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Biz-E Mom Creates Columbia4Kids.com
For many parents, the holidays are high-tech, high-speed and high-stress. A Midlands mom has discovered a way to ease the stresses of the holiday scramble with a new online directory.A veteran of the marketing and online worlds, Scottie Claiborne dreamed up Columbia4Kids.com to make her own life as a parent easier. This mother of 3 has created Columbia’s first comprehensive online guide for children’s activities.
“It’s really hard to keep up with all the things we want to do during the holidays,” says Claiborne. “I found we were missing out on activities because I couldn’t find the information quickly and easily. There is a lot of information out there but not all in one place.”
Aimed at families living in, relocating to, or visiting Columbia, the site appeals to what parents need—a one-stop directory so they spend less time searching for activities and more time with their children.
Michelle DeJongh, a resident of Columbia and organizer of the Northeast Columbia Mom’s Group says, “This is helpful directory. When we moved here last December I spent a lot of time researching things to do with our children. Now I go to Columbia4Kids and browse their site to find new and interesting activities.”
Holiday Traditions
This holiday season think about rituals and family traditions. Start new ones and bring back old ones. Claiborne has dug up loads of child-friendly activities to help families celebrate the holidays in a variety of ways.
Ever bundled up the family and headed out to cut your own Christmas tree? Columbia4Kids lists more than a dozen farms where you can not only cut your own tree but also enjoy sights and sounds of the season. Many area farms offer more than just trees including crafts, light displays and hayrides. Harmon Tree Farm in Lexington County offers a miniature train ride that is sure to create a lasting holiday memory for your children. Hot chocolate or cider in hand, families can enjoy the great outdoors while they choose from a selection of trees, from Cypress and White Pines to Carolina Sapphires.
Many families enjoy driving around neighborhoods in search of residential light extravaganzas. Christmas light displays delight the old and young alike. Columbia4Kids lists commercial light displays around town including the popular Lights Before Christmas at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. Beginning November 29, one million lights transform the zoo's 25 acres into a twinkling winter wonderland. Monkeys will swing through trees, elephants will shower in a spray of lights and lighted trees will “dance” to holiday music. Of course, Santa will be on hand to hear children’s wishes personally between 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm.
Many of the best light displays, however, are hidden in the neighborhoods around town. Columbia4Kids offers a unique directory of residential light displays as well as a form to submit your own winter wonderland. If you’ve put a lot of work into a stunning light display, invite other families to enjoy your hard work. Don’t miss this list of entire neighborhoods and special houses wrapped in twinkling lights.
Holiday Activities
Columbia4Kids also looks beyond entertainment to educational activities during the holidays. “Extra-special fun days” at EdVenture’s Aha Factory at Richland Mall are listed in detail. The Children’s Museum is scheduled to open late summer 2003. The 65,000 square foot, hands-on facility will feature eight exhibit galleries, two resource centers, a lending library, a community theatre and the world’s largest child!
Until then, the Aha Factory’s giant creativity lab, encourages children 12 and younger to explore the five senses by crawling through touch tunnels, sculpting frozen shadows and creating their very own puppet shows and musical performances. December’s “Extra-special fun day” is Snowflake Saturday on December 7. Youngsters are invited to join in the fun in making art and cookie creations. If you’re up for more audible activities, spend a January day celebrating Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day in honor of the snapping fun kids can have with bubble wrap.
The directory includes a section devoted entirely to unique holiday shopping such as bazaars and craft shows. During the Junior League of Columbia’s Holiday Market December 5-8, don’t miss various children’s choirs as they perform in a mini Christmas concert series. This event also includes a puppet show performed by the Columbia Marionette Theatre’s Traveling Troupe. Storytelling, face-painting, balloon art and of course, a visit with Santa will make this a must-do holiday activity.
If you always miss productions like A Christmas Carol, the Nutcracker or the Singing Christmas tree you’ll want to bookmark the section on Holiday Performances. The Singing Christmas Tree at Shandon Baptist Church will perform “The Hope of Christmas.” This musical production presents the gospel through a 35 foot tree made up of 140 “singing ornaments” with spectacular lighting and special effects.
Christmas in Cayce activities begin the first weekend in December with the annual tree lighting ceremony. Don’t miss the guided lantern tours through the woods at the Cayce Historical Museum where scenes from the War Between the States are reenacted. In addition to activities for children, the Cayce Holiday Pet Pageant includes the furry family members. Make sure your cat or dog is registered and their best holiday outfit is pressed for the most popular pet contest. Holiday bake-offs, cookie decorating contests, and petting zoos are just a few of the special activities that blend together to make Christmas In Cayce one of the Carolina’s best holiday festivals.
An Online Community
For the truly stressed, check out Columbia4Kids’ Help-at-Home boards where you can find a babysitter, pet sitter or errand runner. Do your teenagers clean out your wallet during the holidays? Have them register with the Help-at-Home board to earn extra income helping local families.
Columbia4Kids helps families to create traditions and offers shortcuts to Columbia at its best -- its parks, festivals, babysitters, schools and entertainment. It's the answer to all those times you've wondered how to begin your search for local events. You can also find things to do on a rainy Saturday, where to throw a party for an eight-year-old, and how to find canoe equipment for rent.
More than just a directory, this website offers an online interactive community as well. For parents who are looking to connect with other area families, there are message boards where participants can discuss parenting, events, travel and other topics. Parents can share their knowledge of the area while new-to-Columbia parents can start to build friendships.
If you are too busy to check the site on a regular basis, Columbia4Kids will even deliver to you. Sign up for their monthly e-mail newsletter to stay on top of family events and happenings in the Midlands.
Written and researched by parents, Columbia4Kids is the ultimate insider's guide to celebrating family life in Columbia.
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