Fun Times At Memphis Kiddie Park (Parent Tip)

Although I do not have children, I suggest that parents take their children on surprise fun outings once in awhile.  I remember going to a tiny amusement park that just had rides for little kids.  Sometimes I remember my parents just surprising us and saying “We’re going to Memphis Kiddie Park today.”   It first opened in 1952, a year before I was born and is still going strong today! 

I remember liking to ride in the Ferris wheel cages, the carousel, the cars, the boats that went in a circle and how hard the one ride was that you had to keep turning a wheel to make it go along the track.  Here is a picture of all of us four kids by the trolley car ride.  (I am the one farthest on the right--I don't remember those awful peddle pushers though and don't know why we are wearing tennis shoes!)  It even had a small roller coaster that at first was kind of scary, but that I got to like a lot!  I believe by going to the Memphis Kiddie Park and being able to experience the fun of going on different rides when I was very little sparked my love for amusements parks when I got older.   They even had a miniature golf course with fun obstacles where I often played when I was older.

I remember thinking as a kid that working at Memphis Kiddie Park would be a fun job.  The ones running the rides get to make kids happy and collecting the tickets,  turning the rides on and off looked like an easy job to me.  I never did apply for a job there though.

Years later, when I was youth director at our church, we went there with 5^th-8^th graders for a miniature golf outing which my dad helped me with. 

When I was commander of our AWANA Club at church, one year I organized an outing for all the Sparks (boys and girls in K-3^rd grade) who had finished their handbooks.  They had a great time and so did I.  I could even still fit on the Little Dipper roller coaster and still enjoyed it!  I’m the one right in the front!

I have many pleasant memories of this little fun place.  If you live in the Cleveland area or visit with young children, I highly recommend to take them here.  It’s very family friendly!  

To find out more about my book and why I wrote it, read the Foreword here.

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