Dolly Parton Imagination Library: How Your Child Can Recieve Free Books In Upstate, SC

The Dolly Parton Imagination Library has been providing free books for young children for years. Recently unavailable in the Upstate, the program has now returned to Spartanburg and kicked off in Greenville. Find out what you need to do to receive free books for your child for up to five years.

Other local resources for children to access books include the Spartanburg Little Free Libraries, Spartanburg County Library Resources, Greenville County Library Resources, and Reach out and Read.

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My Kids Loved the Brand New Playground at Juanita Butler Community Center

As summer sizzles to an end, you may be running out of ideas to keep your children active. We are excited to tell you about a new playground at the Juanita Butler Community Center. This park on the west side of Greenville is sure to be a big hit with your kids, after all, it includes a zip line, a rope climbing structure and more.

The playground at Juanita Butler Community Center

Zip! Zip! Zip! That is what your kids will want to do when they arrive. With time, they will learn how to go faster on the zip line and will hurl themselves from one side to the other. Don’t worry! They can’t go very fast, and it is totally safe.

Once your kids are ready to look at the rest of the playground, they will really love the rope climbing structure. It is such a challenge to get to the top and so much fun. There are lots of balancing beams and steps. The monkey bars are high which makes them perfect for your bigger kids.

The full-size basketball court is covered and lit. Invite your friends and bring a basketball to have an exciting game day or night. Behind the basketball court, twelve swings will ensure your child gets all the swing time he or she desires.

My boys were so happy when they saw a Little Free Library! Bring a book or two to exchange with a new book to enjoy once you get home. My boys sat down right there to read theirs.

There are no benches and the entire playground is in the sun. If you are looking for a place to go on a cool day, this is your park. But, it it’s hot, bring a chair or two to sit under the trees beside the playground.

Hope you can get out to this new playground very soon! There is so much to enjoy.

Where you can find Juanita Butler Community Center

2 Burns Street, Greenville
864.467.4328

Have you visited the new playground at Juanita Butler Community Center yet?

Put These 5 Awesome Parks in Greer On Your To Do List This Summer

KAG travels Northwest to explore kid-friendly parks in Greer. Straddling Greenville and Spartanburg counties, Greer has some of the most popular playgrounds Greenville has to offer.. Check out our list and spot that Apache helicopter at Veteran’s Park or see some ruins of an old mill by the Scenic Enoree river while taking your kids (and dogs) for a walk at Pelham Mill Park and Dog Park.

Find even more great parks on our Greenville Parks Page.

Century Park & Kid’s Planet [CLOSED FOR RENOVATION SEPT. 2019-EARLY 2020]

On top of our list and probably yours, Century Park & Kid’s Planet is a parent’s summer oasis. The park is getting a huge makeover and will open with all new equipment sometime in early 2020.

3605 Brushy Creek Road, Greer

Victor Memorial Veteran’s Park

Victor Memorial Veteran’s Park, located on SC Highway 101 South just north of Stevens Field, offers a lighted walking path, a gazebo, a freshly planted and landscaped lawn area, retired military equipment, and a monument honoring the men and women who have served their country in the United States Armed Forces. Kids will surely be in awe of the Apache helicopter and tank on display.

17th Street, Greer

Greer City Park

Famous for its moonlight movies, Friday concert series and etc…did you know that on top of all its amazing family events and features, it also has a musical fountain? See what our writer Jackie has to say about Greer City Park.

301 E. Poinsett Street, Greer

East Riverside Park

A part of the larger Suber Road Soccer Complex, the overall size is described as larger than a football field! East Riverside Park also offers some shade and two playgrounds for the little ones. Its unique feature are the sand volleyball court and the community garden for Greer residents at an annual membership of $50 for one garden bed.

1155 S. Suber Road, Greer

Pelham Mill Park

No playgrounds at Pelham Mills Park, but plenty of history, nature and rough trails. There is a dog park for your furry ones. Keep your little one entertained from doing a short hike and finding the Geocache hidden stash.

2770 E. Phillips Road, Greer

What park in Greer is your kid’s favorite?

My Kids Loved the Playground at Staunton Bridge Park

Have you been looking for a new playground? Staunton Bridge Community Center Park might be new to you, and it’s definitely worth a visit. This park is just 5 miles southwest of Greenville. Read on for the Kidding Around tips on when to visit Staunton Bridge Park and what to expect.

