Hands On! A Child's Gallery

Children's museums are a wonderful way to expose your young ones to experiences they may not be privy to on the homefront. Even those of us who strive to provide a daily mixture of lessons including language arts, cultural studies, and silly faces appreciate when communities provide a place where kids are not only entertained, but are introduced to concepts that will impact the experiences in their growing lives.

And I do love Hendersonville. We visit at least two or three times a year. Even if it is "just up the road" (via Highway 25N) from here in Greenville, packing children and necessities to survive with said children can require much energy, ambition, and strategic measure.

But if there is one place that makes Hendersonville absolutely worthwhile to visit for your child under the age of 8 (or so), Hands On! A Child's Gallery, located on Main Street in beautiful Hendersonville, persuades us parents to lug out the minivan, goldfish stickers, and loads of patience for our beautiful little chatterboxes!

The first thing I noticed when I walked through the double doors is how well they take advantage of the space they have available. A trail proceeds upward onto the top of a lovely man-made mountain, inside!

And the stage. There is a great, huge stage to the left, curtains and all. And lots of laundered pretend outfits for your little drama queens (and drama kings)!

Connor is an animal doctor tending to a lion.

...I hope the lion doesn't go the way of Ol' Yeller! No, pa, no!

Speaking of being an animal doctor, there is an area dedicated to the veterinarian trade. Connor not only weighed the sick bunny (kept in real animal crates!) but also checked some X-rays as well!

That bunny has really let himself go!

 

"Ma'am, I'm sorry. I'm afraid we're going to have fry these eggs and serve them with toast. Yes ma'am, poaching is just not an option."

Beautifully hand-painted wooden animals with mouths agape, eager for a snack, await your child's choices of the best option for feeding time!

Unfortunately, Connor thought that rabbits should eat hamburgers, and dogs should eat bubble gum.
The cat was able to subside on a banana and a cotton mouse.

A nursery for the Hands On! newborns is an excellent place for your little mommies and daddies to practice their cradling and baby feeding skills. There are some really sweet board books featuring infants that Connor really enjoyed reading with me in the rocking chairs.

He's practicing for later. When he's thirty-four.

A nursery provides a comfy little nook where Connor could nurture his... nurturing.

What small child doesn't love to build with Legos? Hands On! has a cute little triangular Lego station that provides hours of endless building fun. I explained to Connor that the best way to build was on top of a steady "foundation", a great introduction into the world and concepts of engineering. Connor was able to build a small car from the Legos (they have Zoobs too!) and climb to the top of the Raceway to see how fast his creation would travel down the track!

My ride requires no wheels, only 10 liters of awesome.

....Connor made a great effort and worked hard on his car.

Another key feature of engineering automotives: They need wheels. Connor gets all Howard Roark about his building creations, though. Who needs stinkin' wheels!?

An art area exposes your child to the Tempura paint you don't ever want to see within 100 feet of your carpets or hardwood flooring.

Smocks provided. Your children bring their own inner Picasso or Frieda Kahlo.

There are easels, paints, brushes, and a terrific display area where little hands can manipulate the plastic clothespins to allow their masterpieces to dry for proud parents and caregivers to hang at home!

I really love how Connor depicted the current of state of the cacophony of nihilism while embracing the realism of reason.

"Why, yes. Yes I can. And it will be such an epic butterfly not even Charlie Sheen can defeat it with tiger blood and #winning."

Although I didn't get an interactive shot of Connor playing this game, the concept is awesome. This room has buttons that play a specific instrument. Included in this setup is a game that requires your young one to listen to the instrument being played and hit the corresponding button. I played this more than Connor did. I beat level three! Go me!

They had the BEST idea. Black electrical tape for the staff and paint the notes. How cute would this be for a classroom in your local school or a music loving child's bedroom! So simple!

Bakery in Spanish is panaderia, emphasis on the "i", pronounce it like an "ee". Pah-nah-de-REE-a.

Foreign language lesson aside, the panaderia here at Hands On! is whimsical and inspiring. Let your mini-me create an apple pie from, guess what? Apples! That's right, kids, apple pies don't come from McDonalds! They come from APPLES! Decorate your own cake, too, after donning an apron and preparing for a long day of whipping up tasty treats for your customers!

