UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Children visiting Penn State's Ag Progress Days, Aug. 14-16, can spend a day swinging, climbing, riding and earning prizes at the exhibits and displays to be found at the state's largest outdoor agricultural exposition. But parents will know that their kids are getting opportunities to discover the connections between all living things.

The Family Learning Hub, located on Main Street between West 8th and 9th streets at the Rock Springs site, is an area dedicated to promoting healthy eating, healthy lifestyles and spending time together as families. One section of the hub is the Youth Building, which will offer several kid-friendly booths around the theme of "The Web of Life."

The booths, sponsored by such groups as 4-H, FFA, Pennsylvania Dairy Princess, the Pennsylvania Envirothon educational program and several Penn State academic departments, will have a theme-based activity for kids, who can earn prizes by visiting each booth and completing activities related to the theme.

"Living things are interconnected and dependant on other living and nonliving things for their survival," says Sanford Smith, natural resources youth extension specialist, who is coordinating activities for the building. "We want to help children to respect and understand this intricate balance of nature, and to be aware of how it influences any changes we seek to make in the environment."

Another special feature of the building will be a large "Playweb" for kids to climb on and "make connections" between things in the web of life. "There will be labeled balloons on the nodes of the web designating different living things," Smith says. "The kids will climb to and touch at least two of the living things to make a connection."

Adjacent to the Youth Building, the Family Room building focuses on "Families Learning Together," according to Matthew Kaplan, associate professor of intergenerational programs and aging.

"For families to thrive today, they need certain types of information," Kaplan says. "Our exhibits emphasize ways in which family members can come together to learn about health and nutrition, financial strategies to build security, effective child care practices, and pesticide safety. Another theme that cuts across most of the exhibits is helping families find ways to spend more time with one another."

Family Room exhibits will include "Better Kid Care," with childcare information for parents and providers; "Pesticide Education," with a mini-golf activity and an interactive robot to help people better understand the meaning of such hazard "signal words" as "Caution," "Warning" and "Danger"; "Families United Now," which shares ways for families to spend fun time together and parents to be involved in after-school programs; "From Me to We: A Game of Intergenerational Discovery," which promotes intergenerational discussion; and "Nutrition Links," which provides recipes and free samples of homemade whole-grain snack mix.

"Of course, the food demonstrations are always one of the most popular features in the Family Room," Kaplan says. "Visitors will receive free food samples and recipes, and learn how to prepare healthy meals families can make."

Also at the Family Learning Hub, the Shaver's Creek Environmental Center exhibit returns this year with daily talks and demonstrations featuring such animals as turtles, snakes and birds of prey.

Other family-oriented activities at Ag Progress Days will include:

--The Kid's Climb. Near the Equine Exhibits Building, kids can climb 40-foot-tall trees just like professional arborists, with ropes and harnesses for maximum safety. --A-Maze-N-Corn. Next to the Crops and Soils Tent, a two-acre corn maze provides a huge green-and-growing puzzle for entire families to wander through, with wheelchair and stroller access. --The Pony Express. On Wednesday, Aug. 15 at the equine exhibits area, visitors of all ages can ride a pony under expert supervision -- an opportunity for anyone who has always wanted to ride a horse or learn more about riding and horsemanship.

Penn State's Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 14; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 15; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 16. Admission and parking are free. For more information, visit the Ag Progress Days Web site at http://apd.cas.psu.edu.

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Gary Abdullah Writer-Editor 814-863-2708 gxa2@psu.edu