I braved to take my two boys, ages 2 and 4, by myself to the OC Fair yesterday.

It was Kids Day at the fair, and children ages 12 and under were admitted free, a promotion running Tuesdays through July. (In my excitement about the freebie offer, I overlooked that kids ages 5 and under are always free. But I’m still glad we went).

I was excited but nervous about our venture. Kids, hot weather, and crowds/long lines can prove a disastrous combination. But the day was easy, and we had a blast!

We spent the day at Kidland and the animal pavilion. And there are lots of free activities for the little ones, many based on this year’s “Cowabunga!” theme.

Here are the highlights:

Cowabunga Beach is a surf-theme pavilion in Kidland that offers a large sandbox “beach” where kids can dig in the sand with shovels and pails. There’s also free games like a water balloon splat, balloon blast (pumping a balloon with air till it pops), and beach ball basketball. The Toddler Tidepool is a calm area where little ones can play with developmental toys. The adjacent Cowabunga Stage offers fun shows, like juggling acts.

Our favorite activity was the kid-size Ralph’s grocery store. Kids can stroll around with a pint-size cart and shop for 10 items or less, which includes plastic and real groceries. It was interesting to observe what my boy shopped for, which surprisingly included a plastic cucumber and French bread loaves. An employee “rings up” the items with a play cash register and bags the groceries, which the kids then put away themselves.

And my boys also loved the Prehistoric Pets area, where you can get up close to pythons, iguanas and other reptiles (housed safely in terrariums), and touch giant tortoises.

Tips for a fun day at the fair:

• Bring bottled water
• Wear sunscreen (and a hat)
• Bring travel-size hand sanitizer
• Bring snacks
• Play kids music in the car for the long wait to get a parking spot
• Pay the $10 for preferred parking, which puts you close to the entrance. (Trust me, you’ll be happy you did!)
• To save more cash, go for the $20 wristbands (sold till 5 p.m. Tuesdays-Wednesdays), which gets you unlimited rides till 8 p.m.

~Cynthia

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