Anonymous Child helps Connor put on his apron to prepare for the day's activities, including eat unbaked cookie dough and eating frosting. Oh yeah, baking, too. There is baking.

Warning: The apples are not real. They look scrumptious, but they are not edible.

My personal favorite area was the Post Office! Maps, sorting boxes, and real mail carrier gear made pretending to battle all weather to get you your Ebay package a fun game for my little guy.

"You can't mail a dog, ma'am. It's not happening. Try DHL."

"I thought 'F-R-A-G-I-L-E' spelled 'Candy'! That's what you people get for hiring a four year-old as Postmaster General!"

Topology was never more fun than when you can get on your hands and knees and point out the countries and states to your young child. You can explain what the dots mean, what borders are, and how we use maps, even with GPS apps and Google Maps (I love you, Google Maps!).

Yes, Connor, this is where Moravian cookies and furniture comes from.

Pictures and their thousands of words aside, there is a LOT more to Hands On! than I covered today. There is an entire grocery store section with a working (and controllable!) conveyor belt and cash register. There is the "Pick-a-Portion Cafe" with the CUTEST little plates (available for sale, too!) that show your youngster how to measure their portions!

And what good is a child's future if they are too unhealthy to appreciate it!? It's not just the intellectual things you teach them, it's the lessons for life, it's how to live properly! There is a motion area where kids can learn science concepts. I wasn't about to push Connor into areas he wasn't particularly interested in that day, though. Although I will throw in this sign, not mention what it's actually in reference to, and have a "girls only" giggle:

5-7 days! And I use Mirena for the long haul, and Midol and chocolate for the short one! *snicker*

I highly, highly recommend taking your kids to visit Hands On! It's a much more personable experience than most other children's museums that pride themselves on being the "45th hugest on the planet". For me and mine, it's quality, not quantity, and with all the nooks and crannies (ask about the Scavenger Hunt!) and the amazingly caring staff. Not one eye roll. The young lady running the show the Friday we were there was sweet, intelligent and made my son feel like a star. Would you rather spend five dollars on a fast-food kid's meal and some Nickoldeon re-runs, or a nurturing afternoon in beautiful Hendersonville?

And I *know* kids can drive you crazy, but it's always nice to not feel like a second-class citizen because half of your dining party or tour group are drooling or think the word "pooty fart" is the bee's knees!

Five dollars for ages 1-100 gets you an entire afternoon of fun and education and relaxation (park benches and chairs to sit in while the kids play, Mom, Dad, and caregivers! But I always encourage interactive play!), but there is so much more to be gained from a membership! Hands On! also has wonderfully enriching classes many mornings. Classes are *free* with a membership! Ask about one today!

To contact Hands On!, call 828-697-8333

Hours are:

Tuesday-Saturday

10 AM - 5 PM

The day my boys found out how to google, "Scarlett Johansson"

I know it's been a while since I've posted, but I have a backlog of wonderful places I've been with my family that I'm ready to share! I had Sawyer late last year, and he's a wonderful addition to the family. I also work full-time. I can't wait to share more things that make the Upstate and the surrounding area the greatest place to live, work, and raise a family!

Poinsett Bridge

Discovering South Carolina and the surrounding areas not only allows us to share our rich heritage with our children, but gives us a fun and affordable way to enlighten and enrich our own lives. Getting outside with nature helps us to realize the delicate balance between man and earth as well, which is why I love visiting nature-themed attractions in and around the upstate. Today's spot is no exception.

The Poinsett Bridge is what remains of a historically important road that linked the lowcountry with the mountain towns and communities of western North Carolina.

The bridge covers a meandering stream off of Highway 11. Did you know that if you visit many of the local Walgreens in the area they have Highway 11 t-shirts available for sale? How cute!

There are also some really great trails to hike around, as well as plenty of markers along Highways 414, 11, and 101 (north of Greer, SC) that allow this historic site to be found with relative ease. The trails look moderately easy, but at nine months pregnant I think I'll save that hike for another day! :)

Stay tuned, next week I'll be covering EdVenture museum in Columbia, SC!

Stumphouse Tunnel

Sorry for the long time since no post, I'm pregnant with our second child and have been tied up with complications, but rest assured, our family has had plenty of time to do great activities at a low cost and review them for your research and education!

