As a full-time traveling family, visiting national parks and landmarks is a big part of our journey. For our 7-year-old son Calvin, the Junior Ranger program has been a tremendously positive and enlightening experience. The Junior Ranger program, which is offered by the National Park Service and other state and local organizations, is an activity-based program that aims to educate young visitors about the parks and encourages them to take an active role in protecting and preserving them for future generations.
Calvin’s journey as a Junior Ranger began when we first visited Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The Junior Ranger program there included a booklet filled with activities and questions about the park’s history and significance. Calvin was highly engaged in the booklet and was eager to complete the activities and answer the questions, often doing so during our hikes through the park. Once he finished the booklet, he shared his answers with a park ranger, and was awarded with his first Junior Ranger badge, patch, and certificate. From that point on, Calvin was determined to collect Junior Ranger badges from every park we visited, with the goal of filling his entire backpack with badges.
Throughout our travels, Calvin has earned Junior Ranger badges from a variety of parks, including Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, National Mall and Memorial Parks, Independence National Historical Park, First State National Historical Park, Colonial Jamestowne National Historical Park, Statue of Liberty National Monument, Saguaro National Park, Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, Morristown National Historic Park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Wright Brothers National Memorial Park, South Carolina State Parks, Petrified Forest National Park, Redwood National & State Parks, White Sands National Park, Everglades National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, and New York City Parks. The program has been an excellent way for Calvin to learn about the history, culture, and environment of the parks we visit.
Moreover, by earning badges and patches from different national parks, Calvin has developed a sense of responsibility and stewardship towards these national treasures, which is a great way to teach children about preserving the environment and natural beauty. The Junior Ranger program also helps create a lasting connection between the child and the park, resulting in memories that will last a lifetime.
As we continue our travels, we always make sure to look for the Junior Ranger program in each park we visit. Not only does it provide a fun and educational experience for Calvin, but it also allows our family to have a deeper understanding and appreciation for the park’s history, culture, and ecology.
In conclusion, the Junior Ranger program has been an incredibly positive and enriching experience for Calvin and our family. It has helped create lasting memories and a deeper appreciation for the natural beauty of our country’s national parks. We highly recommend the program to other families traveling with children, as it offers a fun and interactive way to learn about and protect these unique places.