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Pick Your Own Blueberries and Blackberries at These Farms Near Greenville, SC

Posted on by Maria Bassett | 3 Comments

Dreaming of ripe blackberries? Interested in upick blueberries? Greenville, SC, and WNC have several places to pick those sweet, juicy berries yourself! We love picking fresh berries and filling up the freezer for this year’s blueberry muffins, oatmeal, blackberry cobbler, pies, and more. Here’s a list of local blueberry and blackberry farms in Greenville where you can pick your own.

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$2 Tickets: Regal Kids Summer Movies & Real Mom Tips

Posted on by Maria Bassett |

Take the kids to the movies this summer for just $2 with Regal Summer Movie Express! If you’re looking for low-cost summer fun and a break from the heat, look no further than the summer movie deals at Regal Theaters. Here’s everything you need to know to take advantage of these special summer movie deals.

This article includes:
Summer Movie Deals
Find a Summer Movie Express Regal Cinemas Near You
Regal Summer Movie Express 2023 Titles

Real kids summer movies

Looking for Regal kids’ summer movie dollar deals?

Regal Cinemas has brought back their Summer Movies Express for 2023. Two family-friendly movies are offered each week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for just $2 each at participating Regal Cinema locations. Times are usually between 10 am and 12 pm, but each theater will do things a little differently. Check with your local cinema, more on that below.

Finding Your Local Regal Cinema and Summer Movies

Finding your local Regal Cinema for Summer Movie Express 2023 is easy. Just head to Summer Movie Express and type in your zip code at the top of the page in the center. If you’re having trouble finding it, just scroll to the very top Regal logo on the left. The field to enter your zip code is beside it.

Find Your Summer Movie Express participating Regal location
Regal Cinemas Location

What Movies are Playing at Regal’s Summer Movies Express?

Once you’ve typed in your zip code, all you need to do is go back to the Summer Movie Express page and click on the movie poster for the movie you’d like to see. You’ll then get movie times for theaters near you. You’ll even have the option of purchasing tickets online.

It couldn’t be easier to find “kids’ summer movies near me”!

2023 Summer Express Movie Titles

What Regal kid’s summer movies are playing in 2023?

  • May 23 and May 24, 2023: How to Train Your Dragon and Abominable
  • May 30 and May 31, 2023: The Croods: A New Age and Shrek Forever After
  • June 6 and June 7, 2023: Puss in Boots and Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie
  • June 13 and June 14, 2023: Sing and Spongebob Movie: A Sponge Out of Water
  • June 20 and June 21, 2023: The Spongebob Squarepants Movie and Minions: The Rise of Gru
  • June 27 and June 28, 2023: Sonic The Hedgehog and Dora and the Lost City of Gold
  • July 4 and July 5, 2023: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Clifford The Big Red Dog
  • July 11 and July 12, 2023: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and The Paw Patrol
  • July 18 and July 19, 2023: The Bad Guy and Playing With Fire
  • July 25 and July 26, 2023: Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank and Sing 2
  • August 1 and August 2, 2023: The Boss Baby: Family Business and Dolittle
  • August 8 and August 9, 2023: Kung Fu Panda 3 and Curious George
  • August 15 and August 16, 2023: Minions and How to Train Your Dragon
  • August 22 and August 23, 2023: Shrek and Kung Fu Panda
  • August 29 and August 30, 2023: Trolls World Tour and Despicable Me
  • September 5 and September 6, 2023: Despicable Me 3 and Spirit Untamed

Exact movies and times may vary by location.

Mom Tips: Snacks at the Movies

You got Regal kids summer movie deals for your tickets, but what about those movie snacks? Here’s how you save money there.

Often you can’t your own snacks and drinks into a movie theater. To save on snacks, take advantage of rewards programs like Regal Crown Club where you earn points towards free concessions and tickets for every dollar you spend.

But, we know that even that can get expensive and add up. So, here are some extra mom methods for geting it done cheap.

Mom Tip #1: Bring empty sandwich bags or brown paper bags into the theater. Buy one large popcorn and put handfuls of popcorn into the empty bags, so everyone in your family gets their own bag. Often these large popcorns are refillable for free, so, you’ll definitely have enough to go around. Everyone gets their own bag, which makes them happy. And you’re happy because you’re not buying heaps of individual bags of popcorn and very likely spending nearly your entire weekly grocery budget to do it.