Back to business. First, my husband and I went on a weekend we were kidless to see if the Stumphouse Tunnel, located off Highway 28 between Walhalla and Mountain Rest, SC, was appropriate for smaller kids (as our son is four). You will find the easiest access by eventually ending up on 123 going past Clemson, SC, and turning onto 28 near Seneca, SC.

The roads are curvy towards the entry to Stumphouse Tunnel Road (we had some problems with our GPS incorrectly identifying Stumphouse Church Road as the correct destination, however, you will find this road about five miles before/after the exit for the Stumphouse Tunnel and Issaqueena Falls park.

The park is free, and is a little on the deserted side (you may even find some couples sneaking out to participate in naughty deeds there, or teenagers looking to participate in recreational activities of the other kind! That's how quiet and peaceful it is!).

Now, the park is a combination of two main attractions. The first is the Stumphouse Tunnel itself, which has a colorful history (refer to the link attached for the long of it), and the second are the beautiful pride of Oconee county, the Issaqueena Falls.

Now, the trail down to the waterfall (you will find yourself at the drop-off), is a bit steep, but a very easy hike for one who isn't eight months pregnant, so I let my husband and son trek down, and then up, the path to enjoy the falls.

The trail leading to the lookout over the Issaqueena Falls

It's a great opportunity to teach your child how to properly use their hands and feet to navigate a steep incline or decline and provides a workout with a reward (seeing those beautiful falls and playing in the water!).

Give yourselves about ten minutes to get down there and ten minutes to come up, and I caution against anyone with moderate to severe medical conditions to over-extend themselves on this trek. I decided that, both times I went, it was just a little too risky and was able to to hang out at the wooden lookout deck and watch the boys trek the hill from above.

Absolutely beautiful!

After cooling off in the crisp, clean Oconee waterfall, you can choose to venture down the "B.R.R.R!" trail and take in some physical movement and nature, or pile back in the car (or hike) up the paved driveway to the area where the Stumphouse Tunnel is located. You will find a large picnic area to the right, before you arrive at the rounded parking area where the gravel path up to the tunnel sits.

Now, the signage for the tunnel provides a great photo opportunity, but the uphill climb is barred off from vehicular entry, so you'll have to scoot around the gate and venture up the hill (a very modest climb I'm able to make several times over at this stage of pregnancy, so even the older or less active folks can enjoy this climb).

To the immediate left you'll find a wooden "flatcar" with steps leading to the surface to walk around; it's still located on the tracks. You can also do what my husband and son did, and climb up the mountain to the top of the tunnel and climb all the way around the opening; there are enough footholds to support a climb for the most inexperienced novice.

Haley and Clay forever!

You may notice as you make your way to the tunnel itself (Yes, I know, finally I am talking about the tunnel!) that there is a great deal of mist and cool air surrounding the cave. There are also a lot of rivulets of water running from the ceiling of the tunnel into pools of cool fresh water below. I highly suggest bringing a battery-operated lantern or flashlight, even during the day.

Yes, that crazy Spiderman wanna-be is my wonderful husband!

And yes, "they" say it's totally haunted. Try it at night, I dare you!

We easily spent three hours at the tunnel and falls, and didn't even pack a lunch to eat there! Being bottled water in a cooler after you get done climbing, so you aren't too tempted by all that fresh-looking water all around you. Be safe, and most importantly, have fun!

My personal favorite part of the trip :)

(Just Like) A Day at the Beach: Lake Jocassee and Devil's Fork State Park

You'll find more information in the link above.

Admission is $2 per adult; fifteen and under FREE. You'll need to pick up a parking placard at the entrance to the park when you pay, and punch out the appropriate day.

Lake Jocassee is a favorite of ours, mostly because you don't have to get on 85 to get there. (Okay, so that's MY favorite reason). It's also fairly uncrowded, making a day cooking out and looking out at the lake, and then jumping in to avoid the horseflies all the merrier. And, personally, the more the merrier is a misnomer. There is too much of a "merry" thing sometimes.

At this point in June the water is a sublime temperature to slip into and fall backwards and languidly glide one's fingertips through the velvety lake. There is also a concession stand open during the weekends in the summer months, and a covered shelter with accommodating restrooms.

