At-Home Fair Fun: Alphabet Forest

When you venture into the Alphabet Forest at the fair, you enter a world where words and letters jump to life, especially for the young and young at heart. What better place to inspire a love for reading and vocabulary than the captivating world of the State Fair?! These do-at-home activities bring the magic to you.

Fabulous Fair Alphabet Word Game

Even without a State Fair this year, you can still play the Fabulous Fair Alphabet Word Game! Print a copy of the Alphabet Word Game card. Then, visit the Minnesota State Fair Photo Gallery, and use the pictures to find words for all you SEE, HEAR, READ, FEEL and EAT at the fair. On your game card, write two words that begin with “A” next to the printed A on your card. Continue through Z. Having trouble finding words for one of your letters? Look around your house or yard to find even more words. While we can’t send you a blue ribbon for completing the game, we look forward to having you play the game at next year’s State Fair and awarding you a ribbon then!

• Alphabet Word Game card
• Minnesota State Fair Photo Gallery

Write Your Own State Fair Poem (or Sentence)

Pick a photo from the Minnesota State Fair Photo Gallery and write down all the words you can think of while looking at it. What do you see in the picture? What would you smell or taste if you were there? What would you hear? How does the photo make you feel? Once you’ve created your list of words, pick at least three to include in your State Fair poem (or sentence).

• Minnesota State Fair Photo Gallery

Featured Blue Ribbon Showcase Authors and Books

Every day during the State Fair, you can meet a different author in the Alphabet Forest’s Blue Ribbon Homegrown Author Showcase. If you’re looking for great books for children to build your reading list and at-home library, here are some selected authors and illustrators – along with their featured books – who have been part of past showcases.

• Blue Ribbon Homegrown Author Showcase Reading List
• Complete List of Blue Ribbon Showcase Authors Through the Years

Minnesota Agriculture Crossword Puzzle

Fill in the puzzle while learning fun facts about food.

Action Words Word Find

The State Fair is a place of constant action! What verbs can you find in this puzzle that describe things people do at the fair?

Make Your Own Word Banner

Spell out your name, a special occasion or another creative word with these imaginative letters. This photo opportunity is one of the most popular stations at the State Fair’s Alphabet Forest.

Alphabet Forest Facebook Page

Alphabet Forest Founders Debra Frasier, Steve Palmquist and Vicki Palmquist couldn’t imagine a year without the Minnesota State Fair, so they’re creating the fair at home on Facebook. Debra shares videos of how to create your favorite State Fair places out of items you have at home.

Plus, join dozens of Alphabet Forest authors, illustrators and volunteers as they share their own short videos full of project ideas and favorite State Fair words.

Visit the Alphabet Forest at the Minnesota State Fair

The Alphabet Forest is free with fair admission