Berkeley County First Steps

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Hanahan, SC
Berkeley County First Steps

Berkeley County First Steps helps ensure young children are ready for school in Berkeley County, SC Now there's a new way to donate!

We are a nonprofit supported by donations, grants, and government funds. Conveniently give to us with the Givelify app or website: http://bit.ly/donate-to-bcfs

05/28/2026

BUNNY SNUGGLES ☼ Photos of some of our bunny snuggles during , where young children met and interacted with bunnies close up.

It was a great way for the children to increase their social-emotional health through gentle physical touch, as well as taking turns and sharing with other children.

Pictured are two of our Quality Enhancement (QE) child care centers: Rainbow Arc Academy and Ms. Niecy's Child Care by Denise Stanley-Baker, both in Goose Creek.

Thank you to the wonderful Homestead, who as always supplied the bunnies, empathy, expertise, and endless kindness!

05/26/2026

FOOD & FREEDOM ☼ All perinatal & other young families are invited to our new series, Food & Freedom! The first part in this free series will be this Saturday.

During this fun, relaxed 5-week series held on Saturdays from 11 AM to 12:30 PM, families will explore food traditions through Southern, Gullah Geechee, and Indigenous heritages together. It’s all about connecting, learning, and celebrating the freedom of being together through food and fun!

The series, co-hosted by The BEE Collective, will also include breathing and movement for families, from breathing easy through guided breathwork to getting moving with playful activities that everyone can enjoy.

Facilitating the series will be Takeya Meggett, founder of . Hailing from Edisto Island, her favorite cookbook is the New York Times bestselling cookbook of her grandmother, a chef and community leader, “Gullah Geechee Home Cooking.” The delicious work—the first major Gullah Geechee cookbook—features heirloom rice, fresh-caught seafood, local game, and vegetables including fried oysters, collard greens, and stone-ground grits, was named NPR Best Book of the Year.

Join us each Saturday May 30 through June 27 at our offices at 1007 Bankton Circle, Suite C, Hanahan, SC. We’re easy to get to, not far off I-526, and we have cozy play areas for children and comfortable seating for older members of the family.

Register today at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/food-freedom-food-traditions-breathwork-and-movement-for-families-tickets-1989020570068

05/21/2026

CELEBRATING EARLY EDUCATORS ☼ Earlier this month we surprised our Quality Enhancement (QE) child care centers with -Fil-A lunch boxes, tea, and lemonade for . See some pics!

Thank you to each & every one of you! You are appreciated more than you know

05/20/2026

FOOD & FREEDOM ☼ All perinatal & other young families are invited to our new *free* series, Food & Freedom!

During this fun, relaxed 5-week series held on Saturdays from 11 AM to 12:30 PM, families will explore food traditions through Southern, Gullah Geechee, and Indigenous heritages together. It’s all about connecting, learning, and celebrating the freedom of being together through food and fun!

The series, co-hosted by The BEE Collective, will also include breathing and movement for families, from breathing easy through guided breathwork to getting moving with playful activities that everyone can enjoy.

Facilitating the series will be Takeya Meggett, founder of Earth Child Inc. Hailing from Edisto Island, her favorite cookbook is the New York Times bestselling cookbook of her grandmother, a chef and community leader, “Gullah Geechee Home Cooking.” The delicious work—the first major Gullah Geechee cookbook—features heirloom rice, fresh-caught seafood, local game, and vegetables including fried oysters, collard greens, and stone-ground grits, was named NPR Best Book of the Year.

Join us each Saturday May 30 through June 27 at our offices at 1007 Bankton Circle, Suite C, Hanahan, SC. We’re easy to get to, not far off I-526, and we have cozy play areas for children and comfortable seating for older members of the family.

Register today at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/food-freedom-food-traditions-breathwork-and-movement-for-families-tickets-1989020570068

05/12/2026

TEACHING SOCIAL SKILLS ☼ Child care professionals and early educators are invited to attend our free training session Teaching Social Skills in Small Groups: part of our Quality Enhancement (QE) program for child care centers.

