You’ve probably heard the saying, “A little friendly competition never hurt anyone.” Well it turns out that not only does it not hurt, but a little healthy competition is actually good for kids! According to child development experts, competitive games, activities, and sports can help kids learn important lessons about empathy, team work, tenacity, and dedication. The social and emotional skills they learn from winning and losing in childhood can shape how they handle situations in adulthood, from going after a promotion at work to dating to compromising with roommates. So what does all this have to do with learning how to build family memories? 

The Family Who Plays Together Stays Together

It’s harder than ever these days to make time for family fun, but that makes it even more important to carve out time for togetherness. When it comes to planning family outings, some parents are wary of competitive activities because they worry that kids will get frustrated if they don’t always win. However, that’s exactly why you should engage in some friendly competition as a family.

When you play games together, you have a chance to shape the way your kids look at competition. It all starts with being a good role model, so remember that your kids are learning from the way you handle competition and sportsmanship. 

Family Fun in Charleston 

If you’re looking for fun and competitive family activities in Charleston, plan your visit to Charleston Fun Park! Our family entertainment facility has something for everyone, so your crew can enjoy putt putt, go kart racing, bumper cars, mini bowling, arcade games, and even virtual reality attractions.

Challenge your family to a mini-tournament of all of your favorite games! Take turns letting family members choose which games to play next. We have old-school classics like Skee Ball and Air Hockey, as well as exciting new games (or new spins on the legends) like World’s Biggest Space Invaders. You never know who’s going to show off some unknown talent that you never expected. 

After racing each other on go karts or channeling your inner Tiger Woods at putt putt, consider ending your visit on a unified note with a session in our virtual reality arena, Hologate. This immersive virtual reality game unites up to 4 players as a team in an alien apocalypse scenario. Can your family keep the aliens from taking over your compound? 

The main thing to keep in mind when it comes to inter-family competition is to keep it fun, friendly, and healthy. You can tell if the competition is healthy when your kids ask to do competitive activities again, are able to win and lose gracefully, and enjoy learning and improving on their skills in the game. If your child doesn’t want to participate, don’t force it; let them see how much fun the rest of the family is having and they’ll come around eventually. 

Ready to build family memories in an arcade dust-up or go-kart grand prix? Check out our specials for ways to save.

Picture this: You are out on an amazing (childless) date night with some friends. You start out with some drinks and then move on to somewhere nice for dinner. Then, during dinner, a friend offers up a little wager. The wager is a round of putt-putt and the loser has to pay the dinner tab. Right away, you know that you cannot come in last as that extra money would look really nice in your “treat yourself” fund. You also know that you don’t consider golf one of your best talents, but you cannot be the only person to turn down the challenge. What do you do?

Well, you do not have to be Bubba Watson to win a game of Putt-Putt. You will, however, have to bring out your Happy Gilmore and find your happy place. All Chubbs Peterson meant by that was to take a deep breath, relax and not take it too seriously.

Our first and (what we think) most important tip for putt-putt is do not go first if you can help it. The reason for this is because you want to watch how everyone else fails or succeeds at each hole. Make sure to watch which wall or obstacle they bounce the ball against and where the ball rolls after that. If you can observe, you will learn a lot as you go.

Besides that main tip, here are a few other pointers that will sure improve your putt-putt game.

Ah, family—or in the words of novelist Dodie Smith, “that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape, nor, in our inmost hearts, ever quite wish to.” Whether you live in your home town or across the world, making time to reconnect with your family can be good for the soul. People are more mobile than ever these days, but with the wonders of technology and the occasional family reunion, siblings, cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles can still keep the family bond alive. Read on to learn how to throw a successful family reunion and where to host the best family reunions in Charleston!

3 Ways to Make Your Family Reunion Successful

Plan as far ahead as possible.

There’s a reason you probably don’t get multiple generations of grandparents, great aunts and uncles, second cousins, etc. together very often—organizing a large group can be challenging! People have to plan for time off work and school, not to mention sports, social commitments, arranging pet sitters, etc. If anyone is traveling from out of town the logistics of planning a family reunion are even harder. 

Give your family plenty of time to plan for the family reunion and make sure the information sticks! You may want to consider mailing save-the-dates, creating a private Facebook group or event, sending out e-vites through email, and calling or texting. Using a combination of old school and high tech forms of communication will ensure that grandparents and grandkids alike will get the message. 

Choose a venue that can handle a crowd.

Generally the thought with family reunions is “the more, the merrier,” but once you actually count up the potential guests, you may realize that the list is bigger than you initially anticipated. Remember, your cousin Donna has 3 married kids with spouses and 5 grandkids now; will you be able to accommodate them if they all come? 

