Kids Can Learn What It Means To Be A Park Ranger With This Fun National Park Program

Creating a national park requires more than a simple land designation. They need management and protection as visitors or natural disasters can have detrimental effects on these special places. Park staff, especially park rangers, are at the forefront of this mission. There are a few different types of rangers in national parks, including those dedicated to enforcing park rules and others who focus on plants and wildlife. An overarching theme for the work these rangers do is education. Rangers can teach visitors about the park's geologic formations, important wildlife, and more.

Kids visiting national parks, national monuments, and other places managed by the National Parks Service can learn what it's like to be a park ranger through Junior Ranger programs. As Junior Ranger participants, kids can interact with fossils, take part in scavenger hunts, and use the National Parks Service app to turn their photos into postcards. In an era where kids are spending more time indoors, Junior Ranger programs make the great outdoors more engaging and teach them about the importance of national parks and all the living creatures that call them home.

Aside from learning about what park rangers do, many Junior Ranger programs have specific themes. Programs might help kids discover archaeological sites, learn how the railroad shaped American land exploration, or how caves form. Junior Ranger programs help everyone stay inspired to support national parks even after their trips end too. Participants can take home their activity booklets that cover everything they've learned. These booklets also offer kids a sense of accomplishment with certificates or badges signifying that they are officially Junior Rangers. Before the adventure ends, new Junior Rangers can take a pledge to keep learning and practice park safety.

Before you plan a fun, family-friendly vacation to a National Park Service destination, remember that not all have guaranteed Junior Ranger program availability. Be sure to check the location's website or onsite visitor center to see how each park caters to visitors of all ages so that everyone can connect with the awe-inspiring things to behold at national parks. Most programs are for kids of all abilities between ages of five and 14, but families are welcome to stick around during the activities too!