It's Good to Be a Kid, Especially if You Live in South Dakota

It's good to be a kid, and a new study says it's really good to be a kid if you live in South Dakota.

There are a lot of things in life that kids love, you know, things like toy stores, candy stores, amusement parks, places to play video games, etc. According to the folks at ABCMouse, the state of South Dakota offers kids a lot of the different things they love.

Recently, ABCMouse conducted a study that compared state populations with the various amenities that kids enjoy. A "Kid Score" was then assigned to each state based on the number of different amenities they offer children.

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The study showed South Dakota ranks rather high in terms of being a kid-friendly state.

The Rushmore State finished with a "Kid Score" of 62.2, good enough to be 5th best in the nation.

When ABCMouse examined South Dakota they found we had 1.1 amusement parks per 100K kids, 16.5 pizza places per 100K people, and 2.8 zoos per 100K kids.

Their research judged every state in the nation on twelve different factors. The percentage of the population ages 14 and under, pet ownership rates, number of indoor playgrounds, number of libraries, number of children's museums, number of zoos, number of toy stores, amusement parks, trampoline parks, bowling alleys, candy stores, and pizza places.

New Hampshire ended up being the most kid-friendly state in the country, followed by Maine, North Dakota, Vermont, and then South Dakota.

You can take a look at the complete list of ABCMouses findings here.

Source: ABCMouse

15 Free Things to Do with Kids in Sioux Falls

"What are we gonna do with these kids?" A question every parent askes, especially in the summer. And it's always better if what you do with the kids is free.

Sioux Falls is a small city full of big fun for all ages, and a lot of it is free. We have world-class parks, museums, live music and so much more. Here's a handy list of 15 free things for you and the kids to do in Sioux Falls.

Gallery Credit: Ben Kuhns

Twelve South Dakota Places to Put on Your "Must Visit" List!

Make the most of summer in South Dakota and visit these spots that speak to why SD is great!

A lot of them you might have visited, some you haven't for sure, and some are old favorites that maybe you haven't been to in a while. So, while there is still a little time or even one more weekend, and gas prices are down a bit - - try and make it to one of these great places.

What can be found in these 12 locations?

What can't? Camping, fishing swimming, kayaking, birdwatching, and tons of other great outdoors-type activities. Historical, educational exploration, hobby interests, kids activities, just plain old beautiful scenery, and- - to use an overused phrase- -lots more!

With all of that in mind, let's dive in!

Gallery Credit: Patty D