Family Safety Tips for the Minnesota State Fair

People sliding down the giant slide at the Minnesota State Fair

Minnesota State Fair Safety is REAL!  That’s why the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department will be hard at work to keep our families safe.

Family Fun Twin Cities promotes many activities akin to the Minnesota State Fair. They are busy events. They are crowded. There is a lot of stimulation. The potential for getting separated from your child is real (just ask Anne about the time she lost her 7-year-old at the Fair for an everlasting 2 hours).

Bringing young children to the Fair can seem overwhelming or just plain crazy to some parents. We understand. We’ve toted our own kids to the Minnesota State Fair since they were infants.

To help prepare you for the event, we’ve put together a few safety tips for Minnesota State Fair Family Safety.

Minnesota State Fair Safety Before You Go

  • ID Bracelets! Pick them up at Information Booths just as you are entering or at dozens of locations around the Fairgrounds, open 8am-8pm.
  • If you don’t have an ID Bracelet, you can write YOUR name and phone number on a piece of paper pinned to the inside of their shirt or in your child’s shoe. Somewhere that is easily located, but not announcing to the world who you are and where you live.
  • Coach your children whom to look for when they can’t find you. A police officer or a mom with children are great options. We don’t want them talking to any stranger, but if they can’t find us, they need some direction. It’s also important to remind them that if you become separated, they should stop moving immediately and stay in one place.
  • Take a picture of the kids before you enter the Fairgrounds to help you remember what they are wearing. This can be important in case you need to give a full description of your child to State Fair police. I like to try to dress my kids in similar colors so they are also easier to spot as they weave through the crowds.
dad with kids at fair
Take a photo showing what everyone is wearing (no matter how goofy they choose to dress)

Safety During the State Fair

  • If you do become separated from your child, seek assistance immediately. The State Fair has a missing child protocol that they can implement much faster than trying to locate your own child in a panic. They are more effective, too.
  • Keep in mind the places you have already been or things your child had been asking to do before you were separated. That information will be helpful for the searchers.
Boy Meeting St. Paul Police Officers at Minnesota State Fair
Coach your children whom to look for when they can’t find you

If you see a lost child at the  State Fair

  • Reach out for help from nearby fair workers, security guards, or police.
  • Stay near the child in the spot where you found him while help comes.
  • Reassure all the children that everyone is doing all they can to help and it won’t be long.
  • If you can, stay for the resolution even if you aren’t needed. Your children will want to know if the child will be okay. Plus, it teaches them that many times others’ needs are as important as their own.
Girl showing her 'OLIVIA" name poster at the Alphabet Forest attraction at the Minnesota State Fair
Pin YOUR name and phone number on a piece of paper – but don’t make it too obvious

More Minnesota State Fair Safety Tips

  • Stay hydrated! Water is best (we’re betting this is a no-brainer for you). We bring along a large water bottle and refill it throughout the day at one of the many water fountains or water bottle refill stations throughout the Fairgrounds. Drinking water also helps us save money and can curb overeating.
  • Lather the kids with sunscreen before you go. If you forget, the State Fair offers free sunscreen dispensers at the many information booths.
  • For families with food allergies, the State Fair welcomes guests to bring in their own food and beverages.

Scroll down to read parent tips.

Now It’s Your Turn. Do you have tips for Minnesota State Fair Family Safety? Have you had close calls? We want to hear how you handle safety concerns at crowded events. Leave a comment with your best advice for parents taking their littles to the fair!

More Minnesota State Fair Fun

3 thoughts on “Family Safety Tips for the Minnesota State Fair”

  1. Not about getting lost, but I did see a young baby standing in a wagon one minute who flipped out the back two seconds later because the father did not stop. Be sure to use the straps if your child can stand. Also, saw a boy try to crawl into a stroller by himself, with his parents watching. The stroller started rolling and he fell on his head. Be careful and be aware.

  2. My favorite advice I’ve ever been given is to stop at the party store for matching helium balloons. Tie it to the back of there pants. Then you can scan the crowd for the balloon if you lose your child.

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