🌴 40 Skills to Teach Your Kids This Summer

Hi there, Palmetto Parent!

At the end of May we reached 1,000 subscribers and now we’re close to 1,300! Thank you so much for reading our newsletter and sharing it with your family and friends. Our dream for Palmetto Parents is that it would help you to connect with your families and connect to the community, and we hope it’s doing exactly that!

It’s been a joy to share our love of family and of Summerville with you all.

We hope you all have a great weekend and a special time celebrating any father figures in your life. If you’d like to celebrate with brunch, Eggs Up Grill on Central Ave will have a Father’s Day Brunch featuring a beer, mimosa, and coffee bar. They’re highlighting their Grand Classic Breakfast (eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, home fries, and grits) and bringing back their ham for the day.

Also, don’t forget to keep working on your Parks and Rec Bingo Board in preparation for next week’s Third Thursday event so you can win your prize. It’s going to be another sunny week!

To Do: Brand New Library and Summer Programs

Summerville is now home to not one, but TWO Dorchester County Libraries! On June 4th, there was a ribbon cutting ceremony to open the newest branch, Library on the Ashley River. This new branch is located right across the street from Ashley River Park at 2824 Bacons Bridge Rd. The library includes private study rooms, new computers, and a dedicated teen area.

Both the Ashley River branch and the George H. Seago Jr branch (76 Old Trolley Rd.) have exciting summer programs for kids of all ages.

Here’s an overview of some of their special summer offerings:

Library on the Ashley River Branch:

• Baby Storytime (Ages 2 & under) Tuesdays at 10:30, June 11th-August 20th

• Toddler Storytime (Ages 5 & under) Thursdays at 10:30, June 13th-August 22nd

• Music Makers (Ages 6-10) Thursdays from 11:30-12

• Lego Club (Ages 6-12), Tuesdays at 3:30, June 11-August 22nd

• Teens Talk (Ages 13-17) on June 18th, July 16th, and August 20th from 6:30-7:30pm

Summerville (George H. Seago Jr) Branch:

• Barks and Books, Read to a Therapy Dog (Ages 6-12) Fridays from 3-4pm, June 14th-August 23rd

• ABC’s: Afternoon Build & Crafts (Ages 5-7) Wednesdays from 3-4pm on June 19th, July 3rd, July 24th, August 7th, and August 21st.

You can see more details about each class and full programing for the summer here.

The libraries also offer a summer reading program for kids to earn prizes. You can pick up a game card from any branch or register online with Beanstack. The summer reading program goes until August 15th. If you’re interested in catching the Bookmobile this summer, here’s the schedule.

Screenless Fun with the Family

Fun Audio Experience for the Whole Family

Check-out Popcorn Brainstorm! Jokes & Trivia for Kids, the chart-topping Kids & Family podcast from Netflix. Featuring trivia, games and jokes from your favorite Netflix films and series, Popcorn Brainstorm explores Leo, The Dragon Prince and more!

If you want your Summerville business in front of over 1,000 Palmetto Parents, click here.

An Event: Palmetto Fossil Excursions

This month’s Kids Club event for the Summerville Museum and Research Center is perfect for all fossil loving kids! 

Expert Skye Basak from Palmetto Fossil Excursions will be presenting fossils from around Dorchester County, showcasing Megalodon shark teeth. They have some amazing fun (and educational) activities up their sleeve for the kids. The event is from 10am-12pm this Saturday, 6/15, at the Summerville Museum (100 E Doty Ave). The event is for kids 6 and up and all kids are free. Parents must stay with their children for the event and there is a $5 attendance fee for adults. Reservations are required by emailing [email protected]. The email should include the event date, parent’s name, children’s names, and ages.

If your child loves digging, fossils, and the outdoors, be sure to check out Palmetto Fossil Excursions. They have multiple “dig sites” in Dorchester county. They are known for being one of the top places to find fossils, having multiple world-records for the biggest shark teeth found! They have great options for all ages. (Tickets for an excursion could be an awesome Father’s Day gift).

Restaurant: Lowcountry Fish Camp

When we have friends and family in town that are looking for great seafood, we always take them to Lowcountry Fish Camp. Fish Camp has been voted “Best Seafood” and “Best Place to Dine Outdoors.” If you want outstanding food with a laid back vibe, Fish Camp is the perfect spot.

Our family favorites include the fried pickles, shrimp and grits, and fried fisherman’s platter. You can see the full menu here. For dessert, we always get the chocolate bourbon pecan pie. We’ve literally gone just for the pie… it’s that good! Fish Camp is a great place for a date night or a family outing, we’ve done both. They have a good kids menu and lots of outdoor seating. Lowcountry Fish Camp is located at 903 Central Ave, and is open Tuesday - Saturday 11-9 and Sunday 11-3.

Also, the Lowcountry Fish Camp food truck will be parked at Food Truck Central on Friday and Saturday (6/14 and 6/15) from 4-8pm. Read more about Food Truck Central in our previous newsletter.

Palmetto Piece: Practicing Old Fashioned Skills

One great way fill the extra time your kids have this summer is by teaching them new skills. Thanks to Frugal Fun For Boys and Girls for the graphic! Above is a viral list of “40 Old Fashioned Skills That Kids Need to Know.” Some are pretty straightforward, but here are some more specific ideas for the more open ended items.

• Cook dinner once a week: Have your kid chose a recipe and cook once a week. My parents had me do this starting in 6th grade over the summers and it really built my confidence in the kitchen. A parent will likely need to be close by to answer any questions and supervise safety, but it’s a great way to get a little break and empower your kids in the kitchen. Take a look at this Food Network article with 19 recipes kids can make.

• Volunteer at a nursing home: One great way to help your kid to interact with people of all ages is to spend time at a nursing home. My son and I (with friends) did trick or treating at White Oak Manor this past year and they are always open to organizing community engagement. I’m sure that’s true for most local nursing homes.

• Schedule a formal breakfast/tea time: Invite friends or neighbors over for a special meal. You can practice manners with the kids and they can dress up. Have them help you plan the event and prepare for it. This could check multiple boxes if you have them write out invitations, make a budget, or follow a recipe to prepare.

• Babysit for a neighbor or friend: Pretty straightforward! Encourage your older kids to consider others by spending a night babysitting or babysit alongside your younger child to teach them the skills that are needed.

• Check out the Summerville Orchestra or The Flowertown Players at the Community Theater to teach your kids how to behave at a formal performance. The Flowertown Players are putting on “Disney’s The Aristocrats Kids” on June 21st and 22nd.

Until next time

Love,

The Berks 👨‍👩‍👦 

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