Contact local hotels to see about reserving blocks of rooms at discounted rates, and be sure that the event venue where you’ll hold the reunion is capable of handling large group events. At Charleston Fun Park, we’re pros at hosting group events, from company parties and birthday blowouts to fundraisers and church events.  

Include fun activities that everyone can enjoy.

No family reunion is complete without some activities to keep everyone entertained! Especially when people haven’t seen each other in a long time (or maybe ever!), you’ll need some icebreakers and games to get everyone comfortable with each other and ready to bond. 

If you host your family reunion at a venue with built-in entertainment, you’re already on the right track for a successful family reunion. At our Charleston family entertainment center, we have something for everyone, from go kart racing, putt putt, and a climbing wall, to bumper cars, arcade games, and virtual reality activities. 

Feeding a crowd is no problem, as we offer a range of catering options and outdoor dining areas where your group can eat, hang out, and mingle. 

Are you ready to plan an awesome family reunion in Charleston? We’d love to help, so give us a call at 843-971-1223 or fill out our online contact form to get in touch. 

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and as we consider all we have to be thankful for, it’s also a good time to pay it forward to those less fortunate. Community service doesn’t have to be a chore; it can be as fun and fulfilling as you make it! Check out these ways to give back and have fun in Charleston this holiday season. 

Volunteer with the Lowcountry Food Bank

The Lowcountry Food Bank makes a huge difference in the fight against hunger in the Lowcountry. In fact, it serves 10 counties here on the South Carolina coast, with distribution centers located in Charleston, Yemassee, and Myrtle Beach. There are lots of ways you can get involved as an individual or group, including:

• Cooking and food prep
• Food donation sorting and packaging
• Nutrition education
• Administrative tasks
• Volunteering at events

To learn more about how you can fight hunger in Charleston, fill out a volunteer application online. 

Get Hands-On with Charleston Habitat for Humanity

Charleston Habitat for Humanity is on a mission to ensure everyone has a decent place to live by working within communities to build affordable housing and open the door to homeownership for low-income families. 

You can contribute through volunteering, donating money, or donating building supplies, but regardless, you should definitely consider volunteering on a build site, as an individual or with a group. You don’t need any prior construction experience, just a willingness to roll up your sleeves and follow directions! Helping to build a Habitat for Humanity house is a great group project for your neighborhood association, church group, office mates, scouting organization, sports team, or just your friends and family. 

While donating money and supplies is important to so many charitable organizations in Charleston, nothing compares to leaving your house and building something meaningful with your own two hands—especially if what you’re building is a safe home for a family in need.  

Host a Fundraiser

Giving your own time and money to good causes in Charleston is wonderful, but what if you could get even more people involved? If you’re looking for fundraising ideas to raise donations for a local nonprofit, you’re in the right place. At Charleston Fun Park, we put the FUN in fundraiser with exciting events that adults and kids alike love. Our many entertainment attractions (go karts, putt putt, bumper cars, mini bowling, virtual reality games, an arcade) ensure that we have something for everyone, so you can rest assured that your Charleston fundraiser event will be a crowd-pleaser. After all, happy guests open their wallets more generously, which means more donations for the causes close to your heart. 

To learn more about hosting a fundraiser at Charleston Fun Park, visit us online or call us at 843-971-1223. 

The nights are longer, there’s a chill in the air, and spooky thrills are all around. As you sip your pumpkin spice latte and put the finishing touches on your costume, consider your Halloween plans. How are you planning to celebrate Halloween in Charleston? There are lots of opportunities for fall fun in the Lowcountry, so check out our tips for a Halloween that’s all treats, no tricks!

4 Tips for a Boo-tiful Halloween

Halloween is all about having fun, whether you’re 6 or 60! These are some surefire tips to help you make the most of it.

1. Dress to impress

It’s just not Halloween without costumes. Whether you buy store bought costumes or make your own, throw on something that puts you in a festive mood and have fun with it. If you’re spending Halloween with friends or family, think of a fun group costume to do together. Pop culture is always a fun source of inspiration, so consider characters from Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, or Toy Story. 

