Kids' activities in Charleston: museums, playgrounds, story times

Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. Hours and details come from each place’s own website, linked below; check the link before you go, as hours change for holidays and private events. Any city park question: Citizen Services Desk, 843-724-7311.

Charleston packs a lot for children into a small space: a children’s museum and an aquarium a short walk apart near Marion Square, free story times at the county library’s branches, dozens of city playgrounds and a big county park on James Island. Here is what is where, with hours as each place publishes them.

Who to call

• Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry: explorecml.org, 25 Ann St.
• South Carolina Aquarium: 843-577-3474, scaquarium.org
• Charleston County Public Library: 843-805-6930
• City Recreation Department: 843-724-7327
• Charleston County Parks: 843-795-4386

Indoor picks for rainy days

Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, 25 Ann St. Hands-on rooms, including a full art room, for young children. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Children under 1 get in free, and families on SNAP, WIC or in foster care can use the Museums for All rate. Adults may enter only with children, and children only with adults. The museum says it is usually quieter on weekday afternoons during the school year. Wear clothes that can take paint.

• SuperStars Sundays: families of children with special needs can visit free on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, 10 a.m. to noon, while the museum is quieter.
• Sensory kits: noise-reducing headphones, weighted lap mats and fidget toys are free to borrow at the front desk.
• Parking: the Visitor Center and Camden/Exchange garages are nearby, plus city meters.

South Carolina Aquarium, 100 Aquarium Wharf. Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., last entry 3:30 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving Day and Dec. 25, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 24. Tickets are for a date and entry time, bought on the tickets page. Free daily programs for every visitor:

Children can touch the rays in The Shallows and, for a small fee, hand-feed them from 10:15 a.m. through 4 p.m. while supplies last. The aquarium closes early, at 4 p.m., on Wednesday, Oct. 21, for a members’ Halloween event. Parking is in the city garage at 24 Calhoun St. (credit cards only) or at street meters.

Tiedemann Park Nature Center, 38 Elizabeth St. A small city nature center with reptile and amphibian displays, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, beside a playground and basketball court; 843-965-4002. More on our parks and trails guide.

Free story times at the library

Charleston County Public Library runs free story times in four age bands: baby, toddler, preschool (aimed at school readiness) and family (all ages, with songs and movement). Dates and times are on the library’s story time calendar. The library also lends Storytime Kits To-Go, with books, puppets and games on a theme, and runs the free 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program.

Branches in the city of Charleston, from the library’s locations page:

Most branches open at 9 a.m.; closing times vary by branch and day.

Playgrounds

The city lists its parks and their features in its facilities directory. Playgrounds families ask about most:

• Hampton Park, 30 Mary Murray Drive (peninsula): playground, trails, restrooms and the city’s biggest flower displays.
• Brittlebank Park, Lockwood Drive (peninsula): playground and picnic tables on the Ashley River.
• West Ashley Park, 3601 Mary Ader Ave.: playground, ball fields, a pavilion and trails.
• Johns Island Park, 1727 Bozo Lane: playground, ball fields and disc golf.
• Daniel Island Waterfront Park, 101 River Landing: playground, riverfront trails and a fishing pier on the Wando River.
• Freedom Park, 985 Barfield St., Daniel Island: playground and soccer field.

James Island County Park

James Island County Park, 871 Riverland Drive, is the county’s big family park: an accessible playground with inclusive surfacing, a kids’ zip line and one of the tallest outdoor climbing walls in the Southeast at the Outdoor Adventure Center, four miles of paved trails, fishing and crabbing from a dock, and boat and bike rentals from 10 a.m. Hours are 8 a.m. to sunset through October and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in November and December; the gate closes to incoming cars 30 minutes before the park does. There is a small per-person entry fee; children 2 and under and Gold Pass holders get in free.

Its splash pad and the Splash Zone waterpark open in summer only; dates are on our summer camps and pools page. In winter the park hosts the Holiday Festival of Lights; see holiday lights and Christmas events.

What this means for you

• On a wet day, pair the Children’s Museum and the aquarium: they are a few blocks apart.
• Library story times are free; check the calendar for your branch before you go.
• Get to the aquarium by 3:30 p.m., its last entry.

More: free things to do, things to do this month and Halloween events.

Frequently asked questions

What are the hours of the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry?

The museum at 25 Ann St. is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Adults must come with a child, and children must come with an adult.

What time does the South Carolina Aquarium open?

The aquarium at 100 Aquarium Wharf is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry at 3:30 p.m. It is closed Thanksgiving Day and Dec. 25 and open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 24.

Are library story times free in Charleston?

Yes. Charleston County Public Library runs free baby, toddler, preschool and family story times at its branches; the dates and times are on the library’s online calendar.

What can kids do in Charleston on a rainy day?

The Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, the South Carolina Aquarium, a library story time and the Tiedemann Park Nature Center, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, are all indoors.