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Giveaway: Dance Without Limits

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We spoke with owner, Beth Bradley, to get the scoop on how they’re bringing magic fun to dance class! One lucky reader will win ONE FREE MONTH of dance class! For details on how to enter, keep reading. Thanks to Dance Without Limits for sponsoring this giveaway

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Main Event in Greenville, SC Has Tuesday Meal Deals, an Arcade, and more!

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Did you know that Greenville has a new family entertainment venue? Main Event Greenville, SC is where to go! You’ll find this fun venue right next to Top Golf, off of Garlington Road right near the I-85 Pelham Road exit.

Main Event offers bowling, laser tag, tons of arcade games, and virtual reality games, a restaurant, a bar with billiards tables, and lots more. They host birthday parties, events, and special deals like Kids Eat Free on Tuesdays. We visited Main Event and got the scoop on all the family fun.

Arcade games at Main Event

Laser Tag

Reserve your laser tag time and then get ready to seek out your opponents as you creep and dart around the laser tag room’s maze-like walls and openings. My whole family agreed this was their favorite thing to do at Main Event, even for a mom who hasn’t played laser tag in at least 2 decades.

Laser Tag

Also, for the official record, I scored higher than all my kids and my husband. My teens were in disbelief that Mom beat them.

Anyway, the laser tag was lots of fun, the equipment was easy to use, and the room was mainly flat, so maneuvering was easy.

Bowling at Main Event

You could play a standard game of bowling, or you can mix things up with a huge variety of themed games and special challenges. Terrible bowlers? That’s ok. We played one challenge where the goal was actually to hit the lit-up bumper with the ball at specific places in order to double or triple the points earned for pins knocked down.

Bowling at Main Event

The bowling alley offers an open alley with lots of lanes, and then also a more private room with 4 lanes. These lanes were much quieter and our group enjoyed the break from the noise of the venue.

The Arcade

You won’t need tokens or coins for this arcade. Load your Main Event game card and swipe at each game you’d like to play.

Arcade games at Main Event

The arcade offers virtual reality games, lots of claw-style prize games, traditional ball arcade games, games for prize points, and also favorites like Mario Kart, motorcycle racing, and dance games.

Restaurant and Bar at Main Event

The Family Kitchen offers pizza, burgers, chicken sandwiches, nachos, salads, and even desserts. Main Event will be offering lots of specials, including a Kids Eat Free special for Tuesdays, all day. Kids 12 and under will eat free with an adult’s meal purchase.

The bar area, with billiards tables, offers a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Food at Main Event, Greenville, SC

Birthday Parties at Main Event

Yes, Main Event will host birthday parties. This would be a great spot for the sometimes hard-to-please pre-teen and teen birthday kid. Packages range from $12 to $30 per person and offer a variety of venue attractions and food options.

Main Event
225 Entertainment Boulevard
Greenville, SC

The Reptarium: Tour Michigan’s Amazing All-Reptile Zoo

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Have you heard of the Reptarium located in Utica, Michigan? This all-reptile zoo is an amazing spot for everyone from hardcore reptile fans to those with just a mild interest and curiosity about these fun creatures. It’s quite an educational adventure, and you will learn loads and loads. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and we’re sharing all about it so you’ll know what to expect when you plan your family visit to the Reptarium!

Learning at the Reptarium in Utica, Michigan

The Reptarium offers both general admission options and private tour experiences. We took a highly interactive one-hour private tour at the Reptarium on a recent family road trip. Our tour guide was a wealth of information and we got to hold and pet many of the Reptarium’s animals.

This article includes:
What is the Reptarium?
How to Visit the Reptarium
What reptiles are at the Reptarium?

What is the Reptarium?

The Reptarium is a reptile zoo located in Utica, Michigan. Famous on YouTube, the Reptarium shows its animals to the world in regular videos, teaching about reptiles and conservation through their animal ambassadors. There are more than 150 animals housed at the Reptarium.

Visiting the Reptarium

Those who’d like to go to the Reptarium in person have a couple of options including general admission with various add-ons, and private tours.