2. Safety first

While Halloween should be a day of fun for all ages, it’s also one of the highest volume days of the year for emergency rooms. Think about it; kids and adults in masks, capes, and bulky costumes running around in the dark on a sugar high, wearing cheap, flammable costumes near pumpkins illuminated by open flame. It’s a recipe for disaster, but it doesn’t have to be!  There are some super simple ways you can stay safe this Halloween, including: 

• Only use foam or plastic prop weapons.
• Keep capes, robes, etc. to a reasonable length to avoid tripping. 
• Make sure all kids and adults in your group are wearing light or reflective clothing if trick-or-treating outdoors.
• Wear glow sticks and glow accessories, and carry a flashlight.
• If you’re lighting a jack o’lantern, consider using battery-operated tea lights or fairy lights instead of traditional candles. 
• If you choose to drink, be sure to have a designated driver or plan to use a car service like Lyft. 
• Leave the dark streets, unattended children, and inebriated drivers to the ghosts. Instead, opt to celebrate indoors where your crew can enjoy themselves without worry. 

3. The more the merrier

Halloween is more fun with friends, and who can resist a great group costume? (See above re: the best pop culture Halloween costumes for 2019.) If you choose to celebrate here at Charleston Fun Park, your group is guaranteed to have a scary-good time. With so many attractions, there’s sure to be something for everyone in the group, from mini golf and go karts to arcade games and virtual reality experiences. We even host group events, so contact us if you’re interested in making a reservation. 

4. Scare up some fun

We’re starting the fun early this year with Halloween specials! Check out the specials below, and be sure to share with your friends so nobody misses out on these great deals.  

So close, but so far. Just beyond the glass, separated by a thin barrier, yet light years away. There it is, the prize you’ve been dreaming of, trapped in the loose and jiggly clutches of the feared and dreaded CLAW MACHINE. 

Okay, so maybe we’re being dramatic, but if you’ve ever gazed longingly at a prize inside a claw machine game, you know the feeling. Don’t despair, because it IS possible to retrieve your treasure. Read on to learn how to beat a claw machine and get ready to grab destiny by the claw on your next visit to our Charleston arcade. 

Claw Machine Tips

Don’t waste your time and money going in without an idea of what you’re doing. First thing’s first, do your research. These claw machine tips are simple, but they can have a big payoff. 

• Do some recon. Watch someone else play the game to see what they try and whether their approach is a good idea. 
• Get your bearings. Take a look at the prize pit. What areas are piled up high and what areas are lower? Are the prizes packed in or are there any that seem “loose,” as if they could fall at any moment? 
• Select your victim. While it may be tempting to grab your favorite item even though it’s not situated well, be strategic. See if there’s anything you can bump or drag into the chute with minimal effort. 
• Think strategically. Of course, sometimes you just have to get that one item. Use your turns to clear other items out of the way that may be blocking it, setting yourself up for a better chance when you do go in for the attack. 
• Position the claw. Once you’ve done everything you can to put your target item in a good position, it’s on to the claw. You should spend most of your time getting the claw into the perfect position. 
• Know when to cut your losses. Sometimes grabbing that one specific prize is just not going to work, at least not for the moment. Walk away and see if someone else steps up to the machine; you never know what they’ll knock out of the way, completely altering the “landscape” of the prize pit. 

BONUS TIP: Don’t assume all claw machines are rigged to be impossible. You’d be amazed how many people don’t even attempt the claw machine because they assume the claw mechanism is rigged to drop anything it picks up. Not true! While some claw machines do allow operators to adjust the settings of the claw mechanism to make it more challenging, that’s not always the case. Give the claw game a shot if you see a prize you want; you’ll never win if you don’t try! 

Whether you love playing new and classic arcade games, racing around the go-kart track, or battling it out in our VR arena, you’re always going to have a blast at Charleston Fun Park.

The holidays are right around the corner, and you know what that means—time to plan some fun company holiday events!  If you’re looking for the best place to host a corporate holiday party in Charleston, you’ve come to the right place. Check out just a few of the reasons you should contact us to learn more about our corporate group events, plus some tips to help make your event a smashing success.

Planning Your Company Holiday Party

One of the most important aspects of planning an office holiday party is choosing the venue. You can always hold an event at your workplace, but who really wants to hang out at work after their shift is over? Likewise, if any of your employees have kids, they may not want to—or even be able to—attend an event that doesn’t allow them to bring their kids along. That means fancy restaurants are out, as well as bars, breweries, and other less-than-kid-friendly venues. 

Instead, opt for a casual, fun event venue with built-in entertainment! At Charleston Fun Park, we have something for everyone. Our outdoor attractions include go karts and putt-putt, while our indoor attractions include bumper cars, an arcade full of classic and cutting-edge video games, mini bowling, and two awesome virtual reality experiences—a VR roller coaster and a VR arena featuring an action-packed cooperative game. (As an added bonus, this makes a great team-building activity!)

