Just some old-fashioned fun

We went to Brooklyn today. Brooklyn, Ohio, that is.Memphis Kidde Park (named for the street it is on, not the city) was started in 1952 as an amusement park for younger kids. You have to be under 50 inches to ride their rides, which made it perfect for Grace. Lately, she has shown an interest in all things that "go" - planes and helicopters in the sky, the Goodyear blimp (which flies over our lake often), the train at the zoo, the toy cars at daycare, those coin-operated rides at the mall, and the grocery cart with the car attached at the supermarket. (That last one she calls "mine" as soon as we get out of the car. I fear the day that they are all in use when we get there and Grace has to ride in a regular cart!) Kyle even lets her sit in the front seat of the car (when it is parked in the garage and without the keys in the ignition) and she pretends to move the steering wheel, pulls the emergency break, and tries to play with the radio. So, when I heard about this place I thought it would be worth visiting to let Grace ride to her heart's content.Memphis Kiddie Park has 11 rides that look like they have been there since they opened in 1952. (Well, okay, that is not really true. Although the rides are not NEW, they are clean, well-maintained, and in good condition.) The rides are mostly the old-fashioned ones you probably remember from your childhood - that rocket ride that goes up and down as it moves in a circle, boats that float one behind the other, a small wooden roller coaster, a Ferris wheel... In fact, the entire time I was there I kept thinking about my parents taking my brother and me to Nellie Bly, a kiddie amusement park near Coney Island - also in Brooklyn, New York, of course!. This is just like that place. I guess that is is pretty cool that I can provide Grace with experiences similar to the ones I had as a kid. And, I am so glad that we went today because it brought back a lot of memories that I probably wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

Kyle couldn't wait for Grace, he jumped right on the
Little Dipper with a bunch of other 7-year old boys!Oh, I'm kidding. Grace was sitting right beside him,
but you can't see her in this photo. She didn't like this ride.

The first ride Grace tried were these individual cars that went around on their own axis and also in a big circle. So, potentially you could be moving in more than one direction at the same time. You can see her initial reaction. After this and the roller coaster, I was worried that taking her here was a mistake. But she soon warmed up and eventually rode every ride at least once and her favorites several times.

By the end of the morning, this is how Grace looked
on this crazy-car ride.

Grace chose the merry-go-round for her 3rd ride
- something she is familiar with. It was a good decision!

Here comes the big choo-choo!And the little one.

I think Grace rode the boats the most. Maybe it was because this ride was in the middle of the park or maybe it was because it seemed calm and safe to her. She could barely reach the steering wheel, but she did ring the bell a few times!She also seemed to like this rocket ride. I had fun taking pictures of her on this one. It was a challenge to get anything decent because it was moving too fast to focus and the ride kept going higher in the air with each time around. Eventually, I stood on a picnic table and got the best shots there.

There is something I like about this photo...

We had a nice morning. When we arrived, the park was pretty empty but there were a lot of people when we left. Grace rode the Ferris wheel at the end with these two little girls who were waiting in front of her.Next time, we need to go with a friend....