A playground sits at the far end of the parking area, and there are trails to trek as well.

The water level is fairly high this year, which means the towels will be spread out on the grass, not the sandy spots between the rocks, but it provides a good means of "wading" the younger, and more aquaphobic, swimmers.

Here's to our fallen heroes

From all of us at Best Upstate Ever, here's wishing the spirits of those who have fallen in the defense of our country are resting peacefully, and that those whose hearts still beat in their battered chests are made stronger by our support for our troops.

Whether we are made different by race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or preference in Pringles flavors (Barbeque!), or our political affiliation let it be known that we support the good fight in the hearts of our soldiers and in the hearts of their wives and family here on our soil.

God bless those families for being so strong, God bless the soldiers, pilots, sailors, submariners alike for having the strength to give SO MUCH of themselves for our country so that WE can have a normal family life, a normal American existence. Remember that should you ever doubt a war, the politicians made the war, our soldiers FIGHT IT. Support your troops, standing, fallen, or struggling to wave the American flag from their wheelchairs.

The Schiele Museum of Natural History

The Pirates exhibits will thrill young boys and girls alike, and the lifelike historic villages outside are a treat to walk through. But a simple blog post won't be enough to tell you all the Schiele Museum of Natural history has to offer!

When you arrive in Gastonia, and park at the museum, from the parking lot a walking trail and historic village area will be to your right if the museum is straight ahead. There is also a nice area for picnicing (which is precisely what we did to enjoy a family meal!).

Tickets for adults are $7 a pop, and kids under 4 are FREE. Kids 4-18 are $6, as are seniors and students.

You will be greeted by a huge fossil of a T-rex in the front lobby.

There is always a temporary special exhibit on hand, and for the summer of 2010, it is "Pirates!", featuring some lifelike and education activities, such as tying knots for the ship, hoisiting the jolly roger, and donning pirate costumes and manning the helm. Be careful of the squeamish kids, there are some rather "gory" exhibits geared towards kids, but might scare the preschool crowd (or, in the case of my son, make him loudly exclaim about the dead body and how cool it looked, go figure!).

There is also an activity room with blocks, a reading tent, coloring sheets, puzzles, and finding treasure in the sand. This is not part of the "Pirates!" exhibit and is a permanent fixture of the museum.

Further on down inside the museum are lots of different exhibits chronicling the diverse species on our planet and detailing the evolution of man. While the exhibits, which mostly consist of a fair amount of taxidermy, are nice to look at, there is a LOT of reading in these areas, so don't expect your little ones to pause at each plaque and wait patiently as you attempt to "educate" them. They are kids, not dictation machines, just make some general statements about each exhibit, and elaborate on topics your child seems interested in :)

Outside the museum you will find not only an "authentic" reproduction of a historic American village, you will also find a Native American village on a .7 mile walking trail, complete with lots of photo opportunities at the Grist Mill with real working water-powered mill, and a teepee. That's right, you can do what I did with my husband and make out in a teepee. Because that's what Christian marriage is all about :)

Sarcasm and playfulness aside, the Schiele museum provided us with 5 hours of entertainment and family bonding time, for a low price, and only an hour outside of Greenville/Spartanburg makes it an affordable day trip.

Oh, and here is a shameless plug for this new site I'm addicted to. If you make it your default search engine (and I do computers and networks for a living so I'm assuring you now this isn't a gimmick) and search you earn points for free prizes.... click the button now and you can refer my awesome self and I'll get like, an extra point or something. Who knows, but I just do it because you don't even have to THINK about earning points!

Walnut Grove Plantation

Pack up some sandwiches and bottle some water and head on out to Moore, SC, and the famous Walnut Grove Plantation. The 18th century plantation built in 1765 for Charles and Mary Moore is furnished and features a kitchen with 18th century utensils. Other buildings include a blacksmith's shop, school, doctor's office, smokehouse and barns.

Open Tuesday through Saturday from April to October from 11-5 PM (Sun 2-5). Tours of the property are given by the hour.

Admission is $6, seniors are $5.50, and kids 6-18 are $3, meaning the under six crowd is free.

http://www.spartanburghistory.org/walnutgrove.php