Betty's Excellent Adventure part 1

There are some things that are hard to write about when you do not have kids around, and so I was quite excited to have a little city gal from Indianapolis stop by for a visit a week ago. Our first adventure was at the Whistle Stop Cafe north of Monon. The last time I had a two-year old visit, he really enjoyed this place, and so did our little "Betty."

She was, however, rather indifferent to the big equipment outside.

She was more interested in what the people were doing in the parking lot below than in the interior of the caboose.

But she absolutely adored the trains that run over head. Is there any better place to eat in the area if you have a preschool child?

Betty was very happy that we have Internet out here in the boonies, She cannot read or even know her letters, but she can control a computer mouse. It is fascinating to watch her accomplish things in the little games she likes. The program on the screen is called Burning Monkey Solitaire, and she could not play the game, but she could click on all the things that surround the game and get the reactions that are programmed for them.

A couple of years ago a colleague gave me an article that argued that the students in colleges were digital natives while faculty were digital immigrants. The students had grown up in the digital world and it was natural to them. The faculty had arrived in this world when they were adults, and it was a bit alien for them. What will the kids in Betty's generation be like if they are playing computer games when they are two years old?

Another of our indoor adventures was a trip to the library.

Betty liked the lion rug in the kids section.

The gold fish did not interest her much, but she did give a computer game that featured Dora a try. Unfortunately for her, almost all of the games on the library computers are meant for kids at least three years older than she is.

Back in the corner she found a toy that was more suited for her.

However, the fun of Rensselaer for a little kid is not what she can do indoors. It is the outdoors that promises the most fun. You can read about that in a post later this week.