Discover Staunton Bridge Park

Staunton Bridge Community Center built an amazing playground behind the center. You can’t see it from the road. When you arrive, drive up to the center and take the road on the left around the building.

You will discover a bright orange and blue playground filled with things to climb and find as well as lots of blue slides and a large swing set. My boys were ecstatic and we played for an hour and a half. Greenville Rec was there tending the large green space behind the playground which could be a great place for playing catch.

There is no shade, so come early in the day. Bring water and put on your sunscreen. There are restrooms and a water fountain inside the center, but we had to walk around to the front doors to get in. There were a couple of benches around the playground but no picnic tables.

Add this playground to your sunny day activities this summer. And, stop by QT on your way home for some huge ice cream cones!

Staunton Bridge Community Center playground

Staunton Bridge Community Center
165 Staunton Bridge Road, Greenville

Have you taken your kids to check out the new playground at the Staunton Bridge Community Center yet?

While you’re at it, check out our Park Guide to all the Parks and Playgrounds near Greenville, SC!

Your Kids are Sure to Love Mauldin City Park

Though a little hidden from view, Mauldin City Park is one you won’t want to miss. Offering multiple fields and courts, a fun playground and even a little shade your kids are sure to love it! Read Lindy’s complete review and plan your own trip!

Sometimes you miss the most obvious things in life. Like say the park you’ve literally driven by pretty much every week for ballroom dance lessons. In my defense, the City Park in Mauldin is sort of hidden behind the Mauldin Open Air Market farm stand at the corner of Butler and Bridges roads. It’s also home to the Ray Hopkins Senior Center. If you didn’t know there was a full park with playground there either, well now you know to go check it out!

About Maudin’s City Park

Parking is a little sparse next to the park but there are many spots right along the sidewalks, which means no crossing hazardous parking lots with kids! It’s nearest Butler Road- you’ll find basketball courts near Bridges Road. There are many sports fields, including lots of baseball fields, a batting cage and some soccer areas. You’ll find convenient benches for parents to sit and some nice tree shade. We stopped after a rain drizzle and the park was only slightly wet with almost no puddling on the equipment. The ground is covered in sand though so be warned as it can be messy, especially if your kid insists on wearing shoes with no socks!

This park features many slides- tube and two different sizes of double slides. You’ll find infant swings but not standard ones. This is nice as it means no trying to switch between pushing an older child and taking turns to put baby in a swing, but you may have to warn your big kids there are only swings for the littles so they don’t get jealous. There’s a bridge which is fairly unique for the parks around here, as well as a rare fireman’s pole to slide down! You’ll find a climber, balance beam, tic tac toe and even old school style rockers reminiscent of the McDonald’s of your youth.

This park is fairly easy to get to (once you know it’s there). While in Mauldin, it’s also close to the south side of Greenville and the 385 as well as Five Forks, Simpsonville and other nearby municipalities . While you’re there, consider spending the day exploring. Up the road are reader favorite Mexican restaurants Azteca and the super kid friendly Chicora Alley. You can also stop by the Mauldin branch library. You can check out other Mauldin parks like Sunset. You can even try to spy a princess at Once Upon a Dream Parties boutique! Or you can bird watch on the trails at Conestee Lake Park.

Plan your own trip to Mauldin City Park

203 Corn Rd, Greenville
Visit their website here.

Have you stopped by City Park in Mauldin yet?

See our Park page for even more local parks.

The Downtown Spartanburg Headquarters Library Even Has a Playground

Jennifer Curry reviews the Downtown Spartanburg Headquarters Library. For more ideas of things to do inside see our list of Things to Do Inside in Spartanburg!

Looking for a place your kids will love that is always free with tons of stuff they can borrow to take home and enjoy? Does this magical place exist? Yes! The Headquarters Library in Downtown Spartanburg is full of excitement every day and has free items to borrow that everyone in your family will enjoy.

What makes the Headquarters Library so great?

Located on the 1st floor of the Headquarters Library is a massive children’s area that is enclosed and contains books, hands-on learning toys, a children’s computer lab, and more! As soon as you enter the area, you find the train depot. This special space has a gigantic train mural for the Hub City, as well as a train wall and the train depot where librarians await.

In this space, you will find several different hands-on activity tables such as the light-up magnetic blocks. Children are drawn to the space because of the toys and colors, but the library has specifically chosen activity tables that help children learn and be creative. Plus, this is not your typical “quiet” library space – play is encouraged!

