Kids Learn About Ag at the Museum

Greg Lamp, Contributor

Tucked away on 3 1/2 acres in a corner of downtown Mankato is the Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota, and it's unlike any museum you might have seen or heard of before. Why? The museum's sole mission is to ignite the natural curiosity of kids through the power of play to understand agriculture.

Every year since opening its doors in 2015, the museum annually has welcomed more than 100,000 visitors -- both young and old -- to experience a variety of interactive ag exhibits.

FARM TO TABLE

But, on one special spring day, called Ag Education Day, "Kids and caregivers can discover the fascinating world of agriculture and the trucks that transport food from farms to our tables," says Rob Grover, Amboy, Minnesota, farmer and owner of Grover Farm Trucking.

"When I joined the fire department, we'd come here to the museum for fire safety day, where kids got to interact and touch the equipment," he says.

That's when the light came on, and Grover got the idea to do the same thing with trucks and agriculture.

"We worked in cooperation with the museum to bring in big trucks that would draw kids in and then set up stations in front of each one to help educate the kids."

For example, Grover says one station is about driving a truck that's used to deliver grain, and the kids get to honk the horn. Another station shows a transport that hauls food-grade oils used to make dressings, and the kids use soapy water and sponges to clean it because, well, kids love to play in water.

For first-timers Alex Bahl and his 4-year-old son, Owen, it was all about sitting in the trucks and pulling the chain to blow the horns. "It was awesome, and we'll be back," Bahl says.

MULTIPLE DISPLAYS

In all, more than 10 semitrucks and tractors arranged in an arc formation provide the perimeter to the event on the museum grounds. In the center are several other stations that help keep kids engaged, such as:

-- drones in operation

-- a state-of-the-art combine simulator

-- drainage tiles that kids can climb and crawl through

-- a corn pit in which kids can play.

"Every child finds something magical about different experiences, and that's why this unique event offers something for everybody," says Jaci Sprague, vice president of development for the museum.

In the event's second year, she says the corn pit (shelled corn in a wagon) seemed to be a highlight of the day. Also, every child who attends gets a free "Semi Sam" book from the series by Jared Flinn, which highlights the trucking industry via a semi named Sam.

This year, despite windy, chilly and drizzly conditions, more than 1,000 enthusiastic kids joined in the day of free fun. And, fun they had.

"Our sons' favorite part of the day was seeing the tractors and the big, black semi," Raina Klisch says. "As members of the museum, every couple months, my husband and I load up the kids and go there as a family outing."

HELPING HANDS

More than 50 volunteers were on deck that day, willing to get their hands dirty and stand in the cold without so much as a hint of complaining, Sprague explains.

"We try to involve the children of up to 9 years of age but then also educate the parents or caregivers about agriculture," she says. About 30% of the population served at the museum are given access at no cost because of their income level.

The museum is a nonprofit organization that provides hands-on play, exploration and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) programs, plus theater and cultural experiences.

"If you come to the museum, all children must be accompanied by an adult," Sprague says. "And, all adults must be accompanied by a child."

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:

-- The Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota is located at 224 Lamm St., Mankato, MN 56001.
Call 507-386-0279 or visit https://www.cmsouthernmn.org/…

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