Looking for ways to go volunteering in Greenville? It is such a wonderful opportunity to teach children kindness, compassion, generosity and so much more. To help you out KAG Contributor Kristina Hernandez created this list of ways to volunteer with your family. You’ll find ideas from food preparation to toy donations and meal deliveries. Thank you for serving your community!
Be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to Volunteering in the Upstate for more volunteer opportunities.
Does your family love to go hiking? If you are looking for winter hikes near Greenville, SC, you’ve come to the right spot! Here’s where to go hiking around Greenville this winter and what to bring.
For even more hiking suggestions see our Full Guide to Hiking in Greenville.
Taking your kiddos on a hike in winter may seem like a crazy feat, but if the unpredictable upstate weather is in your favor it can be one of the best times to go. Cooler temperatures bring broader views, a change of scenery, less sweat, and fewer bugs. It makes hiking the tougher trails just a bit easier and also allows you to choose hikes that offer a view, rather than a water feature, as a payoff – something you wouldn’t opt for in the summer months. Get your camera ready and read on for a list of tips to help you and your little troops make the most of your adventure.
This article includes:
Winter Hiking: What you’ll see
Choosing a Winter Hike
What to Bring on a Winter Hike
What to Wear on a Winter Hike
7 Perfect Winter Hikes Near Greenville, SC
Spanish Translation of the Article
Looking for the next FREE Home Depot Kids Workshop Kit? The Home Depot Workshops for kids have always been a Kidding Around favorite. We’ve been, we love them, and our readers do, too! We’re going to tell you what we love, why we love it, how to register, and some parent tips to help you make the most of your visit to the free workshops for kids at Home Depot.
I have always looked forward to the first Saturday of the month for the past several years as it has been my mommy-daughter date at the Home Depot kids workshop. I grab my coffee and my two young kids get their hammers and paintbrushes and we build whatever the kids’ workshop has deemed the project of the month at our local store.
It’s all free! Home Depot offers workshop kits for kids, including all materials needed to complete the project, totally free. These projects are an amazing way to spend some quality time with the kids, without spending a dime. In this article, we’ll take you along on our in-person visit to a Home Depot Workshop for kids and tell you exactly what to expect when you visit.
This article includes:
We LOVE free things to do!
Find more in the Kidding Around Guide to Free Things to Do for Kids
Kicking off 2024, the Home Depot Kids Workshop in January is a delivery truck. How fun! Visit on January 6th from 9 am to 12 pm. Registration in advance is encouraged.
We sat down with local news outlet, Fox Carolina to chat about these workshops.
We love taking kids to the Home Depot workshops. We pooled the experiences of our KA Team in this review, so you’ll know what you can expect when you attend.
First, the Home Depot has workshops of all kinds for their customers and they have these awesome kids workshops on the first Saturday of every month from 9 am-Noon.
Secondly, know that they provide all the materials you need to make whatever the craft of the day is. Just show up with your kid. With the take-home kits, you’ll have to do some of that yourself.
You, and your child, don’t need any kind of handyman experience. I’ve certainly made mistakes helping my daughters build all sorts of stuff but it’s a great learning time for all of us and it also helps with hand-eye coordination for the kiddos.
The crafts always consist of something that you have to hammer together and then paint. My daughters both are great with handling a hammer and have only hit my fingers a few times. They also absolutely love the painting part too.
We have made all kinds of stuff together – a birdhouse, a car, a plane, a mailbox, a little sled, a planter (these are all kid-size, not big people, normal-sized things).
Thankfully there are instructions on how to put it together. I also cheat and see what the other parents do.
Check out your local Home Depot by going to the kids’ workshop link to make sure they have the kids’ workshop available. Most of the stores in the area have them.
All you do is show up between 9 am and Noon (look around for the area where they have the workshop or ask an associate) and the nice people at Home Depot will give you a packet that contains the craft, along with a kids apron and a commemorative pin, and step by step instructions.
You can register online to be sure you get a kit. If inventory levels of the kits are low, those who registered online will get them first. But usually, there isn’t a problem!
