Want to bring your family to a sporting event in Columbia, SC? Ready to load up the kids and cheer on your Columbia, SC home team? You have several family-friendly sports team options in Columbia, from collegiate to minor league teams, all year long.
We headed to the ballparks and the stadiums with kids in tow. We jotted down our tips for bringing kids, and we tallied up the great family-friendly amenities. What follows here are the most kid-friendly sporting events where families can cheer for the home team in Columbia, SC while maybe enjoying one of those hotdogs or nacho plates.
USC Gamecocks: In addition to the basketball, baseball, and football mentioned above, the USC Gamecocks also include teams in golf, soccer, tennis, volleyball, and lots more.
Find more family fun in Columbia, SC
50+ Free Things to Do in Columbia, SC
Your Family Will Love the All-Inclusive Playground at Leo’s Landing in Irmo, SC
10 Tips For the Best Day at Riverbanks Zoo: Columbia, SC
Saluda Shoals Park: Outdoor Family Fun in Columbia, SC
Do you have an old car seat to trade in?If you’ve got an old car seat around collecting dust, you can participate in the Target car seat trade-in or Wal-Mart car seat trade-in. All you have to do is trade it in, and the respective store will give you coupons or gift cards. Read on to learn how these programs work. The next Target car-seat trade-in event is coming up April 2024.
Looking for a place to pick your own flowers in Columbia, SC this spring and summer? It’s that time of year, and there are several farms that offer beautiful blooms for you to pick and create beautiful bouquets. Check out the u-pick flower farms near Columbia, SC below and bring a little bit of that spring beauty indoors!
Bush-N-Vine Farm
1650 Filbert Highway, York SC
Here’s a great place to pick your own flowers. They offer a variety of blooms including zinnias, dahlias, black-eyed susans, sunflowers, and more. Check out the Bush-N-Vine Farm website here for more information about particular seasons for blooms and hours of operation.
Check out Indigo Iris Farm! Not only do they offer u-pick flower times, but they also have a farm stand as well as other special events throughout the year. Their flower picking is usually done by appointment. Check out the Indigo Iris Farm website here for the latest information and what to bring/not bring to your flower-picking adventure. It is highly recommended that you follow the Indigo Iris Farm Facebook page too.
Five Blossoms Farm
1121 Crossland Road, Clover, SC
Five Blossoms Farm is a small, family-run farm that opens their farm to the public by appointment only. Their farm is not only a place to cut flowers, but it is a beekeeping farm too! They offer various events all throughout the year, but the tend to sell out quickly. So check out Five Blossoms Farm here to view their events and all the latest information. You also can follow Five Blossoms on Facebook.
New Moon Flower Farm
7131 Park Place Road, York, SC
New Moon Flower Farm provides EVERYTHING you need to cut and make your own beautiful arrangement! They have blooms such as Lenten roses, sunflowers, and so much more. They also offer goat yoga! Check out the New Moon Flower Farm website and New Moon Facebook page for the latest updated information.
Lever Farms
5057 SC-34, Pomaria, SC
Visit this small, family-owned farm to cut some fresh flowers and pick some strawberries too. Lever Farms also has cattle, pork, bees, and more. Check out the Lever Farms website. They are just a short 45-minute drive from Columbia!
Cotton Hills Farm
2575 Lowrys Highway, Chester, SC
Cotton Hills Farm offers a variety of u-pick options, including strawberries, peaches, collards, more from the garden, and of course, yes, flowers!!! Check out their special events on the Cotton Hills Farm website and make a day of it.
One of our favorites on our Kidding Around Greenville list of Flower Farms is Thompson Family Farms in Landrum. They are definitely worth a day trip . Check out more fun things to do in our Landrum, SC Guide, too!
Watch: Picking Tulips
See for yourself! Watch this video of our visit to pick tulips!
Have you ever been to Woodland Park in Columbia, SC? With the warmer weather rolling in, Woodland Park is a great place to get some fresh air, enjoy the sunshine, and let your kiddos burn off some energy. Woodland Park features a huge playground, large open green spaces, a walking trail, pickleball and tennis courts, and is even dog-friendly. My family and I recently took a trip here, and I think we found a new staple to add into our playground rotation – it’s THAT good!
Enjoy Nature at Woodland Park
Just off of Garners Ferry Road, tucked away in the Old Woodlands subdivision, you will find a FANTASTIC park for you and your family to enjoy! Even though we’d consider it a quiet area, you can almost always find a decent amount of kiddos for your children to play with here. Woodland Park is surrounded by trees, making it feel a little less like the hustle and bustle of city-life and a bit more relaxing as you enjoy nature all around.