Monitor at the Reptarium

General Admission

General admission costs $24.99 per person. Tickets are time reserved, to limit the number of people in the space at any given time. So, you won’t be fighting through a crowd to see the animals.

General admission hours are on 7 days a week from 11am to 7pm.

You can book your Reptarium general admission tickets online.

Private Tours

Private tours are available every day. Our family chose this option initially because we were traveling through the area on a Monday and as there are no general admission times on Mondays when we went, it was the only option that would allow us to visit.

But, that said, the private experience was truly wonderful. Our tour guide knew so much and gave us so many opportunities to hold animals and ask questions. We had her undivided attention for the entire hour, which really was a fabulous educational experience. We were the only guests during our tour, so there were no distractions and no waiting to get to any exhibits.

Tortoises at the Reptarium

Because the footprint of the Reptarium is small, and my kids were very engaged and interested, this was absolutely the right choice for our family and what I would recommend for others if they can afford the higher price point.

Private tours cost $300 and they can include up to 10 people. If you’d like more information or to book a tour, email tours@thereptarium.com.

Helen the snake with no eyes at the Reptarium

Our Favorite Reptiles at the Reptarium

There are over 150 animals to see at the Reptarium. We loved seeing, interacting with, and holding so many of them. Here are just a couple that really worked their way into our hearts.

Our tour began with Helen. She’s a python that was born with no eyes. A number of us had never held a snake before and somehow, having no eyes, this sweet little snake seemed somehow less threatening. She was a great reptile to start with and remained one of our favorites.

Perdita, named after the famous Dalmatian in 101 Dalmatians is a much larger reticulated python. I would never in a million years have said “Sure, I’ll hold this giant snake around my shoulders” but our tour guide was so confident and calm and things had gone so well with Helen, so….why not. I held a giant python. I mean, that’s not the type of thing you get to try to do every day, right? Got to try it. (And I figured if I did it, some of my boys who were a little hesitant would try it. Cool mom and all that.) She was so surprisingly smooth and HEAVY. My husband and a couple of the kids held her as well.

Nova is a frilled lizard. But when his frills aren’t out, they lay back against his body and look very similar to a rabbit with long, long ears pushed back against its body. He was so sweet and tolerated all of us holding and petting him. We thought he was one of the cutest guys at the Reptarium.

Turtles are a family favorite and there are lots of turtles and tortoises to see. We got to walk around with some of the red-footed tortoises and hold some of the turtles in the pond, including some really cute little albino turtles.

Sunshine is the very large yellow python you see in our family photo. She’s a big ambassador for the reptarium and is quite used to being held. Amazingly heavy, and with a beautiful sunny pattern (hence her name) she was the last animal on our tour.

Family photo with Sunshine the python.

In addition to these animals we got to interact with bearded dragons, Uromastyx, monitors, a false water cobra and lots of other snakes, and my daughter even held a tarantula. She was the only one brave enough.

Family tips for visiting the Reptarium

  1. Go with an open mind. Think you won’t want to hold a huge snake? You might change your mind.
  2. Ask questions. Tour guides can’t read your mind and there really are no stupid questions when it comes to reptiles. You’ll learn more if you ask!
  3. Hey parents, your kids’ enthusiasm for these creatures can be contagious if you let it be. You’ll have a better family experience if you join in. Hold the animals and ask questions, too.
  4. Remember that these are animals. They poop. One lizard got my shoe when I was holding it. (Good thing he was cute.) It apparently doesn’t happen very often, but, you know. Be prepared. Wear something washable.
  5. Use hand sanitizer AFTER your visit. Don’t use it before you go in. It’s not good for the animals.
  6. If you’re on a road trip, stop and use the restroom before you get to the Reptarium. You don’t want to waste any of your tour time, there’s too much to see!

Where to Stay Near The Reptarium

Use the map below to locate hotels and vacation rentals near the Reptarium. The map below comes from Stay22 and Kidding Around earns when you book through the map’s links.