My daughter has a bunch of the commemorative pins on her Home Depot apron At the stores, Home Depot has benches and tables set up where you can sit down and get to work. They provide the little paintbrushes, the hammers, and the paint. I try to have my kids wear clothes I wouldn’t mind getting paint on because it can get a little messy.
I have to stop myself from helping them too much because it’s so fun. I’ve seen parents really get into it and do all the painting while their child watches. It’s a kid’s thing so let the kids do it! And they are learning how to woodwork in the process, which helps build their confidence.
The kids’ workshops are on the first Saturday of the month. I started taking my oldest daughter when she was 3-years-old, which worked out great and my youngest when she was around two-and-a-half. It really depends on the child and how many kids you can control at once.
I have found it’s an awesome parent-kid date idea, especially for parents whose time is more limited during the workweek.
Free Home Depot Kids kits are available the first Saturday of the month for completion in-store.
January 6th, 2024: Delivery Truck
February 3rd, 2024: Valentines Basket
March 2nd, 2024: Butterfly House
Kids workshops 2023 made:
This section contains Amazon affiliate links.
You can purchase woodcraft kits for children instead of waiting for the free Home Depot kits each month. Help children develop woodworking skills, practice following written directions, get a little creative, and just enjoy some quality time with you!
You also find some of the Home Depot Kids Kits on sale at Home Depot online. You can even purchase a kid party pack. What a great idea for a kids’ party!
The Home Depot Kids page also has virtual workshops and virtual field trip videos about plants that kids may enjoy.
Sign-up at Home Depot Kids. It just takes a minute and it’s the best way to make sure there will be a kit there for your kids.
Don’t worry. Picture instructions are included and you don’t need any special prior knowledge of building things to complete the project with your kids. Just go and have a good time. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
Yep. Totally free. Sign-up and then spend a little time building something fun with your kids. Few things in life are free anymore and opportunities to do something cool with your kids for free are definitely limited. We love that Home Depot is keeping these workshops free. Go make some memories. You’ll never regret spending time with your kids.
We’d recommend about age 3 and up. At 3, the kids will need lots of help from you. but as kids get older they’ll be able to do more and more of the project independently.
So mark your calendars and have fun!
Do you want to go for a Christmas light drive around the Upstate and see all the best (and free!) home displays? Have you seen long lists of Christmas light displays? Are you overwhelmed by the holidays this year? We’ve got seven driving routes for 2023 to help you enjoy the season without a lot of stress since we already did the work for you!
Load the family in the car and follow these routes for a super simple yet super special night (or nights) of enjoying Christmas lights together. A massive, massive thank you to Kidding Around reader Jason Hurdich for helping us check homes on our routes. This is an enormous job and we are so grateful.
Disclaimer: Kidding Around is not responsible for property damage, neighborhood safety, or any possible injuries of any kind that may happen while driving, stopping, and viewing holiday lights and decorations. Drivers and property owners maintain all responsibility for general safety, operating a vehicle safely, light-viewing enjoyment, and holiday cheer. Drive slowly, be respectful, share holiday magic, and don’t be a Scrooge.
Submissions are closed for 2023 but if you want to be included in the 2024 list, you can come back and fill out our Holiday Light Display form and be sure to include a photo of your display.
Which house is the best?
VOTE HERE!
Bonus! More lights! Check out our Christmas Lights Driving Tours in Columbia, SC!
(more…)Thinking about bringing the family to a Christmas Parade? You really can’t beat the tradition of attending a Christmas Parade with your kids. It might be a little bit nippy but thankfully we live in the Upstate where early December isn’t typically bone-chilling cold. Grab your jackets, lawn chairs, and maybe a mug of hot cider to check out this list of Christmas Parades in Greenville, Spartanburg, and nearby areas!
If you don’t see your town’s parade in the list under Greenville or Spartanburg, scroll all the way to the calendar listings. There are a lot of parades this year and we have tried to list as many as we could find.
