My kids have very limited experience with amusements parks. When they were 3 and 4 years old we went to Disneyland in California while visiting their cousins. We also went on a 3-day camping trip in Big Sur during that same visit and when we got home there was nary a mention about Disneyland. It was all about the camping trip and the seals and 'mermaids' (which were seals but they were convinced they were mermaids) and the waterfall we saw on a hiking trail.

And our one trip to Storyland was too much for our little G. when she was 5 and we ended up in the playground area of the park for almost the entire visit.

So raising a child who is overwhelmed with the hustle and bustle of moving people, no interest in rides and a husband who also doesn't care for crowds either and doesn't like spending the kind of money amusement parks cost, we haven't made a return trip to one.

The girls will generally do one or two rides at each county fair we visit during the summer, which is usually the merry-go-round and some sort of kiddie ride that goes in a circle. They are intimidated by the big rides and haven't considered even trying them until this summer.

In July they tried the bumper cars at the Ossipee Fair for the first time and that was big news at our house.

In contrast, by the time I was 10 I was begging my dad to take me to Canobie Lake Park to ride the big coasters (which he first introduced me to a couple of years before that).

So when L. asked to ride the 'big kid rides' at the Cumberland Fair on Wednesday I was happy she wanted to give them a whirl.

G. still doesn't want anything to do with the rides so I purchased a ride bracelet with L. while G. and grandma (who trekked up to Maine for the day to see the girls' exhibits at the fairgrounds) walked around to sample all the food instead.

One of the rides on L.'s list was the ferris wheel (which she tried for the very first time at OOB last month with her friend) so we took some shots from the top.

We had to take a picture of the 4-H hall.

We spotted G. in her pink skirt with grandma walking around.

After the ride we made our third visit the Maple Sugar house (we've spent 4 days at the fairgrounds so far with one more day to go for the float their club made for the parade tomorrow). We all LOVE maple cotton candy and can't seem to get enough of it.

And what a surprise that L. brought a Webkinz with her on every ride. She is definitely going to be a big pocketbook type when she's older. She has a lot of 'necessities' to carry around all the time.

Do your kids have a favorite amusement park ride? We'd love ride and park suggestions for next year. L. and I might take an amusement park trip and leave G. and daddy at home.