Things to Do in Charleston with Kids

If you have kids, you know that keeping them busy can sometimes be a challenge. If you’re in the Charleston area and you’re searching for a place where kids can learn through play, create and discover, the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry is the perfect fit. It’s filled with fun places to explore where imaginations can run free; art projects just waiting to be created; and eureka moments yet to be discovered.

Six days a week the museum provides a rich environment focused on the power of play that stimulates children’s natural curiosity and creativity. Most of the weekly programs are included with membership or in the price of admission, and some are free. The programs are open to all children from birth to 10, and usually operate on a “drop-in” basis, so you don’t even need to pre-register! 

The museum focuses on the power of play, the vital activity that children use to learn about and interact with their world. Through play, young minds are opened to endless possibilities and children gain the mental, physical and social skills necessary to succeed in their adult lives. A visit to the museum offers kids a unique opportunity to experience new things and engage in exciting discoveries. There are even some fun opportunities for parents to join the fun!

The Art Room is home to creativity featuring several opportunities for kids to explore their artistic side and engage their skills. In The Creation Station children are encouraged to construct artistic masterpieces using recycled pieces. It’s fun and helps children with problem-solving and spatial awareness skills. Washable paints invite kids to paint a masterpiece in The Painting Place. In the Discovery Den children are invited to try their hand using a variety of artistic mediums. From painting with oil pastels, to weaving, to gathering materials for a collage, kids learn about materials and process. Younger visitors will enjoy visiting the Sensory Space, where they can use playdough and moon sand to hone their fine motor skills, color recognition and language development, all while having lots of fun.

History and imagination take center stage in The Medieval Creativity Castle, a special place where children can use dramatic play to enhance their language skills and fire their imaginations. The museum provides dragon, knight, prince and princess costumes to enhance the experience. They can search for secret passageways, cook a royal meal or embark on a quest in a castle made just for them. Whether they use creative expression in the castle puppet theatre to act out a favorite fairy tale or invent their own story, kids will enjoy lots of fun in this special fantasy world. 

The fun isn’t limited to indoor activities. The museum is home to seven organic Kid’s Gardens, which provide a natural play space where kids can enjoy the wonderful world of nature. Kids can observe bugs and butterflies in their natural habitat, learn about plants and even taste and pick herbs, such as lemongrass, mint and rosemary, to take home. A pond with a real, running waterfall filled with shiny gems complete the gardens. 

At Waterwise! kids can don plastic smocks to stay dry while navigating the Charleston Harbor and even learn how hydroelectric dams work to use water to bring power to the area. While they’re having fun, kids can also work on their problem-solving skills to open a model of the lock and move boats from the lake to the harbor or play a game of tic-tac-toe.

A perennial favorite of children everywhere is Pirates! A pirate ship sets the stage for having fun while learning all about Charleston’s sea bandit history and even see what the Charleston Harbor was like in the 1600s. Kids can don pirate costumes to learn how to tie knots like a sailor and even test their sea legs aboard the ship in stormy weather! 

Kids to learn how to make healthy food choices, weigh their fruit and master their math abilities at the museum’s Publix Market. The made-to-scale grocery store also features express lanes with scanners and touch screens. 

Interactive activities in the Infant & Toddler Playspace are designed for the youngest visitors, ages birth to three, complete with tiny little slides for safe climbing; tactile and fine motor toys for little hands; and spaces for tummy time and reading. It’s also a wonderful place for parents to connect.

There are fun adventures for just about every child at the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry! Check out the many membership and admission packages available, with discounts for military families and educators and EBT, WIC and SNAP recipients, and let the fun begin!