Mom Tip #2: Similarly, bring in empty water bottles and fill them up at a water fountain, or buy a large beverage and split it up by pouring it into those individual bottles.

Mom Tip #3: Skip the snacks all together. This can be so hard, especially with the bright neon signs and screens with rolling images of popcorn and candy. But. if you tell the kids a special treat is coming after the movie (like going out for ice cream or picking out a special box of popsicles at the store) that might just be enough to skip purchasing movie theater snacks all together.

Cheap summer movies for kids

Looking for more low-cost movies?
Check out our list of Summer Movie Deals.

Have you gone to a movie at Regal’s Summer Movie Express?

More Free And Cheap Things to Do

FREE Home Depot Kids Workshops (2023): Quality time with the kids

$2 Tickets: Regal Kids Summer Movies & Real Mom Tips

FREE Lowe’s Kids Workshops (2023): What will you make this month?

FREE Kids Craft Events: JCPenney Kids Zone

Kids Bowl Free: Your Kids Can Go Bowling for Free All Summer Long

13+ Totally Free Things to Do With Kids Near You

New Inclusive Playground in Hendersonville, NC at Jackson Park

Posted on by Maria Bassett |

Have you visited Jackson Park in Hendersonville, NC? It’s the largest municipally owned park in Western North Carolina and it has so much to offer anyone looking to spend time outdoors, including tennis courts, disc golf, lit basketball courts, a nature trail for walking or running and so much more! But, today we’re talking about the brand-new inclusive playground at Jackson Park.

We checked it out on opening day and it is so cool, with so much equipment allowing all kids to play together from supportive swings, to wheelchair-accessible equipment, to a full rubber ground cover, they have it all.

Jackson Park inclusive playground

Jackson Park’s Inclusive Playground Opens May 13, 2023

The kid community in Hendersonville came out strong for the opening of Henderson County’s Donnie Jones All-Inclusive Playground at Jackson Park. We loved seeing so many kids having so much fun all together.

Note: Our pictures are from opening day, so, if crowds aren’t your thing, don’t be scared off by these photos. We’re sure this will be a popular playground, but probably not quite as popular as it was on its very first morning open!

Opening day after the ribbon cutting at the All Inclusive Playground at Jackson Park in Hendersonville, NC

Space for All to Play Together

As its name implies, the new inclusive playground at Jackson Park is designed specifically to facilitate play between all kids by making playground space and equipment accessible to everyone.

Smooth, even, rubber ground covers the playground space, ramps grace playground equipment, music equipment sits at a variety of heights, and swings come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. There are spaces to climb, spin, roll, run, and explore.

Ramp access and ground level play equipment at Jackson Park playground.
Swings at Jackson Park inclusive playground

Playground Layout

This playground includes a smaller climber lower to the ground with ramp access, a larger climber with tall slides as well as ground-level equipment, and a beautiful covered space in the middle with seating, and interactive panels.

This middle section also contains a large array of musical instrument stations and a ground-level merry-go-round.

Music station at the inclusive playground at Jackson Park

To the side of the space is a hill with two fun hill-side slides. Kids (and parents) have the choice to walk up the smooth hill, take the stairs, or use the ramp on the sidewalk to get to the top of these slides.

Jackson Park playground hillside slides

Things to Know: Playground at Jackson Park

  • The restrooms are beside the playground at the covered shelter.
  • Even with the covering over much of the playground equipment, it was hot and there was lots of sun when we visited. Sun protection is a must at this park.
  • Picnic space is available at the covered shelter when it isn’t reserved and there are lots of shade trees and benches in the immediate area for a lunch or snack break.
  • Parking is free, but depending on events at this large park, like seasonal youth soccer games, you may have to walk a little bit to get to the playground.
Glider for all at the Jackson Park inclusive playground in Hendersonville, NC
The Donnie Jones ALl Inclusive Playground at Jackson Park

Jackson Park
801 4th Avenue East
Hendersonville, NC 28792

Open 7:30 am to 11 pm daily
Parking is free.

