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Author Archive

Where to Sled in the Upstate

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Looking for a place to sled in Greenville, SC? With snow in the forecast we’ve seen a lot of parents asking about great places to bring the family to sled. We asked our readers for their ideas and the Kidding Around team members pitched in with a few ideas of their own. So, to help you enjoy the rare Upstate, SC snow, here’s our list of places for sledding near Greenville and across the Upstate!

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Sledding in the South: Buy a Sled or Try These Sled-like Objects

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Think it’s going to snow? Might be time to dig out that sled!  What? You don’t have a sled? Not to worry. Here’s a list of items that can be suitable stand-in sleds. And then if you want the real thing, we’ve got some places where you might be able to buy a sled near Greenville, SC.

This article includes:
Household Items and Other Things That Work As Sleds
Things That DO NOT Make Good Sleds
Where to Buy a Sled Near Greenville, SC

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A Covid-19 Friendly Winter: Safer Things to Do Near Greenville, SC

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Are you looking for some safer things to do near Greenville that offer Covid-19 precautions? The winter season in Greenville offers many things to do both indoors and outdoors, and several of them have advantages when it comes to staying healthy and avoiding illness. So, you can skip the boredom and get out and make some memories, even during a pandemic!

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Adventure for All Skill Levels at Vic Bailey Subaru Bike Park in Spartanburg, SC

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Did you know Spartanburg, SC now has its own bike park? The Vic Bailey Subaru Bike Park is located along Spartanburg’s Mary Black Rail Trail. The park has features for bikers of all skill levels from beginners to advanced including a pump track, easy street and advanced skill features like table-top jumps, a vertical wooden bridge and more. Here’s everything you need to know to enjoy some time at Spartanburg’s bike park.

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Learn How to Help Kids Prepare School Readiness Skills With the Adventure Squad

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The Adventure Squad is here, highlighting each of The Palmetto Basics with tips and things to do you can use with your own family throughout the day! Learn how to:

  • Read and Discuss Stories
  • Explore Through Movement and Play
  • Talk, Sing and Point
  • Count, Group and Compare
  • Maximize Love, Minimize Stress

For more ways to incorporate these basics into your family’s day, visit The Basics Palmetto website.

Thanks to Palmetto Basics for sponsoring Kidding Around Greenville.

Read and Discuss Stories With the Adventure Squad

“The more we read with young children, the more prepared they become to enjoy reading and to do well in school. It is never too early to begin reading!”

The Adventure Squad Shows Us How to Explore Through Movement and Play

“Movement and play are good for children’s bodies—their coordination, strength, and overall health. They are also ways that children explore and learn about the world.”

The Adventure Squad Maximizes Love & Manages Stress!

“Infants thrive when their world seems loving, safe, and predictable. When you express love and respond to their needs, you teach them that they can count on you.” 

Talk, Sing and Point With the Adventure Squad

“As your child develops, talking with them and answering their questions is a way to teach them about the world. By talking with them, you will also get to know the fascinating person they are becoming!”

The Adventure Squad Shows Us How to Count, Group and Compare!

“You don’t need to be a math teacher to start preparing your child to be a problem solver. There are fun and simple activities that you can do now to build math and thinking skills.”

Plan Your Covid-Friendly Spring Break Now: Safer Things to Do in Greenville, SC and Family Travel Destinations

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Trying to plan a fun spring break but concerned about not spreading Covid-19? We all could use a break, right? Space to breathe, sand between the toes, the soothing sounds of nature and happy children. It’s time. Kidding Around is here to help with some ideas for safer places to travel, staycations at home, and Covid-Friendly things to do for spring break in Greenville.

This article includes:
Safer Spring Break Travel Destinations
Safer Things Do During Spring Break in Greenville, SC
Things to Do on a Spring Break at Home

Covid-Friendly Safer Spring Break Travel Ideas

There are some great places to visit and vacations to plan that offer reduced risk of spreading and catching Covid-19. Vacation rental homes offer a place to stay without the risk of lobbies and communal areas, beaches offer fresh air, and mountain towns bring charm with endless outdoor adventure. Here are some of our best Covid-friendly travel ideas for spring break.

Vacation Rental Homes Like Airbnb Are Great For Travel During a Pandemic

Rent a house and you’ll be able to avoid all the communal areas you often find in hotels, like crowded elevators, lobbies and pools.

If eating out is a concern for you, a vacation rental home is perfect because they give you the ability to cook dinner at the house, grill or even comfortably order take-out. My family often freezes a few meals for easy cooking at the house, which can save quite a bit of money, too!

Coastal South Carolina Vacation Rentals

These vacation rentals on the South Carolina Coast all had availability for Greenville and Spartanburg schools’ spring break at time of publishing.

Fantasy Themed Vacation Homes to Rent for Spring Break

Transport your family to a fantasy land in one of these fantasy themed vacation rentals. Wave your wand and sleep at Hogwarts, tuck into a Hobbit Hole or head out to space.

Florida Vacation Homes With Private Pools

You don’t have to worry about crowded hotel pools when you rent an Airbnb with a private pool. These Florida rentals are all near the beach and they all have private pools.

Mountain Vacation Rentals With Private Indoor Pools

Spring in the mountains can be a little chilly at times, but that won’t bother you when you rent a mountain cabin with a private indoor pool. And, you won’t have to stake out any space in a crowded shared resort pool, either.

Charleston, South Carolina Vacation Homes to Rent

Charleston is not too far from the Upstate, and it’s a great place to explore full of history and nearby beautiful beaches. This list of vacation rental homes near Charleston has great options whether you want to stay near the city or out by the beach.