Reasons to Love Woodland Park
There are so many things to love about Woodland Park, but my family’s absolute favorite thing about going here is the variety of playground equipment. For my 1-year-old, there were small slides, bucket swings, a rocking car, and even some climbing features that she could enjoy.
There were tons of things for my older son to enjoy as well – big slides, a variety of monkey bars, traditional swings, balancing equipment, and a large climbing structure. There is truly something for ALL ages at Woodland Park!
Open Ended Green Spaces
Along with the playground itself, my kids enjoyed playing hide-and-seek in the open green spaces. One part of the green space is filled with trees while the other is more open. Both of these areas would be perfect for sprawling out on a blanket and having a nice picnic! You could also toss a football, blow bubbles, catch a frisbee, or even fly a kite on a breezy day.
Walking Loop
Under the shade of the trees you will also find a walking trail that makes a large loop. My family and I took a quick stroll along the path and couldn’t help but notice all of the neat signs of nature. Several of the tree trunks were hollowed out which my son loved to carefully peak inside. We even saw and heard an owl flying around and “hoot-ing” up in the trees!
Pickleball and Tennis Courts
Have you given pickleball a try yet? With its new popularity, you might be searching for a nice place to play! At Woodland Park you will find 2 pickleball courts and 5 tennis courts. The courts are all open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis.
A Few More Reasons to Go to Woodland Park
I know we’ve already given you so many great reasons to give Woodland Park a try, but if you’re still not sold, here are a few more:
Several benches
Picnic tables
Dog-friendly
Shade
Free little library
Large paved parking lot
More Things to do Near Woodland Park
Woodland Park is centrally located to several popular Columbia spots! In just under 15-minutes you can be in Five Points where you can find restaurants, coffee shops, and shopping. Maybe even make your way to the University of South Carolina and stroll through the beautiful, well-known “horseshoe.”
Spring has arrived! So, what is going on this spring? Columbia, SC is full of springtime fun and ways get out and enjoy some of the most beautiful weather. And, we’re covering it all right here so you don’t miss a thing!
A paved trail for walking and bike riding? Yes, please! Load up those scooters and helmets or grab that stroller and go enjoy that fresh air. Your to do list can probably wait a couple of hours, right?
The riverwalk trails in Columbia are a great place to enjoy spring.
Move those feet and enjoy nature. Pack a bag with water and some trail mix, pull on those sneakers, and go enjoy one of Columbia’s great family hiking trails.
Yep, spring means Easter. This year Easter falls on March 31st, 2024. That means all Easter Egg hunts and community events will be happening soon. We created a Columbia Easter Egg Hunt and Events list so you don’t miss anything!
You’ll want to bookmark this one and check back throughout the Easter season as more events are added.
Looking for the best restaurants in Columbia, SC? We are just beginning our coverage of the best places to eat out for families and children in Columbia. But we already have some pretty amazing ideas, from the best ice cream to favorite coffee shops and our already famous Kids Eat Free list. Discover some of the best places to eat in Columbia, SC right here.
Kids Eat Free (or Cheap) in Columbia, SC
Kids are expensive. Feed them for FREE.
Check out our list of kids eat free and cheap deals! We have restaurants where kids eat free, plus deals where kids’ meals are significantly discounted.
Mainly known for their breakfast and sandwiches, Cafe Strudel also has coffee drinks as well as beer and wine.
300 State Street, West Columbia
Groucho’s Deli
One of Columbia’s favorite deli’s; there are six locations spread throughout the Columbia area. Find out about Groucho’s, including their kids eat free promotions, in our Kidding Around Review of Groucho’s Deli.
The Devine Cinnamon Roll Deli
What’s a cinnamon roll deli? The Devine Cinnamon Roll Deli serves breakfast and lunch, though breakfast is available all day. They serve a wide variety of cinnamon roll flavors, including banana foster, strawberry cheesecake, and apple cobbler. In addition to cinnamon rolls, they offer breakfast sandwiches and a wide variety of hot dogs and paninis.
2617 Devine Street, Columbia
Menkoi Ramen House
Menkoi Ramen House offers authentic Japanese ramen noodles in downtown. Dine-in and take-out are available.
1004 Gervais Street, Columbia
Motor Supply Bistro
Motor Supply Company Bistro has a handwritten menu because their offerings are locally sourced, based on what is fresh and local. They are truly a farm-to-table restaurant. The bistro offers lunch and dinner, as well as a weekend brunch.