Hendersonville, NC

There’s so much more to explore in Hendersonville, NC!

Educational Vacations: Day Trips and Travel Ideas Where You’ll Have Fun and Learn Something New

Posted on by Maria Bassett | 2 Comments

Thinking about turning an adventure into an educational vacation? The Kidding Around team loves to learn on the road and has compiled a list of ideas for educational trips for families. From our nation’s capital to national parks, there is so much to see, memories to make, and things to learn. Here are some places we’ve traveled to where your family can learn something new!

This article includes:
Educational Vacations
Educational Day Trips from Upstate, SC

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Finding Help in the Upstate: Food Banks and Food Pantries Near Greenville, SC

Posted on by Maria Bassett | 1 Comment

Looking for a food pantry or food bank in Greenville, SC? Many families in the upstate are finding themselves jobless or with reduced employment hours. Fortunately, there are many churches, groups, food banks, and community organizations offering assistance. We’re collecting information about those places here to help our readers. If you know of someone offering assistance, please let us know!

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Things to Do This Summer in Greenville, SC

Posted on by Maria Bassett | 2 Comments

Planning your summer in Greenville? As the weather heats up our thoughts turn to summer. Summertime in Greenville, SC is full of swimming holes to discover, day trips to enjoy, ice cream cones, waterslides, and outdoor events.

In this summer guide, you’ll find places where you can swim, wade, and creek stomp in Greenville, SC! We also have our best frozen treat recommendations so you can find that perfect ice cream cone and stellar milkshake. You’ll also find free and cheap things to do, plus movies, summer camps, and date nights.

We’ll be updating all summer long, so bookmark this page and check back for more summertime fun opportunities.

The Ultimate Summer in Greenville, SC Guide

Summer fun, things to do in Upstate, SC:
Summer Day Trips from Greenville, SC
Staycation in Greenville
Places to Cool Off Near Greenville, SC
Summer’s Frozen Treats in Greenville, SC
Outdoor Spaces and Parks in Greenville, SC
Free Things to Do in the Summer in Greenville, SC
Summer Camps in Greenville, SC
Plan a Summer Date Night in Greenville, SC
Beaches Near Greenville, SC

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Where to Find Local Meat and Meat Farms in Greenville, SC

Posted on by Maria Bassett | 8 Comments

Searching for “meat farms near me” or “local meats near me”? The Greenville area has a number of local farmers that sell their meat products directly to customers. In addition, there are a number of locally run stores that sell local meats. Here’s where you can find locally raised meat near Greenville, SC.

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Local Artist’s Coloring Book is the Carolina Tour You Get to Color: Plus, FREE Pages

Posted on by Maria Bassett |

Local artist Brandi Grover has always loved art, developing her passion in elementary school and growing into a mixed-media artist here in South Carolina. And she’s turned that passion into a book, or really several books, that let others join in on the fun. Yep, we’re talking about coloring books, specifically Brandi’s newest coloring that will take colorers on a trip across the Carolinas.

Brandi with coloring book at Echo Mountain

About Brandi

Brandi dabbles in lots of art including minimalist portraits, digital art, and window paintings. In fact, if you visited Gio’s Pastry Shop, you may have seen her work there along with other Upstate businesses. But today, we’re talking about her coloring books. She has 10 in total.

Her newest book features scenes from across both North and South Carolina. Brandi says these pages illustrate some of the most loved places across the Carolinas, as they are the result of social media polls where her friends and clients weighed in to determine what should be included. The project grew from just scenes of local gems, to become an exploration of the most beautiful spots from Charleston, SC all the way to Hendersonville, NC, and lots of places in between.

Color Your Way Through the Carolinas

The new coloring book, called Explore the Carolinas, is available for sale on Brandi’s website, as well as at several local spots including Steam Coffee and Cream and Gio’s Pastry Shop in Fountain Inn, SC.

You can also order Explore the Carolinas on her website. Actually, you can order several of her books on her website, including a cute coloring book with trucks and tractors, another with dinosaurs, and yet another with sweets and yummy-looking desserts. She also has a Mandala book for older colorers looking for a quiet way to wind down and relax.

