Big Fun for Little Kids at the Tulsa State Fair
My daughter’s class attended the opening day of the Tulsa State Fair. The purpose of their field trip was to collect ideas so they can create their own mini-exhibits for a school fair in the coming weeks. Many of the parents, including myself, gladly came along as chaperones.
Our visit reminded me that there is so much more to do at the Tulsa State Fair than just games and rides. There is a whole world of animals and projects on display waiting to be seen. When my daughter was much younger, around the age of two, our family took her to the fair for the first time. Though we did some of the little rides during that first visit, what I remember most were the animal encounters and the exhibits. That’s what I’ll remember from this visit as well.
The Super Duty Arena is the place to take children who want to interact with animals. It is also a fantastic educational space. On one side of the space, there are goats and sheep with babies. We saw two baby lambs born two days earlier and wow – were they adorable! The baby goats were just as precious. Handlers were there to answer questions the children (and adults!) had. There were also tons of baby chicks.
After passing by some mama pigs, we sat down to watch a dairy cow milking demo. The demonstrations take place every few hours. Children learn the differences between regular cows and dairy cows, when and how they are milked, nutrients in milk, and much more. In addition to learning about Oklahoma dairy, there are displays dedicated to Oklahoma beef, pork, poultry, wheat, and more. This area is called the Aglahoma exhibit and I certainly learned more there!
A major kid favorite is the Great American Petting Zoo inside of the Super Duty Arena. For several dollars, you can get animal feed in a small cone and offer it to an assortment of barnyard buddies. The animals in this area are gentle but also very eager for food, so remember to keep an open palm when feeding. This is my personal favorite area of the fair! It was wonderful to see people of all ages smiling and laughing while engaging with the animals.
In an adjacent building is the Kids Can Cook demonstration where children can sign up to participate in a cooking demo as well as the 4-H & FFA competitive exhibits and displays. I was impressed at the variety and creativity of this area. The children in our group loved looking at each and every display there. I think they came away with some great ideas for their own projects.
The fair truly is for all ages. Bigger kids can enjoy everything including adventurous rides, but small children will have plenty to explore as well. If you get a chance, consider visiting the Tulsa State Fair this week!