Need to have your child’s car seat checked in Columbia, SC? It’s true what they say, “You can never be too safe,” especially when it comes to your children! And car seat safety is absolutely no exception!
Car Seats in South Carolina: Things to Know
Need help finding the right car seat? Or just need some guidance on getting started? The US Department of Transportation has a great resource to help you choose the right car seat and learn how to install it. (We still recommend having your car seat installation checked.)
And, of course, when your child has outgrown their car seat, or when the car seat has expired, you can trade it in at Target. Target will recycle old, expired, or damaged car seats and give you 20% off another car seat, a stroller, or select baby gear. Read more about Target’s Car Seat Trade-In Program.
Statistics shockingly estimate around 80% of car seats are NOT correctly installed. Now is the perfect time to make sure yours isn’t one of them.
Where to Get a Car Seat Installation Check in Columbia, SC
Items needed when getting your car seat installation checked:
the owner’s manual for your car (if available)
the owner’s manual for the car seat (if available)
your vehicle
your child
We’ve listed the inspection stations near Columbia by county below.
Where to Get Your Car Seat Installation Checked in Richland County
City of Columbia Police Department 1 Justice Square, Columbia 803.545.3975 By appointment only
Irmo Police Department 1230 Columbia Avenue, Irmo 803.781.8088 By appointment only
Lexington Medical Center (Department of Public Safety) 115 West Hospital Drive, West Columbia 803.791.2373 By appointment only
South Carolina State Fire Office 141 Monticello Trail, Columbia 803.896.9800 By appointment only
SC DHEC 2100 Bull Street, Columbia 803.898.2767 By appointment only
The Therapy Place 3620 Covenant Road, Columbia 803.787.3033 By appointment only
Forest Acres Police Department 5205 North Trenholm Road, Forest Acres 803.782.9444 By appointment only
Richland County Sheriff’s Department 5623 Two Notch Road, Columbia 803.576.3000 *Multilingual
Irmo Fire District 6017 St. Andrews Road, Columbia 803.798.4979 By appointment only
Prisma Health Children’s Hospital-Midlands 7 Medical Park Drive, Columbia 803.434.2633 By appointment only
Where to Get Your Car Seat Installation Checked in Lexington County
Lexington Police Department 111 Maiden Lain, Lexington 803.359.6260 By appointment only
Lexington County Health Services District (Department of Public Safety) 115 West Hospital Drive, West Columbia 803.791.2732 By appointment only
Irmo Fire District Northlake 117 Lincreek Road, Columbia 803.781.7178 By appointment only
Cayce Public Safety 2 Lavern Jumper Road, Cayce 803.794.0456 By appointment only
West Columbia Police Department 200 North 12th Street, West Columbia 803.794.0721 ext. 825 By appointment only
Lexington County Sheriff Department 521 Gibson Road, Lexington 803.785.5646 By appointment only
Swansea Police Department 320 West 3rd Street, Swansea 803.568.3366 By appointment only
Batesburg/Leesville Police Department 660 West Columbia Avenue, Batesburg/Leesville 803.532.4408
Are you a parent in the Midlands of SC? You have a full-time job on your hands. Some days you thrive, while others you simply survive. Many times it takes a little creativity on our part to have a successful day. At Kidding Around, we occasionally have experts in the field who can answer many of your questions. We’re covering topics on sleep, internet safety, meal prep, and lots more! You’ll find all our parenting content right here on this hub. Hopefully, you can find some tips to help you have more thriving days than just surviving ones.
Valentine’s Day cards for kids do not have to be complicated or expensive. No, you don’t have to include candy, stickers, tattoos, or any other little trinket that’s got a pretty good chance of being dropped on the way home anyway. A simple card that says “Hey, thanks for being my friend,” is heartfelt and in keeping everything good about Valentine’s Day. Of course, you can include little gifts if you’d like to and they do make the Valentine’s Day festivities at school a little more sparkly. Either way, here are some ideas for FREE (or very cheap) Valentines.
Planning a visit to Greenville, SC? Travel to the area is booming, and we’re so glad you’re here! We love our little city (and so does The New York Times, Forbes, and Southern Living!) because there’s so much for everyone to see, do, and eat.
Art connoisseurs, outdoor enthusiasts, foodies, and history buffs will all find something to enjoy while visiting Greenville. And, of course, families have an incredible amount of opportunities to make memories here. So, since you’re planning to visit, we wanted to make your planning a little easier by giving you a list of our top recommendations for places to eat, places to stay, and things to do in Greenville… as well as a guide to parking in downtown Greenville.