Tractor show - fun stuff for little kids

Seems a person or two has posted in the past, wondering about ideas to entertain kids at tractor shows.

We took our grandkids Saturday (3 and 4 years old). The biggest hits for them were:

The miniature train rides.

The petting zoo - where they could feed animal crackers to a lady's rabbits and goats.

But the biggest hit of all... was a man who had a display with a real small hand-crank corn sheller, a small hand-crank corn grinder and a tiny hand operated water pump.

Our grandson (4 yrs.) would have shelled ears of corn until the "cows come home", if we had let him. He also ground up some corn and the man sent a zip-lock bag of the ground corn home so our grandson can feed it to birds in their backyard.

And our grandaughter (3 yrs.) loved the hand water pump! She pretty much got soaked from head to toe... with soap suds clear up to her shoulders. LOL
They guy said he always adds a few drops of dish soap to make it more interesting for the kids.

There were several other little kids around that display and they looked like they were enjoying it just as much as our grandkids.

And if that man happens to be reading here on YT... Thank you! You're a kind and patient man and you made the show more fun for a lot of little kids.

We have a pedal tractor obstacle course using gallon milk jugs full of colored water, also this year we had a "paint this tractor" with water based tempera paints and brush. Wish I had the picture of the Massey 44 when the kids got done with it!

We have had bounce houses before, but kids seem to prefer interactive amusement.

that sounds like great fun!!!

Same thing here, took little guy, petting barn and corn sheller were his favorites.

We also take a sheller and kids like to run them but the best kid attraction I have ever run is the screen cooler we use to cool a couple of our larger engines. I usually add food coloring to the water and the kids will come up and look a bit, then they cautiously stick a finger out in it and next thing you know they are playing in it. The water only gets bath water warm at the most and even adults are intrigued by it.

The Albert City Threshermen & Collectors show has a potato patch. They get groups of kids by age, plow up a row or two, give them bags, and then give instructions to the group. Different rules, etc for the kids to gather the spuds. They get to keep their take. It is very popular.

Our club has an old fashion rope maker that the kids do all the work, and they keep the rope. Big, Big hit with the kids.
One of our members has 2 old well pumps together and some rain gutter track for plastic ducks. The kids that pump the water the fastest the duck finishes first. No prize, but they sure have fun. We also have kids pedal tractor pulls each day. they all win an ice cream bar. go to www.fallharvestdays.com to see pictures.

When ours were young they were mesmerized by the blacksmith, watched a long time. Grandson also and he enjoyed grinding corn. One thing that says a lot, they used to ask what good were the hit and miss engines? They just sit there and run. Displays should be doing work for those who don't know.

Our show has a lot for the kids. Our showgrounds has a road around it, a team of horses pulling a wagon round and round, stay on as long as you want.(free) They do rest the horses, A barrel ride pulled by a garden tractor, several "kids" games, sack race , tug of war, and the pile of straw with coins in it. Amazing how a few dollars of coins will keep them looking. And of course the peddle tractor pull, with trophies. This year we had a miniature train ride, Other attractions , horse pull, square dancing tractors,bands, square dancing, weed wacker pull. Keep the kids happy and they will return.
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When I was little I remember going to several engine shows with my grandpa and he had to practically drag me out of the gas engine display!!! I loved the corn shellers, grinders and water pumps. The engines running on there own were always kind of boring even though I was probably looking at $25,000 engine. So when I display I have all of my engines belted to something. Water pump, corn sheller, feed grinder, washing machine, generator etc. I never get asked "what were these used for" because they can see it first hand. The kids love my maytag washing machine with kick start engine. Just have to make sure the wringer is away from the rope so no one gets hurt. Its show season here in MN now, Just wish I had a better job with more free time!!

My 2 year old likes looking at the tractors as much as I do, it's nice when there is some things geared for her though. We'll take her to princeville this weekend, sounds like it'll be hot like last year.