A kid’s perfect day in Columbia

From breakfast to dinner — we’ve rounded up a day full of kid-friendly activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Face of giant Eddie exhibit with hand holding a dragonfly

Kids can crawl inside of Eddie at Edventure to learn about organs through play.

Photo by COLAtoday

Table of Contents

Sorry, but — NO ADULTS ALLOWED — this one is for the kids. Grown-up, please hand this over to your little one. Got it, kiddo? Let’s plan a family day together. Here’s a fun schedule for you to try.

Morning

Be a chef and cook breakfast for the adults at home. The night before, ask your family to choose from one of these recipes. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if any of the instructions seem confusing.

While you eat, talk about your plan for the day. Ask your family to help you prepare a backpack with things you’ll need. We suggest bringing:

🍫 Plenty of snacks like granola bars or Carolina Kernels popcorn
💧 A water bottle
🧢 A hat

If you have time before heading to lunch, play at a playground like Leo’s Landing.

Grill Marks patio

Grill Marks milkshakes will make your sweet tooth smile. | Photo provided by Grill Marks

Afternoon

For lunch, head to Grill Marks for a burger and milkshake. After you’ve filled your belly, spend the afternoon exploring the EdVenture Childrens Museum. What are you looking forward to most? Exploring the fire truck at the Dalmation Station? Or sliding down Eddie, a 40-ft. tall kid?

Evening

Wrap up the day with a family dinner. Head to one of our local farmers markets to pick out foods you can make together. Over dinner, talk about everything you did today. Ask questions like:

🧠 What was something new you learned?
🤡 What was something funny that happened?
👀 What would we do differently if we did that again?
👍 What do you definitely want to do again? (And again and again…)

Grown-ups — take pictures along the way and share them with us. Also, send us more family-friendly recommendations and we may just feature them in an upcoming newsletter.

More from COLAtoday
The free May 15–16 festival features Martin Bejerano, Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso, Endea Owens, and more at Finlay Park.
Columbia-born artist Rodney McMillian debuts a wide-ranging solo exhibition at the Columbia Museum of Art this spring.
Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.
Spring football gives way to a Darius Rucker–headlined concert and free Garnet & Black block party on Saturday, April 11.
SOCO opens a 9,500-sqft coworking space inside Gather COLA in the BullStreet District.
Dining in Columbia is always a fresh experience, with new restaurants popping up all the time — and more on the way.
Needlepoint is one of the biggest “analog hobby” trends. Here’s where to learn and meet other stitchers.
A Mount Pleasant artisan’s massive sweetgrass basket is now on display at the South Carolina State Museum.
Lexington’s Wingard’s Market leads USA TODAY’s Best Plant Nursery vote, and supporters can cast ballots daily through March 9 to keep them at No. 1.
Anchor Investment Management is celebrating 25 years by awarding $25,000 in grants to Midlands nonprofits focused on health and education.