OutGrown Blog

While National Park Week is celebrated in April, why not celebrate our National Parks all year long with books! Try reading one of these books and get inspired to take a future trip! All Aboard! National Parks by Kevin & Haily Meyers This wildlife primer is a great way to introduce the youngest of children to the national parks! Children begin their journey by boarding a train and travel the country by visiting some of the most amazing parks. They'll meet an animal common to each park as they pass through by train. Bright colors, whimsical illustrations and landforms of the parks will capture the attention of the youngest of readers. A collection of animal prints is also featured in the book. Mule Train Mail by Craig Brown Meet Anthony. He may look like a cowboy, but Anthony is actually a postman. Working with his team of mules, Anthony makes the mile-long trek down the South Rim of the Grand Canyon delivering mail, groceries, water and more to the people of Supai, a village at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Anthony and the mules endure steep trails and even rain to make sure the villagers get their mail and other necessary supplies. Detailed, colorful illustrations show readers what the Grand Canyon looks like from all angles, not just from the top. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of this book will go to the Havasupai Head Start program, which helps children in Supai develop early reading skills. Your Guide to the National Parks by Michael Joseph Oswald With so many national parks to explore, it may be helpful to sit down with a book and explore all of your options before planning your trip. Your Guide to the National Parks contains more than 450 photographs and plenty of kid-friendly activities. If you're looking to visit more than one park, Oswald includes 11 suggestions for multi-park road trips that include sites of interest as you venture from one park to the next. Lodging information and hiking trails are also included, making this book a perfect companion as you hit the road to explore America's treasures. For more information, including maps of the parks, visit www.stoneroadpress.com. National Parks Guide U.S.A. by National Geographic Kids Are your summer travel plans taking you to a national park this year? If so, grab a copy of National Parks Guide U.S.A., the kids’ companion to National Geographic Guide to National Parks of the U.S. In this guide, you’ll be able to read about the different regions of the country and the national parks that find their homes in each region. Within each region, there is a guide for the specific national parks where readers will find pictures, history and websites. The individual sections also provide ranger tips, where to find the best views, checklists for what to do and maps showing some of the sites you don’t want to miss! Readers will also be able to discover what plant and animal life to expect in each of the parks. This guidebook would be especially helpful in getting older children excited for a trip to a national park, and it will have them helping plan trips for the future too! ABOUT OUTGROWN OutGrown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to create a world where everyone can enjoy the physical and mental benefits of spending time outside. We are focused on creating opportunities and removing barriers to access so families with babies and young children can take their first steps outside. We believe all families have the right to connect with nature, benefit from spending time outdoors and be inspired to a lifelong love of nature. Since its grassroots inception in 2013, OutGrown is a growing community of 280,000 families and over 300 volunteer Branch Ambassadors. More information on all of our programs can be found at WeAreOutGrown.org  EDITOR’S NOTE: We hope you enjoyed reading this article from OutGrown. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you. But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. We do not ask this lightly, but if you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach.

There are over 60 protected areas that make up the national parks. The national parks are a great way to expose young hikers to nature in so many different forms. From mountains to wildlife and everything in between, there's so much to explore. Tips for Exploring the National Parks with Kids America's national parks have something to offer visitors of all ages. To make the most out of your trip to the park, whether it's for an hour or a few days, plan ahead with these tips! Explore the park's website or purchase a guidebook about the national parks. With so much area to cover in each park, you will only be able to see what time allows. Plan ahead for your must-sees, whether that's taking in a sunset at Grand Canyon National Park or hiking to a waterfall at Rocky Mountain National Park, planning ahead will leave you with a feeling of accomplishment at what you did and saw instead of disappointment about what you missed. Plan for souvenirs. Leave no trace and leave everything as you found it. Instead, visit the park's gift shop and collect souvenirs from each park you visit. Patches for backpacks or pins for bulletin boards will help keep your memories alive as well as leave the park complete for all visitors to enjoy. Stop at the Visitor Center. Make sure to stop at the visitor center before you begin your exploration. Park rangers can provide you with maps and lists of daily activities to help plan your journey. They will know what trails and areas are best for young kids to enjoy. Research OutGrown online resources before you go.  The OutGrown website is a great resource for gathering information on head to the blog to read up on all our national park resources, and the Family Trail Guide offers kid-friendly hiking trails across the U.S. and in national parks. National Parks Fun Facts Indiana Dunes National Park received its recognition as a national park just a few years ago. It was previously designated a national lakeshore. The smallest national park is Gateway Arch National Park in Missouri. California has the most national parks out of any state with 9. There are 29 states with at least one or more national parks. Accessing the National Parks All Year To take full advantage of the national parks, here are some ways to make visiting easy and affordable. Senior Pass: Seniors can purchase a lifetime pass for the national parks for $80. This pass allows free entrance for seniors and passengers in their vehicles. Seniors wishing to purchase an annual pass may do so for $20. More information can be found here. America the Beautiful Pass: This annual pass is available for $80, and it allows you to enter all the national parks for a one-year time period. Access Pass: This pass is available for free for U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. U.S. Military: Current U.S. military members and dependents in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard are eligible for free annual passes. Reserve and National Guard members are also eligible. Free parks passes for 4th graders: As part of the Every Kid Outdoors initiative, 4th graders are eligible to get a pass that allows them free entrance in the national parks. All 4th graders (and their families) are able to access the parks for a year from September to August of the child's 4th grade year. The Every Kid in a Park initiative selected 4th graders to receive the free passes because research has shown that kids ages 9 to 11 are beginning to learn about the world around them, and they are open to new ideas and likely to connect to nature and history. Information for educators and parents is also available. The year my daughter was in 4th grade, we got the 4th Grade Pass because we had plans to visit several parks that year (Rocky Mountain, Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks). Unfortunately, it also happened to be the year I got laid off work. While it was unfortunate, it turned out to be the best summer of memories for our family - especially for my daughter and myself as we set off for a cross-country drive out West to visit family. We took advantage of the 4th Grade Pass and added on Grand Canyon and Mesa Verde National Parks to our road trip. The Pass is such a great opportunity for families to travel and save some money while building memories. –Vong Hamilton   Photos by Arika Bauer and Vong Hamilton. ABOUT OUTGROWN OutGrown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to create a world where everyone can enjoy the physical and mental benefits of spending time outside. We are focused on creating opportunities and removing barriers to access so families with babies and young children can take their first steps outside. We believe all families have the right to connect with nature, benefit from spending time outdoors and be inspired to a lifelong love of nature. Since its grassroots inception in 2013, OutGrown is a growing community of 280,000 families and over 300 volunteer Branch Ambassadors. More information on all of our programs can be found at WeAreOutGrown.org  EDITOR’S NOTE: We hope you enjoyed reading this article from OutGrown. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you. But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. We do not ask this lightly, but if you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach.