The Reptarium
45550 Van Dyke Ave, Utica, MI 48317

Nearby: Grab a bite

If you’re on a road trip to the area, you’ll find a lovely little coffee shop just down the road from the Reptarium, called Northern Grind. They have the usual array of coffee and coffee beverages, plus smoothies, sandwiches, and treats. It was the perfect spot for us to grab lunch after our tour before we hit the road again.

educational travel and day trips

Looking for more places to travel where you can learn something new? We have lots of great ideas!

Here’s our Educational Travel Guide

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

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

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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. She also hosts art classes for kids. 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.

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

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

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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.

pop-up classrooms at The Children's Museum of Spartanburg

About the Pop-up Classrooms at TCMU Spartanburg

The pop-up classroom program runs from June 3rd – August 2nd, 2024. 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.

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

School bus

Top Youth Organizations: Greenville, SC (KABOOM Awards Winners)

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Where can you find an excellent youth organization in Greenville, SC? Finding an organization that aligns with your values, while supporting your child, is made easier thanks to our Kidding Around readers recommendations.

Our annual KABOOM Awards Family Favorites winners offer some of the top-rated youth organizations in Greenville, SC.

Top Youth Organizations Programs in Greenville, SC

2025 Kaboom Awards Winners

1st Place: YMCA of Greenville (Youth in Government)

Finalists:

  • Greenville Youth Chorale
  • Girl Scouts of South Carolina: Mountains to Midlands
The best youth organizations in Greenville, SC

Best Overnight Camp -First Place
Best Sports Program -Finalist
Best Youth Organization- First Place
Best Family Membership- First Place
Best Place to Splash or Swim- Finalist
Best After School Program- Finalist
Best Summer Camp- Finalist

For more than a century, the YMCA of Greenville has strengthened the foundations of the community we serve. We’re proud of our diverse population and are passionate about keeping our promise to be a force for good.

We serve people from all walks of life in the Greenville County area through YMCA memberships and programs.

We’re committed to nurturing the potential of children through Youth Development, improving the nation’s health and well-being by promoting Healthy Living, and fostering a sense of Social Responsibility by providing opportunities to give back and support our neighbors.

The YMCA of Greenville, following the example of Christ, builds healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.

The YMCA of Greenville includes the following branches: Caine Halter Family YMCA, Eastside Family YMCA, George I. Theisen Family YMCA, Prisma Health Family YMCA, Verdae YMCA, Life Center YMCA, YMCA Judson Community Center and YMCA Camp Greenville.

Children's Classes and Activities in Greenville, SC

Check out more great classes and activities for your kids!

Don’t miss our Kidding Around Guide to Classes and Activities in Greenville.


2024 KABOOM Awards

1st Place: Girl Scouts of South Carolina—Mountains to Midlands

Finalists:

  • YMCA of Greenville
  • Girls on the Run
  • American Heritage Girls
  • Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club

Top Tutoring Programs: Greenville, SC (KABOOM Awards Winners)

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Where can you find the best tutoring programs in Greenville, SC? Tutoring programs can be beneficial for all students, and Kidding Around readers voted for who they believed are the best in the area.

Our annual KABOOM Awards winners offer some of the best tutoring programs in Greenville, SC.
 

Top Tutoring Programs in Greenville, SC

2025 Kaboom Awards Winners

The best tutoring programs in Greenville, SC

1st Place: STRIDES Systematic Tutoring

Finalist: Sylvan Learning of Greenville

STRIDES Systematic Tutoring

1ST PLACE SPONSOR 864.246.9898 | info@stridestutor.org | Multiple locations, Upstate , SC

Best Tutoring Program: First Place

We solve learning problems at STRIDES Tutoring. While other programs focus on homework, our tutors are improving basic reading and math skills. Each child has a program tailored to the needs of that child, taught by a tutor committed to the goals of that child.

These tutors are scattered across Upstate libraries, ready to encourage each child to achieve success. We welcome students ages 6-20 of all financial levels. Our Scholarship Fund is designated for those of low income.

Many of our students are bilingual or have special needs, but all need help to compete academically with their peers. Our tutors meet with students in person or online, at least twice weekly.