Even more exciting is the beautiful outdoor children’s garden that includes a fully enclosed playground. Not only is the playground enclosed, it does offer shade! With a mixture of climbing equipment and musical play instruments, this playground is a hidden gem. There is plenty of seating for parents, so you can rest easy while your children run and play.

Plus, there are restrooms in the children’s area including family restrooms and a private nursing area.

Even your big kids will want to stay

Also located on the 1st floor is a room made just for tweens. If your kids are between the ages of 10 and 12, they are welcomed to the Tween Zone. This room is a hang-out space for this age group and is where several events just for tweens are held.

Did you know the Headquarters Library also has an entire private space just for teens? The Teen Services department is located on the 2nd floor (also the main floor of the library). Tell your teens to look for the orange walls.

This space not only holds the young adult book collection, it also is a unique hang-out space just for teenagers – no adults allowed! With televisions, computers, tables, booths, and even a stage, teens are invited to enjoy this space designed just for them. The Teen Services department hosts several teen-only events each month as well.

This library offers free programs too

Spartanburg County Libraries offer a huge number of free programs each month. Since Headquarters Library is the main branch, there are multiple programs happening here weekly. For example, the Headquarters Library hosts over 10 story time programs each week!

In addition to story time programs, the Headquarters Library also hosts movie viewings, author lectures, books clubs, and more. They even offer fitness programs such as yoga. All of these programs are free of charge!

During the summer, the library hosts a summer reading program for all ages (separate programs for children, teens, and adults). Each division offers prizes to those who complete their summer reading program. The adult and teen programs encourage patrons to attend the free library programs, which count towards winning the summer reading prizes.

See our calendar for a list of library events.

This library is not just for checking out books

Often, people are under the assumption that libraries are just for checking out books. This could not be further from the truth. One visit to the Headquarters Library will let you see there is so much more available to patrons than books.

For example, the third floor of the library offers a large computer lab for those needing internet, Word programs, or printing. In addition, the Headquarters Library also has private study rooms patrons may use. If you or your teen has a big project, these are great spaces to utilize.

But, more than books and computers, the Headquarters Library also has an entire audiovisual section that allows individuals to borrow movies, television series, music, video games, and more. These are not old movies or music either – these are brand new releases you may borrow for free. This section is located on the main level.

Did you know you can also check out magazines from the library? Instead of spending money on subscriptions or stocking up on new magazines at the grocery checkout aisle, you can borrow magazines from the library. Headquarters Library has a huge magazine section with current and past issues.

Additionally, the Spartanburg Libraries offer several library apps that you can use from home (i.e. Freegal, Hoopla, Overdrive, Zinio). These apps allow you to use your phone or device to check out eBooks and audiobooks outside of the library. But, that’s not all. These apps allow you to borrow and download current music, movies, television, and magazines to your devices for free as well.

Having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got your library card!

While program events are free and open to the public, if you want to take advantage of the library’s collection (or borrow materials), you will need a library card. Library cards are free to Spartanburg County residents. You just need proof of identity and proof of residency (if your driver’s license includes your current address, you can use it).

Most books, magazines, and music CDs may be checked out for 28 days. DVDs, Blu-Ray discs, and video games may be checked out for 7 days.

The Headquarters Library is located at 151 S. Church Street in downtown Spartanburg. It is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Sunday from 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Has your family ventured to Headquarters Library yet this summer?

Meet Jennifer Curry

Jennifer relocated to Spartanburg seven years ago, and now spends her days working from home and taking care of her two kids. She loves this area because we can go from rural areas to urban areas to the mountains within an hour. Her favorite things to do with her kids are using their imaginations and visiting Spartanburg County local libraries. Follow Jennifer at www.litlovingmom.com.

Storytime on the Steps at M. Judson Booksellers is the Perfect Family Activity!

Have you been to a Storytime on the Steps at M. Judson Booksellers in Downtown Greenville? This fun event takes on front steps M. Judson Booksellers, and you can catch it each Wednesday and Saturday. Your toddlers and preschoolers will LOVE it!

M. Judson Storytime on the Steps

My mom and I took our preschooler to M. Judson’s Story Time. Believe it or not, I had not been. I’ve been to the bookstore many times. In fact, it’s one of our favorite places to relax. The atmosphere is appealing with its high ceilings and homey décor. Free Wifi accompanied by coffee and a small snack from the quaint café, Camilla Kitchen, is also a plus. You’ll want to check out the children’s nook in the back of the store. Our kids love to chill by themselves while we stroll through the adult titles.

