Beam reviews College Street Park in Simpsonville, SC. This small city park has a feature that you rarely see anymore — seesaws! For more park reviews see our Ultimate Guide to Parks in Greenville.

Until a few weeks ago, I had not heard of College Street Park. I had no idea what to expect. I googled the address and found that it was located in the middle of an older neighborhood in Simpsonville. “This won’t take long,” I thought to myself. How big could the park be?

The boys and I hopped in the van and headed down the road. I was impressed with Simpsonville’s Main Street, lined with small-town restaurants and shops. Our destination was only a few blocks off Main.

The park is pretty small, but there are several things I really liked about it.

What I loved about College Street Park

There is a basketball court. While this may not appeal to the younger crowd, it’s perfect if you have older kids who may have outgrown the monkey bars (or maybe you have a child like mine who just doesn’t like monkey bars). Obviously, you’d have to bring your own ball.

There are two blue see-saws. I was most excited about this! I can’t tell you the last time I saw one of these. In fact, I had to teach the kids how to use it because they had no idea what it was.

The grass is perfection. This may not be a big deal to anyone except me, but it was one of the first things I noticed when I got out of the car. The entire park is well manicured. It would be a beautiful spot for a picnic, but keep in mind there is very little shade.

In addition to the see-saws and basketball court, you’ll find swings, different types of monkey bars and a slide. College Street Park was a hit with the boys. The neighborhood was older and the playground isn’t fancy, but both had character and charm.

The equipment will get very hot on a sunny summer day, so we will make plans to return in the fall after the cooler weather rolls in.

Plan your own visit

321 West College Street, Simpsonville
Visit their website here.
Need a map? Here ya go!

Have you ever been to College Street Park?

College Stree Park is one of the parks in the 2017 Park Hop passport. To learn more about how you can earn prizes this summer by visiting local parks read our Ultimate Guide to Park Hop.

Meet Andrea Beam

Andrea Beam works for the Greenville County School System, but her passion is writing! Greenville has always been her home. Her family enjoys exploring everything the town has to offer. In addition to Kidding Around Greenville, she blogs at Sunshine & Rain.

Park Place Children’s Center

Thank you to Park Place Children’s Center for sponsoring this article.

Making the choice to place your child in the hands of other caretakers and educators for part of the day is so difficult. But then trying to choose the right place – and the right people – can be overwhelming. It’s such a big decision for you and your child.

Park Place Children’s Center in Simpsonville could be a great option for you and your child. I’ve personally heard wonderful things about Park Place from other parents. Kidding Around Greenville readers love Park Place as well. One reader said that “Park Place Children’s Center on Batesville. Just visit once & you’ll see the difference between this phenomenal school and others.” Another reader exclaimed, “Park Place is amazing!”

Nowadays it seems like consumers don’t buy anything without seeing reviews of it beforehand. Park Place gets those good reviews from area parents!

Why Park Place Children’s Center?

For starters, Park Place is a nationally accredited pre-school that offers care and education for children ages six weeks through K4. Their entire facility is laid out for the safety and enjoyment of the children entrusted to their care.

Low ratios of kids to teachers is another great feature of Park Place. This enables the teacher to really focus on what works for each child and make sure needs are quickly seen and addressed. This also enables teachers to use a personalized Development Assessment tool to focus on the skills that each particular child needs to attain.

Park Place has a gym, library and enrichment room where children can participate in daily learning experiences that are fun and aid in the self-esteem and development of the child.

Spanish lessons are provided for children K2 and up and breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack are all provided for and included with the tuition.

Security and Safety

First and foremost in most parents’ minds is how safe and secure a facility is. This can help make the transition from home to daycare and preschool easier for parents.

The school boasts a superior security system where the parking lot, classrooms and playgrounds are video-monitored. The age-appropriate playgrounds are safely tucked away in the back of the facility. All external doors are locked and security codes are needed to reenter the building from the playground and into the front doors.

Additionally, Park Place has taken the extra step to put up another security barrier between the lobby and the rest of the building, which restricts access to only those with door codes.

One other cool feature that can help put the minds of parents at ease is that Park Place in right next door to Parkside Pediatrics. It’s an added comfort to know that a doctor is within two minutes of your child.

Parents are also able to give permission for their child to be taken to Parkside Pediatrics when there is a chance that their child may have a contagious illness and need to be sent home. This saves parents a huge amount of time that they would have otherwise have had to take off of work.

