Why didn’t they do this before? That is the overwhelming response of parentswhen they see the KidVenture tent in back of the EAA’s Museum, at AirVenture’99. The reaction of visitors has become predictable: The kids sprint from oneplace to another, so excited they aren’t sure where to start, as parents lookwide-eyed at an astonishing selection of activities for kids. All of this ismade possible by dedicated volunteers who obviously give a darn.
KidVenture is pure excitement for kids. For the littlest ones, there is thechance to operate those pedal planes they have seen by the entry arch or in thevendor booths. A racetrack has been set up for the pedal-plane pilots topractice for Reno. Nearby is a full-motion visual flight simulator. There is aconstant line as kids wait impatiently for their turn to climb into what lookslike an open-cockpit Link trainer, and discover that the controls work and theairplane can be pointed in almost any direction. The looks on the faces of thekids as they "fly" the airplane are to be treasured.
Around the perimeter of the tent is a collection of famous and not-so-famoussport airplanes now in the hands of the EAA. From a Prescott Pusher to some tooobscure to identify, each is open for kids to get in and try the controls. Theseare real airplanes, not mockups. The kids seem to recognize this and rush fromairplane to airplane, eager to see what is inside the next one.
At the other end of the tent, kids get to try their hand at making Estesmodel rockets with as much or as little assistance as they need immediatelyavailable. Those more inclined to immediate gratification can make"straw" rockets. Fins and wings are attached to drinking straws, whichare sealed at one end. They are then slid over slightly smaller straws. Theastronaut then blows as hard as he or she can through the smaller straw andlaunches the rocket. Someone has thoughtfully placed various stars, moons and ahula hoop on the ceiling as targets for the rockets. Happy pandemonium comesclose to describing that area.
A few feet away, boxes of equipment await the hands of children. From theboxes, kids select wings, a fuselage, stabilizers and other devices to build aglider that can be launched with a rubber band. Since there is plenty of grassnearby, test flights and adjustments can be made with little delay.
By walking a short distance, each kid over 42 inches high can try his or herhand at flying an actual control-line gas airplane. This is the real thing.Helpers assist the young pilots as they turn counterclockwise and concentrate onholding altitude as the airplanes whiz around at the end of the control lines.
For the smaller kids who may not be ready for all that, a play area near thecontrol tower is designed just for them. Surrounded by a white picket fence, thearea offers a model airport with toy airplanes and Lego blocks that allow littlekids to be creative. Scattered around the area are a number of toy airplanesthey can ride, plus an airplane bench and other aviation-related toys aimed atthe toddler set. For parents, the best part is that volunteers will play withthe children, and there are tables with umbrellas where the parents can sit andhave a little quiet time while their offspring work off a little energy.
An informal poll of parents indicates that the overwhelmingly favorite spotat Oshkosh for kids and parents is the big KidVenture tent behind the museum.The EAA has come up with a winner. If you have children, plan on spending asignificant amount of time KidVenture. You and the kids will be very glad youdid.
