WATERLOO - Their first stop was for Tom Thumb Donuts.

Then for Dippin' Dots ice cream. Then cinnamon nuts. Then pizza and cotton candy.

But Deb Benedict of Waterloo; Preston Miller, 10; and Benedict's baby grandson, Kainen Benedict, hadn't had their fill of Kids Day at the National Cattle Congress Fair, which continues today.

"We can't leave until we have a funnel cake," Benedict said, laughing.

By 1:30 p.m. Friday, Preston was debating whether to try the carnival rides.

"I don't know if I'm going to be able to now," he said, rubbing his belly.

Since arriving when the gates opened at 10 a.m., they'd done spin art, dipped their hands into Jacuzzis, toured a model park home and campers and walked through barns with farm animals.

Waterloo and Cedar Falls schools again scheduled their all-district professional development day to coincide with the annual four-day fair, so students would have the day off. Benedict, who retired last year from Black Hawk Elementary, would have otherwise had teacher inservice Friday.

"I haven't been able to enjoy this for a long time," she said.

Cody Penrod and his friend, Connor Weber, freshmen at Columbus High School, were at the Midway, relentlessly trying to win jumbo stuffed tigers by breaking glass bottles with baseballs.

Three shattered bottles in a row would get them a giant Spider-Man, but after an estimated10 to 15 attempts, the closest Penrod had come was only two.

Earlier in the day, Penrod checked out the farm animals to learn more about his 3-month-old rabbit.

"I found out my rabbit's going to grow to 10 pounds," he said.

Sisters Tyah and Iyanna Hoskins, ages 12 and 5, respectively, spent the day with their grandma, Ardie Proctor of Waterloo. They took advantage of the unlimited ride wristbands for $20.

"That's well worth it," said Proctor, adding, "I've seen a lot of grandparents out here."

Attendance for Kids Day was up from last year, when area students didn't have the day off from school, said NCC general manager Doug Miller. Surrounding communities and rural areas that did have classes were busing in second-graders to tour the grounds Friday. The children particpated in the annual Discover Program, hosted by Black Hawk County Extension. It teaches kids about agriculture and how food gets on the dinner table.

"Where else are people in Waterloo and Cedar Falls going to get exposed to this kind of activity?" Miller asked. "They'd have to go some place far away."

Admission for adults is $10 and $8 for seniors (age 60 and older). Kids ages 5 to 12 are $5. Once in the gate, all entertainment is free except for rides and carnival games. Parking is free.

The main event in McElroy Auditorium is the PRCA Rodeo starting at 7 p.m. today and 3 p.m. Sunday. Kids' shows, animal exhibits and motor sports are also available.