The books can be purchased online directly from her and picked up locally in Gray Court, or shipped. But, you also have the option of purchasing her books from Amazon. Her website has a link to purchase on Amazon as well, so it’s easy to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Brandi’s books check all the boxes for a great local gift. Explore the Carolinas would be great for anyone who loves the outdoors, visiting the Carolinas, or maybe someone moving or new to the area.

Explore the Carolinas by Brandi Grover

Want to Try a Few Pages?

We have the coolest bonus for Kidding Around readers. Brandi made a 6-page Greenville, SC Heritage Green coloring book for us, featuring our very own explorer, Golly! We know your kiddos are going to love them. We love them, too. The pages of this book are totally free for our readers!

Download your free 6-page Greenville, SC: Golly on Heritage Green Coloring Book

The download contains coloring pages for:

  • Heritage Green
  • The Children’s Museum
  • The Upcountry History Museum
  • Greenville County Museum of Art
  • Hughes Main Library
  • Greenville Theatre

So, what are you waiting for? Print your free Golly Coloring Pages, then keep the fun going and go order one of Brandi’s coloring books!

Explore the Carolinas Coloring book artist, Brandi Grover

Textile Mills in South Carolina: Upstate Historical Mills That You Can Visit

Posted on by Maria Bassett | No Comments

Looking for a unique history lesson at textile mills in South Carolina? The Upstate of South Carolina has a rich history of textile production. Many cities and towns were heavily influenced by the presence of textile mills and the eventual closure of those mills. When the mills were at their prime, Mill Villages boasted homes, schools, baseball teams, and even vacation destinations. You can see evidence of this mill history and mill village life all around the Upstate if you know where to look.

Textile Mills in South Carolina: Upstate

Many previous textile mills in South Carolina are now home to parks where you can explore their history, as well as enjoy some time outdoors. Load up the kids and check out these historic textile mill sites for today’s history lesson and get some sun while you’re at it! It’s so much more fun than learning history in a textbook, right?

Here’s a map of where they are located:

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Pop-up Classrooms at TCMU Spartanburg: Get Ready for Kindergarten FREE!

Posted on by Maria Bassett |

Is your child about to enter kindergarten? TCMU Spartanburg is helping kids get ready to start school with totally free pop-up classrooms! Kids will have an opportunity to experience a classroom setting, learn and practice classroom skills, visit the museum, and the class includes take-home activities. The weekly classes are totally free. Below you’ll all the details about registration, what to expect, class requirements, and more.

About the Pop-up Classrooms at TCMU Spartanburg

The pop-up classroom program runs from June 5th -July 31st, 2023. Students and their caregivers will attend one 1-hour class one day a week. Classes are offered Monday -Friday at 1 pm or 3 pm. Attendance once per week is required to stay in the program.

The program is open to any rising kindergartener, both K4 and K5. In addition to the weekly classes, students and caregivers get free admission to the museum plus take-home activities.

Why Get Ready for Kindergarten at TCMU?

“The transition to Kindergarten is both exciting and challenging! Research shows that only 27% of South Carolina public school Kindergarteners entered the school year with sufficient skills, knowledge, and abilities to engage with Kindergarten-level instruction (WestEd, 2021). Pop-Up Classrooms, which are based on the South Carolina Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, The Spartanburg Academic Movement’s Early Development Instrument (EDI), and South Carolina First Step’s Profile of a Ready Kindergartner, are designed to help children with this important life transition. Each classroom session focuses on a different skill necessary for young learners to be successful in a real classroom and is structured similar to a normal school day. TCMU-Spartanburg’s museum classroom will be set up like a real classroom, to help familiarize young learners with this new type of environment. Children will have the opportunity for structured and unstructured play and take-home activities each week to continue learning at home.

Pop-Up Classrooms at TCMU-Spartanburg are partially funded by South Carolina First Steps.

How to Apply

You’ll need to fill out this form to apply for the Pop-Up Classroom program.

Space is limited and not all students will be accepted into the program. Applicants will be told if they have been accepted into the program by May 25th, 2023.

For more information about the program, visit TCMU Spartanburg Pop-Up Classroom website.

TCMU Spartanburg

Find out more about The Children’s Museum of the Upstate’s Spartanburg location!

School bus

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