Children step up to fun

Forget those expensive Disney rides.

Our kids love those big malls in St. Louis that have escalators.

They love to travel up and down on the escalators.

It's amazing how much fun kids can have on such a utilitarian device.

Better yet, it's free.

I keep thinking our kids are getting too old to have so much fun on escalators.

But it hasn't happened yet. At 8 and 12 years of age, Bailey and Becca still love to ride the escalators.

We met our friend, Sally, at a St. Louis mall on Sunday. We were walking along and suddenly the kids saw the escalator. Within seconds, they had hopped a ride on the people-moving device.

They rode upstairs and down and then did it again, just for good measure.

They would have hopped on the escalator another time or two at least if we hadn't been intent on grabbing a bite for supper.

In today's pay-for-everything world, the escalator is one of the few things in life that's still free.

As a parent, I appreciate anything that is entertaining for children, relatively safe and doesn't require you to open your pocketbook.

I know Becca and Bailey aren't the only ones who love to ride the escalators. Lots of kids do.

I'm surprised mall management hasn't started charging us for having so much fun.

Mom and dad used to tell us there's no such thing as a free ride. But clearly that doesn't apply to escalators.

Of course, I'm sure escalators were never intended to be children's rides. At speeds of 90 or 120 feet per minute, they don't generate the same excitement as a roller coaster. But then you have to pay to ride a roller coaster.

And if you try to go up the down escalator, you can really get a workout, not to mention confuse a few shoppers who aren't sure if you are coming or going.

There's some history to the escalator, too. Surprisingly, it didn't originate with shopping malls.

In 1892, George Wheeler patented a design for a moving stairway that had flat steps and landings at the sides. Jesse Reno developed an inclined conveyor belt equipped with a widely grooved tread to provide steady footing. The first operating escalator, based on Reno's design, was installed in a New York city elevated train station in 1900.

In 1922, the Otis Elevator Co. combined the flat steps and the grooved tread to form the modern escalator and the ultimate in free entertainment for children.

After a few trips on the escalator Sunday, Sally took us to dinner at a Chinese restaurant.

Of course, Becca only ate French fries. The rest of us had Chinese food.

But all of us, including Becca, were intrigued by the cooking. At this restaurant, each customer loads up a metal bowl with vegetables and other ingredients, and a separate bowl with a sauce or sauces.

Those are then turned over to a cook who stir fries your meal as you watch.

The meal wasn't free, but it was highly entertaining. Becca and Bailey even went back to the counter to watch the cooks display their skills with the large metal woks.

Becca, who didn't care to eat Chinese food, of course loved watching the cooking.

All in all it was a good Sunday, full of simple entertainment that you won't find in a Convention and Visitors Bureau brochure.

Mark Bliss is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.