This past weekend we attended Digger Days.  This is a fundraiser for a local non-profit that works with disabled kids and adults.  We went last year and the boys loved it and was shocked at how much more stuff they had this year around.  Lots and lots of pictures.....

Here are just some of the excavators they had for kids to get in and operate.

B working the dirt

JB in a mini excavator

Jbird getting his turn in one.

B in another mini excavator (at least I think this is what all the machines are called).

JB getting into the steam roller that he was able to drive around.

You can tell by the look on his face that he was so proud of himself...

Jbird got to drive the bull dozer

JB in another machine

The long line of machines....I think there are 5 other machines not shown.  All of the 'rides' were 3-5 minutes long, so kids got lots of hands on experience.

They had great mounds of sand to play on, culverts to climb through and tires to jump off of.

Probably one of the coolest things (that was new this year) was the Ditch Witch (can't find the official name - maybe a trencher).  Here is B learning the ins and outs.  This is the machine that tunnels through the ground to it's destination to lay utility lines.  Then when the drill bit pokes out of the ground on the other end (up to 500 feet), the line is then attached to it and it is pulled back toward the Ditch Witch - basically laying the line (at least that was my understanding of the whole process.)

As you stand on the ground above the bit, the ground is shaking as I would imagine an earthquake would feel.  The bit was 3 feet under ground.  The contraption below is called the locator.  This is what is used to read the depth, angle, etc of the bit.  The one operating the locator is always telling the Ditch Witch operator what adjustments need to be made to the bit underground so an existing utility line is not hit and that the end destination is made so the line can be properly laid.

B was totally in his element.  They had business size cards they were handing out that told people what each color line is.  So, now when B sees the orange, blue, yellow, etc. spray painted lines, he knows what is under the ground.  B would hand out the cards to anyone walking by.  I think my kids spent over 20 minutes watching this whole process.  (It just excites me to think that things like this could be laying the ground work for a future job/interest for them.

In the background were lots of other static (I think that is the word) machines that people could just climb up into and look around.

Jbird had lots of fun rolling down the hills.

This contraption was really cool - put out by the electric company.  Each 'person' below is in a potentially dangerous situation, in regard to power lines.  (One guy moving a sail boat and the mast is about to hit a power line, one person climbing a tree, etc).  He would flip a switch and the person, or object they were holding, would move in such a way as to hit the power line.  You would hear the shock and see it.  The person also glowed, but because it was so bright, you could not really see it.

A great, fun educational day!