Although the event does not begin until 10:30 am, we arrived downtown around 9:30 am. The TD Saturday Market on Main Street every Saturday morning starting in May, so parking can be tricky. Personally, I am partial to the garages. There are several located within close proximity to the bookstore, although walking is part of the charm of a cool morning on Main.

There is a garage directly behind the Poinsett Hotel (beside M. Judson). Most of the parking garages have free weekend parking but (even though the cost is minimal) this is not one of them. The garages that offer free parking have a sign at the entrance – if there is no sign, only the first hour is free.

M. Judson Booksellers & Storytellers downtown Greenville

Okay, on to the Storytime

As the group gathered for Storytime, the first thing I noticed was the age range of the children. This is one thing you want to keep in mind when planning your visit. It is definitely geared to a preschool audience. The majority, and by majority I mean all, of the crowd was under 5 years old.

I encourage you to check the M. Judson Booksellers & Storytellers website for a list of really cool activities for older children. They have plenty!

A employee of the store set up on the front steps to begin reading promptly at 10:30 am and wrapped up after three books. I imagine I’m not the only parent who appreciated their respect of time. The storyteller was sensitive to the attention span of all the little wiggle worms.

Storytime on the Steps was a nice addition to our Wednesday or Saturday morning in town. The best part is, it’s thirty minutes that someone else is reading to your child!

After story time a sweet treat is often provided for all the little ones, the perfect end to our visit!

Have you taken your kids to story time on the steps at M. Judson yet?

Find more storytimes for kids all around Greenville.

It’s Kid Friendly! Join The Center for Creative Arts for First Friday: Greenville, SC

Wondering about events for First Friday in Greenville? The Metropolitan Art’s Council in Greenville presents First Fridays, the first Friday of every month. The event features open art studios with different artists featured each month. The Greenville Center for Creative Arts almost always participates in First Friday events with artist exhibitions, food trucks, and kid-friendly activities. We sent KAG Contributor, Kristina Hernandez, and her family to visit the Greenville Center for Creative Arts for a First Friday event. She’s sharing her family’s experience with us today.

First Friday at the Greenville Center for Creative Arts

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PD Terry City Park in Fountain Inn, SC

It is worth taking a trip down to Fountain Inn to visit PD Terry City Park. While it is not a large park, it is a lot of fun exploring.

Quick Guide to Terry City Park in Fountain Inn

Small but fun playground
Solid Surface ground cover
Picnic shelter
Ball fields
Parking on site
Restrooms on site
Close to downtown Fountain Inn (and the splash pad is a 2 minute drive or 10-minute walk).

What you’ll find at PD Terry City Park

Let’s start with the playground. It has equipment well spread out. While the playground isn’t large, kids can swing, climb and slide without running into each other. Most of the play equipment seems to be geared toward preschool to early elementary-aged children. There is a large blue climbing area that my third-grader enjoyed climbing on. It will probably remind you of equipment you played on when you were little.

Right next to the playground is a small covered eating pavilion. It has a couple of picnic tables and loads of shade. It would be a great place to have lunch or enjoy a snack.

A large part of PD Terry City Park is made up of ball fields. There is a large baseball field just behind the playground. It would be a fun place to play baseball or kickball with your kids. I bet kids would love to run around the bases then sliding into home plate. Plus, that would be a great way for them to burn off energy.

There is also a group of tennis courts right next to the parking lot. If your children (or you!) enjoy playing tennis, you will want to bring some rackets and a few tennis balls with you. If they just like tossing tennis balls over nets and chasing them, you will just need to bring a few tennis balls.

There are few more things I love about this park. The first is that is it really clean and well kept! The second is that it is a few blocks from downtown Fountain Inn. It is so easy to explore the park and then walk down towards the main street to get an ice cream cone or visit the used book store.

Don’t forget, Fountain Inn’s splash pad is open on Main Street!

See our Guide to Fountain Inn, SC for more ideas.

PD Terry City Park
116 Cannon Avenue, Fountain Inn, SC | 864.862.4421

For more reviews of local parks see our Park Guide to Greenville, SC.

Have you ever visited PD Terry City Park in Fountain Inn?