🌴 Breezy Family Walk, Back to School Events and Real Ingredient Ice Cream

Hey Palmetto Parents!

This week it feels like we are all welcoming back to school and saying goodbye to summer. Such mixed emotions! Maybe you are feeling relieved, nervous or emotional (OR all three) for the start of the new school year. No matter where you are in your end of summer feels, we have a great newsletter ahead with plenty of great info for your week here in Charleston.

First, grab the kids and cool off while also being outside. The walking pathway on Pitt Street Bridge is one of those simple activities that I can often forget about but is easy, fun and memorable!

After a fun activity with the family, don’t forget to check out your local neighborhood’s back to school bashes happening all over CHS. I highlighted just a few of the big ones. Score some free back to school essentials and even a free haircut. I love how much each of our communities is so supportive of making kids feel loved and prepared for the start of school!

Don’t skip the yummy (sort of healthy!) new ice cream shop in Mount Pleasant. Phil’s Ice Cream. It’s the perfect place to get a fun treat that everyone can enjoy.

Lastly, if you are one of those parents that has your traditions all lined up for the school year, please share your ideas in the comment section at the end of the article. If you are like me and want to do cute, fun traditions but can’t seem to find the right one, we have the best idea for you. Check out what our family does to celebrate the end of the summer and look forward to the new school year.

Have the best week!

Hey guys — Daniel and Courtney here, founders of Palmetto Parents.

We launched Palmetto Parents in March 2024 as a personal project for our own family. Today we're sharing another one: Storybook Studio.

It began the way most of our ideas do. We were looking for something for our boys that didn't exist. We wanted a book where they were actually in it: their face, their name, a story about something they're going through. We couldn't find one that did it well.

So we built it.

How it works:

Charleston families get it first — before we open it to anyone else.

Go build one.

Your kids won’t want to put it down.

See your kid as the hero of their own story, and tell us what breaks. We're two parents who made this ourselves, and we'd rather hear it from you now than find out later.

We took our kiddos to Pitt Street Bridge for a little family picnic, and it ended up being the sweetest family date. We strolled along the bridge, blew bubbles (until they got dumped out, of course), snacked on some yummy treats, and enjoyed the cool harbor breeze while everyone walked by.

The kids loved exploring the marsh access areas where they could get up close without trudging through the mud. They felt completely free to roam and play while we kept a close eye on them. If you want to make a day of it, bring a football, bubbles, or even a watercolor set. Although, don't be surprised if they end up spending more time throwing rocks or playing with a dirt clump instead, our kids sure did!

Pitt Street Bridge was once the only way to reach Sullivan's Island and is now a favorite spot for walking, fishing, and taking in beautiful views of Charleston Harbor. It's especially gorgeous at sunset. Don’t forget to bring your stroller and let your kids ride their scooters. This walkway is completely paved and easy for little ones to navigate. Our kids were worn out pretty quickly into our picnic, so we didn’t get to see the sunset. I can’t wait to go back post bedtime to see the view!

One fun bonus is that there's usually a shaved ice truck parked near the front of the bridge, making it the perfect post-walk treat for the kids. Just be sure to plan ahead because there are no bathrooms. Dogs are welcome on a leash, and if you enjoy fishing, the end of the bridge is a favorite local spot to cast a line.

It's such a simple outing, but one that feels like a little Lowcountry adventure every time we go. Perfect for strollers of all types, dogs and the whole family!

If you're looking for free things to do with the kids this weekend, you're in luck! From backpack giveaways to family festivals, there are plenty of opportunities to have fun while getting everyone ready for the new school year.

Friday, August 7 – Pack the Back: Back-to-School Event

Kick off the weekend at Flight Adventure Park in North Charleston from 4:30–8pm for the annual Pack the Back event hosted by the Elizabeth Gamble Foundation. School-aged children from Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties can receive free school supplies while enjoying community activities. Students must be present to receive supplies, and families with multiple children should bring each child's report card for registration. Some ticket sales are limited and there’s a waitlist. Click here to see more.

