Educating Our Children | Interesting Facts about Iowa

Interesting Facts about Iowa

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These interesting facts about Iowa for kids include the largest cave in the U.S., the Iowa State Fair, bicycling events, and the production of corn. Find some fun crafts, activities, and books for each state that will engage kids of all ages.


This is part of the 50 states unit study as we travel around America, learning about the history of each state. Check out these Iowa facts for kids below!

Text reads Interesting Facts about Iowa with a map of the U.S. highlighting Iowa in black. Below is a photo of a vast, green field under a blue sky—a perfect visual for exploring intriguing insights about Iowa. The URL 3Boysandadog.com sits at the bottom.

5 Interesting Facts about Iowa

Nestled in the heart of the United States, Iowa features vast plains and sprawling farmland. Its capital, Des Moines, proudly represents the state known as The Hawkeye State.

Since achieving statehood in 1846, Iowa has grown to become the 31st most populated state in the U.S. Additionally, its rich agricultural landscape plays a crucial role in its identity and economy.

Fact One: The Coldwater Cave is the largest in Iowa  

This cave system is over 17 miles long and has one underwater entrance at the base of a 100-foot cliff. It was declared a National Natural Landmark in 1987 and is located in the Cold Water Creek Conservation area.  

Here are some fun crafts and activities that you can do with your kids:

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Fact Two: The Iowa State Fair attracts more than one million visitors every year 

This fair is held every August and was started in October 1854. It’s located in Des Moines, Iowa on the Iowa State Fairgrounds. It spans 11 days and sees over one million visitors per year. It’s one of the largest fairs in the United States.  

Here are some fun crafts and activities that you can do with your kids:

A yellow map of Iowa highlights Des Moines, the capital. The text 5 Interesting Facts about Iowa invites you to explore more, while www.3boysandadog.com appears at the bottom for additional insights.

Fact Three: The longest and oldest bicycle racing event in the world is held annually in Iowa, called RAGBRAI 

The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa started in 1973. This huge recreational bicycle race that people come to race from all over the world every year.   

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Here are some fun crafts and activities that you can do with your kids:

Fact Four: Iowa is the largest corn producer in the United States 

Iowa is one of the largest corn producers in the US with over 86,000 farms owned almost entirely by local landowners. It ranks first in producing corn at around 2.58 billion bushels every year. Most of this grain goes to feed livestock and the rest goes to food and product production.  

Here are some fun crafts and activities that you can do with your kids:

      

 

Fact Five: Iowa is the highest producer of pigs in the United States  

Iowa is the largest pig producer in the US with over one-third of them raised there. The pork industry contributed over $40 billion in sales in 2019 and creates over 147,000 jobs for local Iowans.  

Here are some fun crafts and activities that you can do with your kids:

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More Iowa Resources:

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