As the person planning your company’s holiday party, it’s also important to consider the logistics of your party location. Hosting a party at work or even your home can involve a lot of headaches for the organizers, especially cleaning up after the festivities. You also have to contend with feeding everyone, which can be its own challenge. If you host your event at Charleston Fun Park, we take the stress of party planning off your plate so you can relax and actually enjoy your event. Imagine that! 

We offer a variety of catering options to our corporate event guests, from classic party fare like pizza to southern favorites like barbecue, and much more. If you’d like a dedicated area for your group to hang out and mingle, we offer tiki hut and patio rentals that provide a nice “home base” during your event. This is also a great option if you’d like to incorporate speeches, awards, or other group activities into your event. 

We’re here to make your party a special event from the smallest details on up, so give us a call at 843-971-1223 or use our contact form to get in touch. We’d love to discuss your corporate event ideas and help you plan a holiday party that your coworkers will be talking about for years to come. 

It may not feel like fall yet here in the Lowcountry, but there’s no need to deprive yourself of pumpkin spice lattes, corn mazes, and other seasonal treats. There are plenty of fun ways to celebrate fall in and around Charleston. Read on to see some of our top picks for fall family activities in Charleston in 2019, and be sure to share with your friends. After all, the more the scarier! 

Frightful Fun at Boone Hall

There are two don’t-miss events at Boone Hall this fall: 

• Boone Hall Fright Nights, South Carolina’s largest multi-attraction haunted event. Prepare for scares because Boone Hall has three ways to scare the Skittles out of you! Between the house of horrors, haunted hayride, and zombie-infested playground, you’re guaranteed to catch a fright. Understandably, the attractions are not appropriate for kids under 12 years old. 
• Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze, on the other hand, is a great option for families with younger kids! You can enjoy classic fall activities like picking your own pumpkin in the pumpkin patch, exploring the corn maze, or taking a hay ride; however, there are also a ton of other attractions to tire your kids out, including rock climbing, a giant spider web, a petting zoo, a giant slide, and unique play areas for the kids. 

Charleston Pumpkin Patches

Of course, nothing says fall like a pumpkin patch photo op, so don’t settle for just one! Charleston Moms blog has shared a fantastic guide to local pumpkin patches in Charleston, as well as nearby areas including Summerville, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and Moncks Corner. Some, like The Pumpkin Patch at Mistletoe Lane, also offer fall items like gourds, mums, and hay bales so you can bring some harvest style home with you. 

A Costume Contest for Furry Friends

The Fall Festival at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre is going to the dogs! This family-friendly and pet-friendly event features a pet costume contest to benefit the Charleston Animal Society. There are several categories of prizes, so dress up your dog and get ready to strut your stuff for a good cause. In addition to the pet costume contest there will be live music, a photo booth, trick-or-treating, hula-hooping, arts and crafts activities for the kids, and a bouncy house. The event will also kick off the annual Canstruction event benefiting the Lowcountry Food Bank. 

Plan Your Party at Charleston Fun Park

Want to throw your own Halloween party or fall event in Charleston? From youth groups to office parties, we make group events a blast for everyone involved. If your group is over 10, we offer specialized event packages to help you customize your event. We even offer catering, so all you have to do is show up and have fun! Give us a call to learn more about hosting your fall party at Charleston Fun Park.

There’s only one thing better than enjoying a few hours at an arcade with your friends, and that’s beating your friends and winning enough tickets to buy something awesome at the prize counter! If you love playing arcade games and want to learn how to earn more tickets, check out these 5 “insider tips” from your fellow arcade enthusiasts at Charleston Fun Park. 

How to Beat Friends and Pile Up Arcade Tickets

• One way to get an edge on your friends at the arcade is to pay attention to patterns and rhythms, especially in the games that involve stopping a racing light or something similar. If you play long enough you’ll start to sense when to hit the button. 
• Another good way to up your chances of winning is to watch the people who are getting a lot of tickets. What are they playing, and what techniques are they using? 
• When pulling tickets out at the end of a game, go slow and pull gently. The tickets will be less likely to tear and you may be able to get a few “bonus” tickets with this trick. 
• Look for games that are easy to win. For instance, if the claw machine was just filled and is packed full of prizes, it’s going to be a lot harder to get anything out. Let others waste their time and money while the game is more challenging, then swoop in and try your luck when the prizes are loose and haphazard. You’ll be much more likely to knock something into the chute with the claw than trying to use the claw to pick up a prize and carry it to the chute without dropping it.  
• This tip is likely not what you want to hear, but it’s true: The more you practice, the better you’ll get! The only way to reliably beat your friends and win tons of tickets is to put the time in learning arcade games and how to beat them. 

We have over 50 arcade games, so if you love to play, consider purchasing a Bonus Play Card. Good luck and happy gaming!