National Park Week is April 18 - 22, 2020. While most National Park facilities and events are closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the National Park Service and the National Park Trust are offering a variety of online activities including virtual tours, scavenger hunts, trivia contests, and junior ranger programs to help you celebrate from home. To kick off the week, the National Park Service (@NatlParkService) and National Park Foundation will host a Twitter chat on April 16 at 1:00 PM EDT. Join the conversation and share your favorite memories, tips and stories about national parks using the hashtags #FindYourPark, #EncuentraTuParque, and #NationalParkWeek. “Although much has changed in recent weeks, an assortment of fun and engaging digital National Park Week events can help people connect to our shared heritage and natural landscapes,” said David Vela, National Park Service Deputy Director, exercising the authority of the Director.  Here are the ways you can join the fun!  Digital Tours Join Elmo and Murray from Sesame Street as they explore Grand Canyon National Park. Tour Channel Islands National Park with Jordan Fisher and Crater Lake National Park with Dierks Bentley in these virtual visits. Watch the videos on a mobile device to get the full experience by moving around to see the full span of these remarkable landscapes.  Meet the baby animals that call our National Parks home in this adorable video.  Get lost from the comfort of your couch in the many real-time National Park webcams.  Take a peek into once restricted places that served as part of America's Cold War nuclear defense with a virtual 3-D tour of the Minuteman Missile.  Check out the virtual 3-D model of Devil’s Tower.  Follow the social media accounts for specific National Parks, such as Yellowstone or Glacier National Park, for live virtual tours, daily images, and interactive educational programs! Hit this link for the full list of National Park Service Find Your “Virtual” Park activities!  Digital Junior Ranger Activities Become an Aztec Ruins Online Junior Ranger by learning about the Aztec Ruins National Monument in New Mexico and the ancestral Pueblo people who lived there. Once you successfully complete a series of online activities you can submit your information to receive a Junior Ranger patch in the mail! Earn your printable Homestead Virtual Ranger badge by learning about the Homestead National Monument through the pages of the National Park Service website and taking an online quiz.  Preschool-aged kids will enjoy the printable Fort Scott Junior Ranger activity booklet.  Find other Junior Ranger activities and ways to earn patches from home for various Parks here. Printable Activities Did you know the tall tree in the National Park Arrowhead logo represents the different natural resources the Parks protect? Learn what the various images on the National Park logo represent, then print and color your own National Park logo. The National Park website has several downloadable coloring pages including the Birds of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, Glen Canyon, Golden Gate Recreational Area and, Susan B. Anthony’s house.  Explore all of the online activities for kids (or the kid in you!) that you can do at home on the National Park website. Get Social Follow the National Park Service on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.  Post about your National Park experience on social media using the hashtags #FindYourPark, #EncuentraTuParque, and #NationalParkWeek. Join the conversation on these special social media theme days using these hashtags: April 18th - Junior Ranger Day - #JuniorRangerDay April 19th - Volunteer Day - #NPSVolunteer April 20th - Military Monday - #MilitaryMonday April 21st - Transportation Tuesday - #TransportationTuesday, #NPSOnTheMove April 22nd - Earth Day - #EarthDay April 23rd - Throwback Thursday - #ThrowbackThursday April 24th - Friendship Friday - #FriendshipFriday #NPSFriends April 25th - Park Rx Day - #ParkRx, #HealthyParksHealthyPeople April 26th - Bark Ranger Day - #BarkRanger Share your National Park story for a chance to have it featured on the National Park Trust social media sites and in the #ShareYourPark gallery. Donate Donate directly to the National Park Foundation or start a Facebook fundraiser for the National Parks.  Plan Your Trip Make plans to visit a National Park in the future. Take the quiz and find out which Park is the perfect fit for you and your family. Then read up on tips and activities for families in the National Parks with the Hike it Baby blog series.  There are many ways to support our National Parks. Visit the National Park Service and National Park Trust for more information on the innovative digital experience launching this year to celebrate National Park Week! Stay up-to-date on outdoor resources, trail tips and tactics for families with young children, and community news with the Hike it Baby community newsletter. Subscribe today! About Hike it Baby Hike it Baby is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to getting families outdoors and on trails across the U.S. and internationally, supporting, educating and inspiring families through their more than 300 communities across North America. Since its grassroots inception in 2013 in Portland, Oregon, Hike it Baby is now a growing community of 270,000 families and 500 volunteer branch ambassadors hosting more than 1,600 hikes per month. More information, as well as daily hike schedules, can be found at HikeitBaby.com, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram. Thank you to the National Park Service, National Park Trust and National Park Foundation for the links and resources mentioned in this article. Photos courtesy of the National Park Service and Deanna Curry.