Miss the local farmer’s markets in the winter? We’ve got the scoop on Greenville’s best indoor farmers market and it’s really a lot more than a farmers market. The Toasty Farmer is no longer an Upstate secret; however, parents in the know have discovered that the family-friendly winter farmers market can be the perfect outing on a dreary winter’s day.
(more…)Have you visited Gateway Park in Travelers, SC? This park along the Swamp Rabbit Trail is full of outdoor things to do, including an impressive bike park where you can practice jumps, ride the pump track, and older bikers can conquer the skills down two different jump lines. Here’s all the information you need to take advantage of Gateway Park on your next visit to TR.
Gateway Park is located along the Swamp Rabbit Trail in Downtown Travelers Rest, right behind Sunrift Adventures.
Biking is a bike draw to Gateway Park, but there are also other things to do. There is a small playground in the shade, plus tennis courts, a football field, and a basketball court. Restrooms are centrally located in the middle of the park. And, there are a number of picnic tables and even charcoal grills located throughout the park.
There are two entrances to Gateway Park, but if you’re not looking for them, you might miss them. The first entrance, and the one that GPS will probably take you to, is right behind Sunrift Adventures. You will actually turn into the Sunrift parking lot and then veer to the right into the Gateway Park parking lot. At this end of the park you’ll find the basketball court and field.
If you continue driving through the park, you’ll pass the restrooms on the left, the playground on the right, and then you’ll arrive at the bike skills park.
There is another entrance/exit here at the bike park onto Henderson Drive. Turning left here will bring you back up towards Main Street, Travelers Rest.
There’s something for every level of biker at Gateway Park. While my older kids and husband spend most of their time at the park on the skills in the jump lines, the park also offers a pump track, several platforms at varying heights for drop jumps, and 2 1/2 miles of mountain biking trails through the woods and around the park.
There’s also a small figure 8 track for kids beside the playground.
Bikers using the jump lines start at the platform in the corner of the bike park. Skills in the jump lines include gap jumps, steep table tops, and a variety of berms. Here you’ll find a helpful map of the trails and maybe a friendly biker or two to give you some pointers. If you’ve never tried these types of jumps, a good way to start is by rolling over the jumps on the trail slowly, rather than jumping. It’s always a good idea to take new trails slowly, anyway.
Across the road from the jump lines, you’ll see the small pump track and the drop jumps. The pump track would be a could place for younger riders to try some skills. There are no jumps on this track only bumps and turns.
Beside the pump track is an area for bikers to practice drop jumps off of platforms. There is a variety of heights to choose from, entry and exit of these jumps is a grassy field- no trails. When bikers are present you’ll want to keep an eye on the kiddos here.
In addition to the skills portion of the bike park, there is also a trail through the woods and around the park. There are about 2 1/2 miles of mountain bike trail.
When we arrived at the park most recently, my husband pulled his bike out of the van, only to realize the tire was flat and he didn’t have the adaptor he needed to pump it up. He brought the bike over to Sunrift Adventures, located right beside the park, and they pumped it up for free. He was also able to buy the missing adaptor so he’d have it for next time for just $1. Sunrift is a great resource in the area for biking and all kinds of outdoor adventures.
This park used to be the site of Travelers Rest High School. So, if you are not in the mood for biking, grab a football and play on the football field that has been used to train athletes for decades. You can also enjoy the basketball court or baseball diamond.
If you are 5 or 95, you will find something at this park to get your heart pumping while soaking in some vitamin D. Bring some friends, and get out to Gateway Park.
115 Henderson Drive, Travelers Rest
Visit the Gateway Park website for more information.
Would your family enjoy a day visiting Gateway Park in Travelers Rest?
Where else can you ride? Check out the Kidding Around Guide to Mountain Biking in the Upstate.
Looking for a beautiful park to enjoy on a crisp fall day? Cedar Falls Park in Fountain Inn offers a fun playground, a paved walking path, a historical site, and a waterfall. We’ll give you all the information you need to plan a day at this park with your family.
Looking for more parks? We’ve got your Ultimate Guide to Parks and Playgrounds Near Greenville, SC.
