8 FREE Toddler Activities in Greenville, SC You’re Going to Love

Kidding Around Main Street: Find the Mice

Toddlers will love finding all the mice hidden on Main Street in downtown Greenville. Keep your toddler interested by having a plan before you go – I suggest already knowing where all the mice are. Read about the history and find some clues on the Mice on Main website.

Take digital pictures of your findings so you can retell the experience with your toddler. My little one loves to see herself in pictures and talk about what we did.

You can purchase a fun picture book about the Mice on Main at the Mast General Store downtown Greenville or you can also find Mice on Main at the Greenville County Library. 

Kidding Around Downtown: Ride the Trolley

Take your toddler on a Trolley ride all around downtown! The trolley runs from 5 – 10 pm on Fridays, 1 -10 pm on Saturdays, and from 1 – 8 pm on Sundays.  The trolley makes approximately 20 stops on its route through downtown. My 2 year old affectionately called it a “school bus” and had the best time riding.

Check out the Downtown Trolley website for more details about the route. There’s even a trolley tracker app you can download to find the real-time location of the trolleys!

Kidding Around Outside: Find the Best Park for your Kid

We are basically park connoisseurs. When we first moved to Greenville, we found a new park every week to try out. Now, we have our amazing Guide to Greenville Parks! You can sort through our guide by location or desired amenity, like swings or shaded play space.

It is hard to just pick one that we love. Unity Park is the most iconic of Greenville, but shaded areas like Heritage Park in Simpsonville or Butler Springs Park have been very welcome reprieves during summer heat waves. For an airplane lover, Runway Park is also a huge hit, as kids can watch small planes take off and land right in front of them as they climb around, slide, and swing.

Tip: For bad weather days, check out the free play place at Haywood Mall!

Kidding Around Toddler Programs: Music/Crafts/Story Times

Many local businesses are very generous in offering totally free activities for young children. Here are some recent ones we have found and enjoyed:

• Chick-fil-a toddler times with songs and crafts (check your local franchise’s Facebook page for when they host)
• Home Depot Monthly Kid’s Workshop
• First class or promotional classes free at places like: The Little Gym and Piano Central Studios Kindermusik
• The Greenville Library system, also, of course, has tons of story times, musical jamboree, and toddler tales events geared towards smaller kids, which are totally worth checking out on a frequent basis. They also offer free passes to Roper Mountain Science Center, the Children’s Museum, and State Parks for families to check out. Keep an eye on the museum passes page for availability.

Kidding Around in Nature: Take a Hike

Ready to hit the trails with your family? The Upstate and, if you’re willing to go a little further, western North Carolina offer oodles of free outdoor options for beginners and expert hikers alike.

Good intro hikes for young children could be the Learning Loops at Conestee Nature Preserve or a nice loop around Lake Placid at Paris Mountain. Free state park passes are available to check out at the library!

If you’ve got more adventurous or older children, we’ve got you covered with our more comprehensive Guide to Hiking.

Kidding Around Playgroups: Meet New Friends

Being the parent of a toddler can be trying, and we could all use some extra support sometimes. It’s important to find others who just “get it” and show up with equally droopy eyes, coffees in hand, and funny stories to tell. Plus, these groups will offer some extra socialization opportunities for your toddler.

For ideas of places to meet mom friends with toddlers, check out our article on the Best Mom Groups in Greenville.

Kidding Around the Water: Splash Pads & Swimming Holes

Get your toddlers out to play in the water when the weather is warm. Greenville is home to numerous splash pads, swimming holes, and stomp-able creeks.

Local mom, Lauren, says one of her family’s favorite swimming holes is Wildcat Wayside, which features a pool at the foot of a 10-foot waterfall. Just park along the road and this fun spot is just a stone’s throw from the road.

Kidding Around The Swamp Rabbit Trail: Take a stroll

Greenville’s famous ~20-mile Swamp Rabbit Trail is one of the best places to go for a stroller walk. The Swamp Rabbit Trail website provides an interactive map that will allow you to find a place to begin with parking and where restrooms are located (did your toddler just say they needed a potty break?)

One of our favorite starting points is the Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery since it offers both a coffee opportunity for mom and a toddler play area for the kids after the walk. The trail is both shaded and sunny on various sections. It is generally full of people and feels very safe.

Be on the lookout for some serious bicyclists. Most will announce (shout) that they are coming up behind you. Just be aware if you have a toddler that likes to “explore” and not stick right by your side.

Bonus: The Kidding Around Greenville Mailing List

And, of course, don’t forget to subscribe to the Kidding Around Greenville mailing list! Our weekly e-mails include news and info about events for families and a weekend planner that features top-notch events.

What free activities for toddlers would you add to my list?

This article was originally written by Lauren Lochel, and has been updated by the Kidding Around Team.