Education

Six Sites for Learning at the Fair

Sure, the Fair is full of fun, food and rides – but it is also a place where education blends seamlessly into the experience. Here are the top seven ways to make sure your little fairgoer and entire family get an educational boost at our 360-acre classroom!

1. Visit the barns – What better way to learn about animals than up close and personal? There, you can see the animals, and speak to a farmer who raises them to learn about their daily routine, the care the animal receives and how what they do on their farm impacts your daily life. Each day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., you can also milk a real cow in the OVMA Veterinary Education Center!
2. Show off your artistic side – Stop in the modern Cox Fine Arts Center for guided art tours from knowledgeable artists throughout the day. There, your family can learn about numerous art styles, the various media used and the impact of arts on Ohio. Kids can also make their own artistic mark on a giant Fair “Monster Mural” each day in Central Park (with washable paint, of course).
3. Visit exotic animals – See animals from all over the world without having to leave Ohio! Our free petting zoo located in Meijer Kiddieland has a range of exotic animals including llamas, zebras, antelope, camels and kangaroos.
4. Learn to farm – Learn about Ohio’s largest industry in fun, hands-on ways in the Nationwide Donahey Land & Living Building with an amazing exhibit curated by the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. Kids can experience farming equipment from driving pedal tractors and planting corn in tractor simulators to harvesting wheat in combine simulators.
5. Do an experiment or two – Swing by the Youth Center where you can take part in “Phun with Physics” for some extreme science or meet the Invention League’s Professor Prototype. Take part in fun, hands-on science activities, including  launching rockets, the spinning barf wheel of science and so much more. This series is a constantly changing exhibit with experiments in technology, science, engineering and math.
6. Take in a little nature – The expansive eight-acre Natural Resources Park is an oasis of educational activities – whether you’re interested in seeing some real Ohio wildlife animals, a prairie of tall grass native to the buckeye state, or a geological walkway examining the ancient natural materials that have shaped our great state, this park has something for you. Want an even more concentrated educational experience? Stop by the pavilion, filled with informative exhibits on a variety of natural resource and recreation topics, such as geology, forestry, wildlife, coastal management, mining, conservation, tourism and more.