Saturday, August 8 – NCPD "It's Cool to Be in School" Giveaway

From 10am–1pm at the North Charleston Sports Complex, the North Charleston Police Department is hosting its annual "It's Cool to Be in School" Supply Drive Fun Day. Families can pick up free school supplies and backpacks while kids enjoy games, face painting, music from a live DJ, delicious food, and even free haircuts from local barbers and stylists. It's a fun community event that's been helping local families get ready for school for nearly two decades.

Saturday, August 8 - Back to School Fun Day in MP

Later on Saturday, head to Mount Pleasant for the 2026 Kids Back to School Fun Day. This event will be from 2-9pm and you can grab a ticket here. Families can receive free book bags and school supplies while enjoying a full day of entertainment, including water slides, jump castles, a game room, a live DJ, snow cones, popcorn, free grilled food and drinks, and plenty of activities for the kids. Parents are welcome to bring lawn chairs and tents while everyone enjoys the festivities.

Sunday, August 9 – First Day Festival

Wrap up the weekend at the City of Charleston's First Day Festival from 1–4pm at the Gaillard Auditorium and the South Carolina Aquarium. This free community event includes school supplies, free admission to the South Carolina Aquarium, entertainment, food trucks, and a community resource fair. Live 5 will also be giving away backpacks while supplies last, making this a great way to celebrate the start of a new school year.

After spending the afternoon exploring Pitt Street Bridge, we made our way to Phil's Ice Cream in Mount Pleasant, and it was the perfect way to end our family outing!

Phil's has such a fun twist on traditional ice cream. You start by choosing from a few simple, premium ice cream flavors, then pick your favorite frozen fruit to mix in. They use a special machine to blend everything together into the creamiest soft serve, creating a treat that's fresh, flavorful, and unlike anything we've had before.

What really stood out to us, though, were all the thoughtful little touches for families. There was a cozy reading nook where the kids could look at books while we waited in line, and a perfectly sized kids' table that was just right for our now-toddler. They even have a little step stool so younger kids can peek over the counter and help choose their flavors.

Outside, there's plenty of seating to enjoy your ice cream, and the sticker dispenser was an instant hit with our kids. They may have gotten a little too excited about it and needed Dad to remind them to leave a few stickers for the next kids!

Phil's is family-owned and focuses on three simple things: always delicious, always real, and always fun. Their award-winning premium ice cream is made without high fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors, so every serving is rich, creamy, and thoughtfully made. They also have dairy free options! Add in the friendly service and welcoming atmosphere, and it's easy to see why this spot is already becoming a local favorite.

They are open daily from 12-9pm and are located at the Shoppes at Seaside Farms 1960 Rivera Dr. If you're looking for a fun family treat, especially after a day at Pitt Street Bridge, Phil's Ice Cream is absolutely worth the stop. We already can't wait to go back and try another fruit and ice cream combination!

Back to school! How are you and your kids feeling about the new school year? We just found out our neighbors' son will be in my daughter's kindergarten class, and we couldn't be more excited. He does jiu-jitsu, so I already know she'll have someone looking out for her. Meanwhile, my oldest is feeling a little nervous about leaving his best friends at our local Christian school as we transition to a hybrid homeschool program, where he'll spend some days in the classroom and some learning at home with Mom. Our youngest will be together at this little school in the neighborhood next door and we are so excited to have them together!

A few years ago, we started a simple back-to-school tradition that has become one of our favorites: lighting sparklers the night before school starts. It's a chance to slow down, talk about our hopes for the year ahead, and replace some of those first-day jitters with excitement.

Before the sparklers burn out, I always remind my kids, "Tomorrow, be confident. Just like this sparkler lights up the night, you light up every room you walk into." They may not remember every first-day outfit or lunchbox, but I hope they'll always remember how loved, encouraged, and capable they felt before walking through those school doors.

If sparklers aren’t your thing, think of something else, but make it special! You deserve to celebrate the big or small things.

Have the best week!

Love, Jenna