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Play partners |
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Tri County Play Collaborative is a collaboration between 16 South Carolina organizations, each focused entirely or in part on the learning and healthy development of all young children in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester Counties. Discover our Play Partners below! |
Children's Museum of the LowcountryEngaging young children to explore environments and experiences that spark imagination and stimulate curiosity through the power of play, this museum enchants little ones with a pirate ship, art room, food market, engineering lab, science studio, children's theatre stage, and kids garden. Plus, there's a special play space for infants and toddlers with tiny wooden slides, tactile toys for little hands to explore, and soft padded mats made for reading and tummy time.
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Magnolia Plantation
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Francis Beidler ForestAn Audubon sanctuary located in the blackwater creek system of Four Holes Swamp, Beidler Forest is popping with ancient bald cypress and tupelo gum trees growing from the swamp water. Children and families can paddle through the swamps in canoes, skip through the trees above the water on a 1.75-mile raised boardwalk, chat with warm and funny naturalists, and discover the critters and creatures of the forest. Plus, there's a story walk at the entrance to the forest.
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Grow with the Flow HomesteadA Black-woman-owned backyard farm in Huger, Grow with the Flow Homestead shares their love of rabbits, gardening, and plants with children, families, and others. Along with seasonal offerings on the farm, they bring their bunnies out to schools, child care centers, homes, and elsewhere for Bunny Snuggle sessions inspiring connection, comfort, and joy; sell seasonal, homemade goods; and build quality homestead structures and garden beds.
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Fresh Future FarmA Black-led nonprofit farm celebrating the ancestral ingenuity and agricultural practices of West African, Gullah, and Indigenous cultures, Fresh Future Farm has created a self-sustaining, regenerative ecosystem that provides fresh, nutrient-rich, great-tasting, and affordable food to its community. Fresh Future Farm also operates a sliding-scale grocery store where families on fixed incomes pay what they can, and the homeless pay when they can.
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Gullah Swim AcademyGullah Swim Academy specializes in teaching children & others to swim in a nurturing, judgment-free, and safe water environment. Tri-county families with young children are invited to apply for a free learn-to-swim scholarship for their young child! Sixteen young children ages 0-5 will be awarded the swimmerships. Families can participate too! Pool locations will vary in order to keep the lessons close to each of the children. Sign up!
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Charleston StageCharleston Stage has one of the oldest and largest arts education programs for children in our region. Here, young children enjoy a wonderful introduction to the magic of theatre and storytelling. Led by fun, caring, and energetic instructors, they explore themes, characters, and environments using popular children's books and stories; work with professional actors and educators; and learn rehearsal etiquette, poise, and acting, movement, speech, and memorization skills.
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Gibbes Museum of ArtThe Gibbes offers creative fun and exploration to children, from summer camps and toddler storytimes to young kids' workshops. Children can work with artists and museum teachers to create their own fantastic artwork in a variety of media and art styles, tour the galleries, enjoy hands-on activities and games, and discover exciting temporary exhibitions! Check out 4-year-olds learning about art and movement at the museum's First African Child Development Center here.
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Circulos de BienestarLed by Nilsy Rapalo, creative director, Circulos de Bienestar specializes in whole-person development through retreats and wellness products enabling the positive reaffirmation of thought, talent, and identity within a free and natural environment. Circulos de Bienestar is the creator of our play podcasts focusing on the early education and development of children and recorded in both English and Spanish.
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Y2O (Youth to Ocean)Y2O believes that that time spent outdoors enjoying water sports and the natural world benefits each of us mentally and physically. Their goal is to enable the positive development of children through water sports, environmental education, and the exploration of nature, especially for underserved and at-risk children. This nonprofit is led by a guide, naturalist, and kayaking camp leader and staffed by avid surfers, kayakers, river rafters, paddleboarders, conservationists, and a trained therapist for children with autism.
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Charleston County Public LibraryCharleston County Public Library offers a rich and fun early learning environment for young children! Seeds, book and puppet boxes, and passes to local institutions like the South Carolina Aquarium that can be checked out are just the beginning. There are also baby storytimes, toddler storytimes, preschool storytimes, family storytimes, a kids summer reading program, a 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge, and a Just For Kids digital reading room.
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Dorchester County LibraryDorchester County Library offers a host of children's events. (A recent week included Read! Build! Play; a STEM Day Camp; Storytots; Baby & Me; Journey to Mars: 4H Space Adventure; LEGO Club; Afternoon Arcade; and more.) It also offers storywalks at its branches and highlights children's books in a variety of categories: picture books, chapter books, Caldecott Medal winners, Coretta Scott King Award winners, Newberry Medal winners, and South Carolina Book Award winners.
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South Carolina PASOsSC PASOs community health specialists screen Latino children at each family's home, along with other sites like clinics and libraries. Children with developmental needs are referred to specialty care, therapies, and other resources. Families are also connected to resources that address hunger, medical needs, child development, and the like. In 2021, 710 children received a developmental screening, and 449 parents received education to support their child's development at home.
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Berkeley County First StepsAs with all South Carolina First Steps organizations, Berkeley County First Steps is a state-based initiative to prepare young children age 0-5 for school and a lifetime of learning beyond. BCFS does it by helping to improve child care & early education in their county, providing scholarships to child care & preschool to those in need, helping improve healthcare and expanding access to it, strengthening families through parenting skills programs, and collaborating with community partners. See more here!
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Charleston County First StepsThe mission of Charleston County First Steps is to improve the well-being of young children, empowering them and their families to become stronger, healthier, and more self-reliant. CCFS does so by providing high-quality programs for them along with intensive training and support for child care providers, and community education. Their programs include Parents As Teachers, Early Head Start, Raising a Reader, and more. Their vision is that all children in Charleston County will be healthy and successful in school. See more here!
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Dorchester County First StepsDorchester County First Steps (DCFS) helps families and caregivers in their county prepare their young children for school success. DCFS believes the years of early childhood are a critical window of development during which much of each child's human potential is shaped, and that families are the single most important influence on the development of their young children. DCFS invests in high-quality, evidence-based programs, and operates within a culture of accountability. See more here!
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South Carolina First StepsSouth Carolina First Steps is the state's only dedicated, comprehensive early childhood initiative focused on getting children ready for school and life success. SCFS believes the state's long-term prosperity depends on the health and well-being of its babies, toddlers, and young children; that each one deserves an opportunity to thrive; but that too few are getting the care and support they need from the start. By the time South Carolina's young children arrive at kindergarten, more than half have already fallen behind. See more here.
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