Minnesotans love “The Great Minnesota Get Together”!  The Minnesota State Fair boasts the largest daily attendance of any State Fair in North America.  It covers over 320 acres of land and has been going on at its current location for over 130 years.  As summer comes to a close and we get ready to head back to the day-to-day routines that come with the start of a new school year, Minnesotans of all ages love to bid summer farewell with the latest foods on a stick.  The fair has something for everyone, even your youngest family members. Here are some of the attractions that young kids will love and that also provide opportunities for learning disguised as fun:

Animal Barns – Kids love animals and at the Minnesota State Fair they can see many different kinds.  Take your kids to see the animals and talk about things like what they eat, where they live, if they make good pets, etc.

Butterfly House – Butterflies are amazing and so fun to watch.  Talk with your kids about the important things people are doing to try to keep the butterfly from becoming extinct.

Monty’s Traveling Reptile Show and Bob’s Snake Zoo – More opportunities to get an up-close look at critters and creatures and to learn all about them, too.

Math on a Stick & Alphabet Forest – Two spots side-by-side that give kids the chance for hands-on-exploration of numbers and letters.

Little Farm Hands – This is a free agricultural exhibit that lets kids experience a little bit of farm life “beginning at the farm and ending at the market”.

Of course, the State Fair experience is not just about learning – even if it is fun.  Kids will also love the Giant Slide, Kidway and the Giant Sandbox in Family Fair at Baldwin Park.

If you and your family have a chance to get to the Great Minnesota Get Together this year, we’d love to hear what your favorite attractions were and to see some pictures of you enjoying all the fun! Please share in the comments!

(All Stars Montessori kids – bring your favorite picture from the fair to school and tell your friends all about it!)