Travel the World

If you are looking for places to take your kids on vacation, or even a day trip, then consider visiting one of the many properties managed by the US National Park Service.  Visit their website at http://www.nps.gov and click on the interactive map to locate a property that’s either near where you live, or perhaps close to where you are planning to spend your vacation. 

Whilst there are many beautiful natural environments for kids to explore all over the US, you’ll also find properties listed such as the Statue of Liberty and nearby Ellis Island where kids can learn all about the experiences of the early immigrants who came to America’s shores looking for their dream.  Other historic locations include a number of battlefields from the American Civil War.  Not only will you find interesting artifacts and pamphlets about locations such as this, the on-site NPS personnel are very knowledgeable about their property, they are enthusiastic about the history and culture that makes up their area and can talk about it in a way that brings it to life even to younger children.

Many NPS properties also have Junior Ranger programs running where children complete workbooks specific to the area that they’re visiting in a bid to win merit badges.  There are often different age groups so that younger kids aren’t left out.  Click on the park you’re going to visit to see if there’s a Junior Ranger program running at that location and what activities are on offer.

Most of today’s kids are being raised in a time when pop culture consumes much of their leisure time whether in the shape of TV media or computer games/networking.  The US NPS offers a great wonderful opportunity to at least divert your child’s attention temporarily away from current popular activities and shows them what else the United States is made of.   They won’t just get a chance to learn something of their country’s history, take part in fun activities, or see some amazing wildlife up close and curious, but they’ll also see firsthand the kind of work that goes into the conservation effort that preserves the natural and cultural environmental past of the USA.  You never know, you go to the right park on the right day, have your children meet the right kind of ranger who makes a positive impact, and you might just ignite a passion that will impact the rest of their lives.