Kids
Free Summer Fun
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.) -
Many of the best things in life are
free sunshine, fresh air, water,
parks, and lots of agriculture re
lated activities.
Pennsylvania has 127 fairs,
sometimes called farm shows.
Most offer free admission and
free activities. In addition to see
ing cows, horses, sheep, goats,
and rabbits, petting zoos or tents
are set up for children to cuddle,
touch, and admire animals up
Keven, Zachary, and Nicole Vernarec, Clinton Town
ship, N.J., cradle a baby bunny at the popular petting zoo
during the Clinton County Farm City Day.
Climb the Dinosaur Rocks at Mount Gretna. The
huge boulder are a natural formation of rocks that form
interesting shapes such as dinosauers.
close. Activities often include
tractor pedal pulls, hay mazes,
and hay bale tosses.
In the upcoming weeks, fairs
are scheduled in many commu
nities. To experience the fun, ask
your parents to help you find a
fair near you.
Another option is visiting state
parks and state game lands.
Along Colebrook Road near
Mount Gretna (Lebanon County)
are Dinosaur Rocks. These rocks
are a natural formation of huge
boulders that are shaped like di-
Komer
nosaurs. Kids have lots of fun
climbing over these and running
around the woods located on
state game lands.
Perhaps you have a favorite
free place you like to visit. Write
and tell us about it. Include a
picture if you have one. We will
print the information so other
kids can have fun too.
To have fun, you don’t need to
pay high admission tickets to
visit amusement parks. The ac
tivities on this page are amusing
to kids of all ages.
Kids At
Ag Progress
ROCKSPRING (Centre Co.)
Don’t forget to bring the kids
to Penn State’s Ag Progress
Days, Aug. 15-17.
The Family Learning Hub,
near the food vendors on Main
Street between West Bth and
West 9th, will interest kids
whether they live on a farm or
in the city. The Hub includes:
• ImAGination Station.
Here, the science of agriculture
comes to life. Experience out
of-the-ordinary exhibits such as
the “Bugmobile,” a roving,
“talking” car painted like a
ladybug. The Bugmobile
teaches kids about insects and
other potential pests and reduc
ing our exposure to pesticides
through integrated pest manage
ment (IPM) with live insects
for a real hands-on experience.
Visitors also can add their good
looks to a 4-H character at the
“Picture Yourself in 4-H” exhibit
and take home a souvenir.
• Shaver’s Creek Environ
mental Center. This exhibit gives
visitors a unique look at native
Pennsylvania animal species,
such as live raptors, snakes, tur
tles and frogs, and some hands
on natural history exhibits.
• Farm Animal Learning
Center. This is the place to learn
about farm animal welfare, in
cluding animal care and use is
sues. The exhibit includes dairy
and beef calves, goats, lambs,
pigs, miniature horses, chickens,
retired greyhounds and other
farm and companion animals, as
well as information about the
myths and facts of farm animal
production. More than 50 hand
outs, mostly for grades 3-8, will
cover almost every aspect of ani
mal agriculture.
• Family Room Building.
Here, master storytellers will
weave their magic tales daily at
noon. Jan Kinney, award-win
ning short story writer, will spin
her yarns on Tuesday and
Thursday.
• Ermyn King, creator of
multisensory story-dramas, will
perform on Wednesday. Visitors
can go on a treasure hunt, play
in the water, do art activities,
and read. Educational exhibits
by Penn State and other agencies
include food preparation demon
strations; life skills and financial
know-how; spotting scams and
Alex Marple, Covington, pedals to the winner’s circle
durihg the Farm City Day held in Tioga County recently.
Cole Stahr, 11, of Annville recently showed his heifer in
two classes at the Southeast District Junior Dairy Show at
Lebanon Fairgrounds. Photo by Michelle Ranch
ripoffs; summer safety for chil
dren; the “six pillars of charac
ter”; tobacco use prevention; re
ducing your family’s pesticide Other activities for the youn
risk; getting fit and choosing ger crowd include “A-Maze-N
foods sensibly; hazards of lead Corn.” At the Natural Resource
and carbon monoxide poisoning; Conservation Partnership area,
food safety and dressing, han- kids can play in the water at the
dling, and processing wild game “stream table,” make fish prints
and fish; and an exhibit that en- and enjoy other educational ac
courages eating more fruits and tivities.
vegetables and purchasing local
ly grown produce from farmers’
markets and stands.