How to Enjoy the Minnesota State Fair with Babies and Toddlers
I had two exciting accomplishments over the weekend! I was able to get out to the infamous Minnesota State Fair for the first time AND enjoyed it with two kids under two without any major toddler (or mommy) meltdowns!
As the hot summer days begin to cool down, the highly anticipated MN State Fair is the place to be for both locals and tourists alike. This year’s “Great Minnesota Get-Together” runs from August 22nd through September 2nd and boasts as one of the top fairs in the US. The fair includes games, rides, tons of concerts and too many food options to count.
Since I’m officially a Twin Cities resident, I was not going to miss out on this long standing Minnesotan tradition that everyone in our family could enjoy. Of course, when you have kids, especially babies and young toddlers, a day at the fair can quickly turn from fun in the sun to meltdown mania in a matter of seconds. Here’s how we were able to have the time of our lives at the fair with two under two:
Prep and Plan the Night Before
Once I put the kids to bed for the evening, my husband and I did a lot of prepping in order to seize the day. Packing the diaper bag the night before is super helpful to quickly get out of the door in the morning. Make sure the essentials are packed including tons of diapers, water, milk, and pacifiers along with an extra set of clothes.
The MN State Fair also has an app that can be downloaded which lists the vendors, rides and also has a map of the fairgrounds. This will help you plan the main areas you want to tackle even before stepping foot onto the fairgrounds.
Get In and Get Out Early
The MN State Fair brings in over 1.5 million attendees each year so you know it can get extremely crowded which does not equate to happy toddlers. The best thing to do is get in as early as possible and leave by the early afternoon.
We went to the fair at 9am when it was less of a crowd so we were able to enjoy walking around without bumping into people with our double stroller. We were also able to enjoy activities without the stress of waiting in long lines.
As soon as it was noon, which is nap time for most toddlers, we felt the brewing of a toddler tantrum and left the fair just in time.
Enjoy Some Baby and Toddler Activities
Although most fair attractions are geared towards older kids and adults, there’s plenty you can do at the MN State Fair with toddlers and babies.
Engulf yourself in beauty at the Butterfly House as these tiny creatures fly around and allow you to hold them. Toddlers and babies alike will giggle as the butterflies soar across the room.
Fall in love with the baby animals at the birthing center. Toddlers can practice naming the animals while surrounded by baby pigs, chicks, and lambs. If you’re lucky enough, you might even see a live birth.
Let your toddlers run wild in the Great Big Sandbox. This is heaven for kids! Let them dig, play and make sandcastles while you take a second to relax from all that walking.
Let Your Toddler Indulge in Some of that Fair Food Too!
We always give our kids super healthy and organic food, right (wink wink)? Let loose and let your toddler chomp down on some of that fair food with you!
Since it was our first time at the MN State Fair, we decided just to dip our toes in by trying some of the Minnesota classics like deep fried cheese curds, fried corn, turkey legs and of course, the infamous Sweet Martha’s Cookies! Our daughter enjoyed tasting just about everything and ended the day with a sugar rush.
I’m happy that we were able to get out to the State Fair as new Minnesota residents and enjoyed a ton of family fun!