Want more ideas on parks to explore, places to hike and more outdoor fun? Check out our Things to do Outside page.
I was first introduced to Cedar Falls Park by Deirdre at JDaniel4’s Mom. Deirdre and I are friends, and she is also a local blogger. She blogged about her visit to Cedar Falls Park during the 2013 Greenville Park Hop. I could tell that she and J Daniel had a lot of fun during their visit, and I decided that my family would need to check the park out ourselves.
After our visit my husband and I agreed that Cedar Falls Park is a local secret. The playground is imaginative and great for getting kids active. But the best part about Cedar Falls Park is the paved path (yay for strollers!) that leads to a beautiful wooded area where the Reedy River rolls over waterfalls and wildlife abounds.
Cedar Falls Park doubles as not just a recreational spot but also as an historic area. The site originated as a Cherokee hunting ground and transportation hub across the Reedy River. Later in the 1800s, a dam was built to power several mills. In the 1900s, a larger dam generated electric power for the Fork Shoals Mill. A more complete history of the Cedar Falls is located on a park sign on the trail.
On the trail, you will also find a sign explaining the Cherokee history of the site as well as a sign about the environmental aspects of the Reedy River which includes a chart of wildlife in the area.
The 90+ acres at Cedar Falls Park contains so much:
My kids really enjoyed the play area located at the first entrance of the park. The playground based on fairy tales, included a bean stalk ladder, rock wall, small cave window, and large fun climbing structures. As a mom of a very brave toddler, I was glad to see that even the larger playground wasn’t terribly high (not that I would have wanted her to fall off it).
The playground designed for smaller kids was a little larger than other local options. I liked how it was still challenging and fun for even my 5 year-old (though he was fascinated with the larger structure on the other side).
The playground did not have a fence and both levels of playgrounds were connected. Since the playground was beside the parking lot, you did have to watch small kids closely to make sure they didn’t wander off.
The walk to Cedar Falls was not difficult. Our kids (2 and 5) complained a little and we ended up toting the toddler, but we made it there and back without too much trouble. We did not bring a stroller, but the path was completely paved down to the falls.
We noticed a lot of people playing in the water, but we did not due to it being part of the Reedy River. Parents will want to know that this portion of the Reedy River has the same toxic level warning signs as you will find near the Reedy River at Falls Park.
I wore flip flops and the kids wore shorts on our visit. I would recommend tennis shoes and long pants as you will want to explore off of the path once you reach the falls. Don’t forget plenty of water and snacks too. Basically dress and pack for a hike.
The area was beautiful and we noticed lots of interesting insects and birds.
Even though the park was a little outside the normal area we travel for park visits, I’m sure that we will visit again. The kids really enjoyed their time playing at the park, and word is that Cedar Falls Park is a must-see spot in Greenville in the fall.
Cedar Falls Park is open daily from 9 am – dusk.
201 Cedar Falls Road, Fountain Inn
Visit the Cedar Falls Park website for more information.
What is your family’s favorite thing about Cedar Falls Park?
Here’s your guide to spending a day in Fountain Inn, SC.
If you have a kid who loves airplanes, then Runway Park near Downtown Greenville, SC is the best park ever! Please tell me you’ve been. There is a wonderful park, with swings, climbing structures, a paved trail for bike riding, and lots of different slides. But the best part is that you can watch small-engine planes take off while you play! There is also a mini golf course and family-friendly restaurant in the same parking lot. What a win!
If your kid is super duper into planes, check out Spartanburg’s Downtown Memorial Airport Park. The park has a playground and even a free splash pad!
(more…)Have you ever watched a viral video of a flash mob and wished you had been a part of it? Would you jump at the chance to limp through downtown Greenville in full Zombie fashion? Are you a child of the ’80s and have been dying to learn the “Thriller” dance?
If you said “YES!” to any of these questions, your opportunity is here!
Whether you want to use this as a fun couples activity or include the kids, we have the info you’ll need to participate in this flash mob event that starts rehearsals on October 3rd, 2023.
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