Destinations With Wide Open Spaces Make For Safer Fun

If you want to see the sites and avoid crowds, look for destinations with fewer high rise hotels and more open spaces.

Blairsville, GA Has Small Town Charm And Great Outdoor Spaces

The little town of Blairsville, GA is a great place to spend a few days. Explore a petroglyph site, go horseback riding, hike at Vogel State Park, then enjoy the cute and very walkable downtown area with little shops, restaurants and coffee.

Natural Beaches on Jekyll Island

Jekyll Island, GA has beautiful wide open, natural beaches, tons of biking trails, parks and space to relax. The small town area has shops and restaurants.

Jockey’s Ridge State Park

Spring is a Great Time to Visit OBX

The Outer Banks of North Carolina don’t have many high rise hotels, and instead offer a wide variety of privately owned vacation rental homes. Spring is a great time to visit the islands with lower crowds, plus you’ll be able to enjoy the sand dunes of Jockey’s Ridge State Park and the history and outdoor exhibits of the Wright Brothers National Memorial without the heat and sweat.

Beech Mountain Has Fabulous Spring Outdoor Adventures That Won’t Break the Bank

Visit Beech Mountain for great hiking with gorgeous views, affordable trout fishing, bird watching and more. Plus, we have some tips on where to pick up some delicious food!

Covid-Friendly Spring Break Things to Do In Greenville, SC

Upcountry History Museum Exhibit Framed: Step into Art

During Spring Break, check out the traveling exhibit for families at the Upcountry History Museum. Framed: Step Into Art lets kids step inside famous works of art, ask questions and explore!

Photo Credit: Upcountry History Museum

“On display through May 23, 2021, Framed is filled with opportunities for children and families to explore works of art in four discovery spaces that include setting up camp in the Canadian Rockies during 1916 at John Singer Sargent’s Camp at Lake O’Hara; taking the reins of a giant chicken pulling a wagon carrying a load to town in Clementine Hunter’s Big Chicken; learning about rural life at the turn of the century by tending chickens and eggs, preparing a meal and setting the dining table for a noontime dinner in Grant Wood’s Dinner for Threshers; and traveling south of the border to add flowers and ribbons of “corn husks” to the flower tower for a celebration in Diego Rivera’s Corn Festival from the Court of Fiestas in Mexico City’s Ministry of Education Building.”

Covid-19 Precautions: The Upcountry History Museum is not often crowded on week days. Families may find the less crowded, indoor location of UHM on weekdays to be comfortable as compared to busier indoor things to do.

Admission to UHM:
$10 Adults, $9 Senior adults (ages 65 and up) and college students with valid ID, $8 Children age 4 to 18 and FREE Children age 3 and under
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sunday & Monday: Closed

Go Hiking or Biking

The warm days of Spring Break are perfect for outdoor adventure. Find the perfect hike for your family in our Greenville Hiking Guide. We have information ranging from hikes with little ones, to hikes with teens and the more adventurous.

If your crew loves to bike, here is a guide to all of the places in the Upstate for families to mountain bike together.

Covid-19: Precautions– The outdoors is a great place to spend time with a reduced risk of Covid-19 spread thanks to the fresh air.

Caesars Head State Park

Take in a Gorgeous View Without the Hiking

Not up for a hike but want to enjoy nature’s beauty? We have you covered.

Covid-19 Precautions: Combine the safety of your personal car with the fresh air of these outdoor spaces to stop and enjoy the view.

Educational Adventure

For some educational outdoor fun, consider visiting historic battlefields, parks and mill ruins.

Covid-19 Precautions: All of these educational adventures are outdoor places to explore.

Kings Mountain State Park

Enjoy Your Spring Break at Home

Saturday, April 3rd, 2021: Pick up a FREE Home Depot Kids Workshop Kit, complete the kit at home any day of spring break when you need a fun activity!

Celebrate spring break at home. If you’re not able to travel and need to stay close to home, we created this home based adventure for you! Here are 5 Places You Can Go on Spring Break Without Ever Leaving Your House. Head to outer space, enjoy a safari, transport yourself to the wild west and so much more!

What are you planning for spring break this year?

Visit the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Cape Canaveral

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Thinking about visiting the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida? There’s so much to see and do and learn about at the Kennedy Space Center. Tour the launch pad areas, see the massive Saturn V rocket, learn about the history of the space program, and about the exciting future of space travel in this country.

Covid-19 UPDATE: Because of COVID-19, the Kennedy Space Center is limiting admission for guests, requiring face masks both indoors and outdoors for all guests over 2 years old. Please visit the Kennedy Space Center website before your trip for updated information.

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Family Fun With Swamp Rabbits Hockey This Weekend!

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The Swamp Rabbits are back with their first weekend homestand of 2021 on January 29th through the 31st. The weekend is packed full of special events and promotions for fans to enjoy from Pucks-N-Paws Night to Stomper’s Birthday.

These games are all happening with social distancing and other Covid-19 precautions like seating in pods, pre-packaged snacks for sale and more. Find out what you can expect at the first Swamp Rabbits weekend homestand of the season and make your plans for some safer family fun.

Thank you to the Swamp Rabbits for sponsoring Kidding Around Greenville.

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A Covid-Friendly Christmas: Safer Holiday Things to Do in Greenville, SC

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Wondering what you can do to celebrate the holidays this year? So much of our holiday discussion has been about what is different about the 2020 holiday season and what we are not able to do. Here’s a list of things to do and events that are happening this year and that provide various specific advantages when it comes to lowering the risk of catching or spreading Covid-19. Every option may not be a perfect for fit for your family, but we hope the variety gives everyone a something festive and fun to do this holiday season in Greenville.

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