During this two-hour virtual session at 6:30 PM Tuesday, May 19, together we’ll explore the importance of teaching social skills and practice aspects of lesson planning, small group structure, and role play support.

Two CURR hours will be given! Register to get your Zoom link at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/w5Crrx2hTEebI2gEEGRNsA

05/08/2026

FREE WATER TRAINING ☼ Are you a little hesitant to let your children play in or around water, whether in swimming pools or the Lowcountry’s many bodies of water? Join us on Zoom for an engaging hour of free education led by Nicole of Gullah Swim Academy.

The training, Water Safety for Caregivers, have been designed for families, guardians, and child care center families. All are welcome!

You can choose to attend one or both of two sessions: the first at 6:30 PM Thursday, May 14 and the second at 6:30 PM on Thursday, May 28.

Register here for instructions on how to join the meeting! https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Wd832Eq0R4WUgweGbgej5Q #/registration

Thank you to Palmetto Goodwill for making these sessions possible!

04/30/2026

CHILD CARE CENTERS ☼ We are now accepting applicants for our 2026-27 Quality Enhancement (QE) program for centers! To learn more and be eligible to be selected for this free program, attend our one-hour session at 12:30 PM at our Hanahan offices on Wednesday, June 17.

Our QE program provides expert one-on-one coaching and support to set goals, review progress, and improve your strategies over time, including an initial third-party expert assessment designed to help identify areas of improvement and strong points; professional development; and other resources to early educators at Berkeley County child care centers and family & group child care homes who are committed to offering the highest quality of child care to young children & families in our community.

We also work to engage participating child care centers with their communities through special events and an annual professional recognition reception to honor all the hard work done over the year.

If you would like to provide your staff with *free* DSS credit training hours, receive one-on-one coaching for your staff, and improve your ABC rating scores, join us to learn more!

Use the QR code to reserve your seat or sign up at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/hBHZW3mjTRysxYeoFdOTUQ #/registration. We will meet at our offices at 1007 Bankton Circle, Suite C, Hanahan, SC 29410.

04/27/2026

PICS! ☼ Our Parents As Teachers families enjoyed a special Bunny Snuggles session during their April connection! On Saturday, April 18, we welcomed for one of their joyful, popular sessions where young children meet and interact with bunnies close up.

Families learned more about the bunnies, including differences and similarities, what they eat, how they’re housed, and their need for less stimulation. It was a great way for the children to increase their social-emotional health through gentle physical touch, as well as taking turns and sharing with other children.

www.berkeleyfirststeps.org/parents-as-teachers

04/24/2026

SPOTLIGHT ☼ Home visitors play an important role in the lives of families across the country. Please join us in celebrating this unique field and the people who make it so special!

One such professional is our own R. Simone Lee (shown at right). As our parenting & community director, she schedules and arrives for hour-long personal visit at the home of our Parents As Teachers families, where she helps them explore positive parenting practices and learn about the stages of early childhood development.

Thank you, Simone, for all the knowledge and love you pour into these families!

www.berkeleyfirststeps.org/parents-as-teachers

-FSP/61558242012096

04/23/2026

SPOTLIGHT ☼ Home visitors play an important role in the lives of families across the country. Please join us in celebrating this unique field and the people who make it so special!

One such professional is our own Renee Gant. As one of our Parents As Teachers ( PAT ) parent educators, she schedules and arrives for hour-long personal visit at the home of PAT families, where she helps parents explore positive parenting practices and learn about the stages of early childhood development.

Thank you, Renee, for all the knowledge and love you pour into these families!

www.berkeleyfirststeps.org/parents-as-teachers

-FSP/61558242012096

Address

1007 Bankton Circle, Suite C
Hanahan, SC
29410

Telephone

+18432020739

Website

https://www.berkeleyfirststeps.org/, https://es.berkeleyfirststeps.org/

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