Teaching Methods at Park Place

Park Place practices the “looping” method where toddler and K3 teachers stay with the same children for two years. The toddler teachers loop up to the K2 classrooms with their children, then the children get a new teacher in K3 who loops up with them to K4 the following year. This promotes trust between the teacher and child, emotional well-being and good communication. It’s also an indicator of high quality care and currently not practiced at any other facility in Greenville.

Park Place is selective in hiring teachers. All of their teachers and caregivers are warm and friendly and happy to be a force of good in your child’s life. The school only hires teachers who have early learning educational experience. All teachers are CPR and First Aid certified as well.

Teachers are given on-going training on teaching strategies and developmental curriculums. They are dedicated to providing a high level of care for the children at Park Place.

Feels Like Home

When Park Place was founded in 2009, the owners – Cindy and Thomas Weathers – sought to make the 20,000-foot facility more like a home than a daycare and preschool. The facility is designed to look more residential than commercial for this reason.

Park Place values the relationships between parents and children and themselves. While having a coffee bar for parents is an awesome perk, so is knowing that your child is well taken care of for their duration of time away from you.

Park Place also knows how busy the lives of parents are. They reflect that with their hours of 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., a flexible schedule that allows parents the freedom of knowing that they can stay a couple more minutes at work or get moving earlier in the day to make it more productive.

Enrolling

Park Place offers exceptional care for children ages six weeks to K4 and also has summer camp programs for kids in kindergarten through 5th grade.

Call the school to tour the facility or enroll your child. There is a waiting list for infants and toddler and a limited amount of space available in the older grades.

So check out Park Children’s Center and see why they may very well be the perfect fit for you and your child.

Park Place Children’s Center
205 Batesville Road, Simpsonville
864.270.5910
www.parkplacechild.com
Facebook

Does Park Place Children’s Center sound like a good fit for your child?

Meet Kristina, KAG Food Expert

Kristina Hernandez is a mom of two girls, freelance writer and photographer and New Jersey native who is thrilled to call the Upstate her new home. She loves cooking, trying new foods, and checking out all that Greenville has to offer.

From Ice Cream to Play: Our Day in Downtown Simpsonville

While there are tons of things to do in Simpsonville, I want to share with you a few of our favorite places in downtown Simpsonville. Let me start by telling you about a conversation I had with a grandfather and his grandson standing beside the Ice Cream Station. He and his grandson had just discovered it wasn’t open at 11 a.m. just as my son and I had. He asked me if there was anything to do nearby. I shared with him several places that were with in walking distance of the Ice Cream Station. ~Deirdre Smith, KAG Contributor

My favorite things to do in downtown Simpsonville

The first thing I want to mention to you was a couple of our favorite lunch spots. We love the pizza with homemade sauce and crust at Frank & Co Pizza Cafe. The meat and three called Zamorah’s is a little more expensive, but the food is delicious. We love their mac and cheese. Henry’s Smokehouse is another favorite. Their bbq and sides are wonderful. My new friends, however weren’t really interested in having lunch before ice cream!

RELATED CONTENT: Best Icecream in Greenville | Best BBQ in Greenville

Exploring the grounds around the downtown plaza area was my second suggestion. The clock tower is really cool. There are cool trees to make fun stories about and hug. There are train tracks to walk on, when there isn’t a train coming, of course! There are fun shops like the Carolina Olive Oil just across the parking lot. We love to grab a few pieces of bread they have set out and try a new olive oil or balsamic vinegar. My son selects the flavor and I place a little of it on the bread. Both the grandfather and grandson shook their heads. This apparently didn’t sound like something they wanted to do!

Next I told them that just a little ways down the road from where we were standing is the Simpsonville Veterans Memorial. It is a great spot to remember those who have served our country and see a big stone flag. The grandfather look interested, but his grandson just wanted to find a fun spot to play.

“The best place to play is not far away from here,” I told them. The Simpsonville City Park on Curtis Street has an updated playground with a couple of different play spaces. It also has a fitness walk and a bocce court. Both the grandfather and the grandson looked excited about that suggestion.

After they walked off toward the park, I remember the labyrinth at Holy Cross Church. It was designed for prayer and reflection. I have taken my son there, just to walk, a few times. Following the labyrinth can be tricky! You really have to focus on walking it from start to finish. I guess they will have to wait for someone else to tell them about that though!

Do you have a favorite thing to do while in downtown Simpsonville?

Meet Deirdre

JDaniel4’s Mom is a former teacher who loves to explore Greenville with her preschool son J. Daniel, IV by learning, laughing, listening, and living. She writes about parenting, educational activities, and children’s books on her blog JDaniel4’s Mom. You can connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, and Twitter.