Fun on the Farm at Rodeo Houston

Mom Elizabeth Shackouls with (from left) Charlie, Caroline and Annie at Fun on the Farm.

There are still a few days left to enjoy all of the fun at RodeoHouston. It’s packed with lots of fun activities for children of all ages.

My husband and I brought our kids out on Tuesday for some Spring Break fun. It was a perfect day with temperatures in the mid-’60s and lots of sunshine. The grounds at the rodeo open at 9 a.m., which is great if you want to get an early start and beat the crowds.

We brought our 3-year-old twins, Cash and Lila, and our 1-year-old, Georgia. It was a fun-filled and very busy day. There’s so much to do at the Rodeo but my favorite areas for our young kids is the precious “Fun on the Farm” exhibit at the carnival.

Fun on the Farm is free (no carnival tickets required) and open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The area gives children of all ages a chance to explore the world of agriculture by following the process of producing agricultural products, from farm to market.

Charlie Shackouls, age four 1/2, milks the cow at Fun on the Farm.

I spotted another Buzz mom, Elizabeth Shackouls, on Tuesday at the rodeo. She brought her four kids, Annie and Cate (3-year-old twins) and Caroline and Charlie (4 1/2 –year-old twins) to Fun on the Farm as well. “[It] was such a unique spot for the children to sneak away from the chaos and noise of the carnival,” Elizabeth said. “It offered families a quieter spot to learn all about agriculture, which is essentially the foundation of the rodeo.”

The children get hands-on experience through participating in farm chores such as “milking a cow” (not a real cow), gathering eggs, planting and harvesting crops and feeding pretend chickens in a chicken coup. The attraction also includes a mini credit union from TDECU (Texas Dow Employee Credit Union) branch where children can learn about how credit unions work. As you exit the farm, the children get a token to spend $1 at the General Store for a treat. Finally, you pass by “goat mountain,” where real goats are frolicking on a rocky hill.

Caroline Shackouls, age 4 1/2, learned about agriculture in Fun on the Farm.

My kids loved it and took away some knowledge, too. The Fun on the Farm rodeo volunteers were wonderful at explaining each step of the process; some of the volunteers were actually school teachers on their Spring Break. My kids also had the chance to climb high up into a real John Deere tractor.

We also ventured through NRG Park to peruse the shopping area and let the kids people watch from their strollers. We also walked around to see the beautiful livestock. Finally, we headed to the petting zoo inside NRG (near the shopping) to see some goats, sheep, deer and more.

We finished off our day with a few of the carnival games and some delicious Rodeo fare including corn dogs, French fries, fresh-squeezed lemonade and ice cream.

The Rodeo wraps up this Sunday, March 18 so there’s still time to bring your kids out.