The National Park’s Awesome Junior Ranger Program

Have you heard about the Junior Ranger program? The U.S. National Parks love hosting young visitors. National Parks are a great place for your child to discover nature, learn about the environment, and test their physical limitations. The National Park Service’s Junior Ranger Program is a great opportunity for kids to have fun while enjoying the great outdoors.

Our kids absolutely love checking out local, state, and national parks. They are pros at exploring historic sites, hiking, and investigating nature. As they examine leaves, walk trails, climb rocks, skip stones, and learn about important events in history, they can earn badges.

As a teacher, I know that kids can learn just as much (if not more!) outside of the classroom as they can inside of one. We encourage our kids to get out and explore and learn what they are capable of. Exploring National Park’s is a great way to learn about US history, natural history, geography, biology, and more.

The Junior Ranger badge program gives the kids a sense of purpose while they’re at the park. While they are there, they have little tasks that they can complete to earn a badge. It helps them get to know the park a bit more intimately and see and experience things they may not have otherwise.

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How do We Sign up for Junior Rangers?

Signing up to be a Junior Ranger couldn’t be any easier! Simply visit the information desk at any visitor center and the park ranger on duty will tell you all about this fun program! You’ll be given a free booklet that serves as a guide for your child to use as they make their way around the park.

The program is open to kids from ages 5 to 13.

Pro-Tip: While you’re meeting with the ranger, ask them to mark the family-friendly hiking trails on your map.

How to Earn a Junior Ranger Badge

Your first stop to a National Park should always be to the visitor center. This is where you’ll pick up a booklet that gives information about the park. Each park has different requirements for earning a Junior Ranger badge. These might range from completing a short hike, picking up trash, watching a short informational film, or in most cases, attending an educational program.

Children can use their booklet to learn about unique features of the park and to review the list of activities they can complete to receive a badge.

Once they’ve completed the required activities, turn the booklet back into the park ranger at the visitor center. Most rangers do a great job reviewing what the kids learned during the day.

Lastly, the kids raise their hands and recite the Junior Ranger Pledge:

As a Junior Ranger, I promise to teach others about what I learned today, explore other parks and historic sites, and help preserve and protect these places so future generations can enjoy them.

After stating the pledge, each kid gets a collective badge (or patch) and a certificate.

Earning National Park Junior Ranger Badges Online

Did you know there’s an online version of the National Park Junior Ranger program? You can download and print digital booklets that you can complete at home. This is totally free! Some of the booklets can even be sent in to the park to get a badge- however, you’ll sometimes just get an online “badge”.

Learn more at https://www.nps.gov/kids/junior-rangers.htm

How to Visit National Parks for Free

Although some National Park sites are free, some of them require a fee to enter. This fee ranges from $5 per vehicle to $35 per vehicle whereas some charge up to $20 a person.

The National Parks offer Free National Park Days where you can access the park for free! Learn more about these days.

If you have a fourth-grader, you can get an annual pass that grants you access to all of the parks for free! Every year, starting on September 1st, all fourth-grade students are eligible for an Every Kid Outdoors Pass. The pass grants free access to the entire family! Fill out the form at www.everykidoutdoors.gov

What Should I Take With Me?

When you’re hiking, please remember to leave no trace! This means to pack out everything that you pack in and if you see trash, pick it up.

Backpack– to store all of your belongings
Dry Bag– to keep your electronics and wallet safe, in case of rain (or kayaking)
Trail GPS– the Garmin Oregon handled GPS works offline. You can view maps, waypoints, tracks, and trails even if you don’t have a signal.
First-Aid Kit– this ultralight, watertight medical kit is a must if you’re hitting the trails!
Sunscreen- yes, you can get sunburned in the forest.
Insect Repellant
Water Bottle– Always pack more water than you think you’ll need!
Snacks

Hammock– I honestly pack a hammock on most hiking trips. Psh, I even bring them along with me when we go on cruises. There are plenty of spots in the forest to put up a hammock and chill out for a bit.

If you’re traveling with your pup, like we often do, be sure to bring along their leash, poop bags, a water dish (this one is collapsible), extra water, food, and snacks.

I can’t wait to get out there and explore more National Parks with our littles. It’ll be so much fun to watch the collect Junior Ranger badges from all of the parks we visit from sea to shining sea! There are so many places that I cannot wait to explore with them. It makes me anxious to start planning road trips right this very minute!

Do you have a favorite National Park? I’d love to hear about it! Drop your favorite park in the comments below and tell us why you love it so much!