A Look At Some Great Activities And Events For Children Of All Ages

by ANN Correspondent Dave Ziegler

When in comes to stimulating the mind and imagination of a child, nothing compares to the magic of flight -- and there is no better place to experience that magic than EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Below are just some of the amazing activities guaranteed to both entertain and educate children of all ages...

Duggy the DC-3

On Tuesday, children will have the chance to learn about Duggy the DC-3 from owner Bob Odegard at the KidVenture Hero Stage from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Odegard, who owns both the yellow, smiling Douglas DC-3 and a World War II-era Chance Vought F4U Corsair, will talk about several venerable aircraft and heroes who flew them. Duggy himself will be on display all week long at AeroShell square, and for those who can't make AirVenture, information about future Duggy appearances is available from www.duggy.com/.

Andy's Airplanes

The SkyScape Theater will be showing a preview the brand new children's series "Andy's Airplanes." The program, which combines live action and animation, follows the adventures of Andy, an eight year old boy who loves to learn about and play with airplanes. Episode I will on Tuesday, July 24 from 3:00 to 3:30 pm, on Thursday, July 26 from 10:30 to 11:00, on Saturday, July 28 from 10:30 to 11:00 am, and on Sunday, July 29 from 2:30 pm to 3:00 pm.

Meet Amazing Pilots

The KidVenture Hero Stage will host a number of well-known pilots, giving children of all ages the opportunity to meet their favorite airshow performers and aviation legends - including General Chuck Yeager, who will share his experiences on Saturday from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm.

Other notables include Kent & Warren Pietsch of the Jelly Bean Airshow Team will appear on Tuesday, July 24 from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm The Red Baron Pizza Squadron will take the stage on Tuesday, July 24 and Wednesday, July 25 from 2:00 pm to 2:30 pm, and again on Saturday, July 28 from 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm See aerobatic performers Kyle Franklin and Matt Younkin on Wednesday from 10:30 am to 11:30 am and again on Saturday from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Airshow performer John Klatt appears on Saturday, July 28 from 10:30 am to 11:00 am.

Children's Activity Hangar

Children ages three through seven will find lots of fun and educational activities at the Children's Activity Hanger, which is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm, and Sunday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Some activities include reading and coloring, making clay airplanes, puzzles, quizzes, and more. The Children's Activity Hangar is conveniently located north of the FAA control tower and southeast of the Honda Forums Plaza. Note that parents or grandparents must remain with their child. A stroller parking area is provided.

Author's Corner

Meet Valerie Nichols, author of Sammy The Sparrow: First And Faster on Tuesday, July 24 from 5:30 pm 6:45 pm and again on Saturday, July 27 from 8:30 am to 9:45 am at the Authors Corner/Wearhouse. In the story, Sammy, a sparrow who loves to race, is shocked when he is beaten by an unfamiliar creature.

Also at the Author's Corner/Wearhouse will be Alice Klaybor, author of "Meet The Robins', Saturday, July 28 11:30 am - 12:45 pm. Klaybor's story focuses on birds of a different feather: a family of robins.

FMI: www.airventure.org