For over twenty years in Upstate SC, we have established a reputation for helping struggling students rise to grade level quickly. Our students become successful doctors, attorneys, teachers, barbers, mechanics, and carpenters. A future that once looked bleak becomes a stable and rewarding life. We love solving learning problems for the citizens of the future!

 

 

 

Children's Classes and Activities in Greenville, SC

Check out more great classes and activities for your kids!

Don’t miss our Kidding Around Guide to Classes and Activities in Greenville.


KABOOM Awards Guide

2024 KABOOM Awards

1st Place: Sylvan Learning of the Upstate

Finalists: 

  • STRIDES Systematic Tutoring
  • Jason Hurdich’s American Sign Language Creator Academy
  • Mathnasium
  • Wired Minds

Top Cheer Gym Programs: Greenville, SC (KABOOM Awards Winners)

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Are you looking for a cheer gym in Greenville, SC? When you’re ready for your child to start taking cheer classes and participating in team and all those cheer activities, you’ll need a great cheer gym. Greenville, SC offers quite a few options. As part of our annual KABOOM Awards, we asked our readers to vote for their favorite cheer gym. Here’s what they told us.
 

Top Cheer Gyms in Greenville, SC

2025 Kaboom Awards Winners

Best cheer gym in Greenville, SC

1st Place: Southern Cheer Elite

Finalist: Designer Athletics

Southern Cheer Elite

1ST PLACE SPONSOR officeatsdc@gmail.com | 1121 Gap Creek Rd, Lyman , SC

Best Cheer Gym – First Place
Best Gymnastics School – Finalist 

Southern Dance Connection and Southern Cheer Elite are proud to offer a wide range of classes for children and teens in Greer, SC, where they can learn valuable life skills through movement and performance. With classes for ages 2 through adult, our programs provide the perfect opportunity for students to build confidence, improve fitness, and develop discipline while having fun!

At Southern Dance Connection, we offer ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, and acro dance, taught by experienced instructors who nurture creativity and personal growth. Whether it’s for recreation or the competitive stage, we meet every student where they are, helping them achieve their potential. Our dance students also have the opportunity to be part of exciting performance teams.

Southern Cheer Elite offers tumbling and cheerleading classes for all skill levels, focusing on stunts, jumps, tumbling, and team spirit. Our teams compete at local and national events, creating lasting memories and friendships along the way. Both Southern Dance Connection and Southern Cheer Elite emphasize teamwork, leadership, and perseverance, providing children with the tools they need to succeed both in and outside of the studio and gym. Join us today and see why our students shine!

Children's Classes and Activities in Greenville, SC

Check out more great classes and activities for your kids!

Don’t miss our Kidding Around Guide to Classes and Activities in Greenville.


KABOOM Awards Guide

Top Gymnastics Programs: Greenville, SC (KABOOM Awards Winners)

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Are you looking for the best gymnastics classes in Greenville, SC? We asked our readers for their favorites and they voted as part of our annual KABOOM Awards contest. These are the top gymnastics programs in Greenville, voted by our readers.
 

Top Gymnastics Programs in Greenville, SC

2025 Kaboom Awards Winners

The best gymnastics programs in Greenville, SC

1st Place: Acrosmith Gymnastics

Finalists:

  • The Little Gym of Greenville
  • Southern Cheer Elite

Best Gymnastics School- First Place
Best Field Trip- First Place
Best Sports Program- First Place
Best Baby/Toddler Program- Finalist
Best Birthday Party- Finalist
Best Indoor Fun- Finalist
Best Summer Camp- Finalist

Come see what makes Acrosmith Gymnastics stand out as the best gymnastics gym! From our award winning competitive gymnastics teams, to our recreational gymnastics classes, we have something for everyone!

Children's Classes and Activities in Greenville, SC

Check out more great classes and activities for your kids!

Don’t miss our Kidding Around Guide to Classes and Activities in Greenville.


KABOOM Awards Guide

2024 KABOOM Awards Winners

1st Place: Palmetto Gymnastics Academy

Finalists:

  • The Little Gym of Greenville
  • Greenville Gymnastics
  • Foothills Gymnastics & Cheer Center
  • Acrosmith

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