Baby animals delight children
Spectators, children and their parents, waddled through mud or rode an old fashioned wagon to the activities that awaited them at the annual Baby Animal Day and Easter Celebration at the American West Heritage Center.
“Farm animals are something all of the kids love to see,” Steve DeLong, the director of finance administration said.
Last year over 10,000 total people attended the event, DeLong said. However, this year the rainy weather slowed down the activity.
Bunnies, piglets, lambs, chicks, ducklings, goats, ponies, puppies and kittens were there for children to pet and hold.
“[My kids] loved petting the chicks and the bunnies, that was their favorite,” Megan Oliverson, a mother at the event, said. Her personal favorite part was watching her kids get the pony and horse rides.
“Most importantly what we hope to achieve is to teach how the animals are cared for – teaching a history lesson,” DeLong said. “They [the animals] are treated very well.”
“We are trying to develop our relationships with Utah State because we think it’s a natural fit,” DeLong said.
Students from Utah State University were there volunteering to help with the animals.
Stacy Petersen, a second bachelor’s student studying parks and recreation, had a class that went and helped. She grew up in the city and never got the opportunity to see many farm animals and was never able to hold them.
“It’s worthwhile even if it is cold,” she said.
Benjamin Cummings, a junior studying psychology came out to help to read to the children with his friend Ron Jenson. Cummings said Jenson found out about the event and wanted to help.
“It gives [the kids] a chance to come in form the cold and not be board,” Cummings said.
Live oxen and a chance for the children to brand a paper animal were in the Ox Barn.
Debbie Terry, the special event coordinator for the AWHC, said there are a lot of opportunities available for college students, such as volunteering and internships as well as opportunities for any service group.
The heritage center also offers a history lesson through all of the sites and shows examples of how education works, she said. It can help the education department at USU to learn about teaching kids.
“My kids love it – to get out of the city and see the animals,” Yara Bingham, another mother at the event said. “They get to do arts and crafts and they love that too.”
Jacob Tilley, a young boy attending the event said his favorite part was the chicks and holding a black bunny. He said all of the animals reminded him of sea world.
Aside from petting the animals, Easter egg hunts and story time were also provided for the children.
After May 30, the Heritage Center will be opened daily to visitors, Terry said. For further information concerning the heritage center and its internships and volunteer work e-mail info@awhac.org.
-amysueh@cc.usu.edu
Davis Anderson from Layton holds a baby chick with two hands during the Baby Animal Day at the American West Heritage Center. This was the second year Davis and his family have come to Logan to see the baby animals. (Photo by Jennifer Wheatley)