I love this topic! Have you heard of the National Park Service’s Junior Ranger Program? Did you know it’s not just for kids? Anyone can do it! Junior Rangers never get old, you know.
I volunteered at the Mammoth Cave National Park Visitor Center in 2019. My favorite part of being a volunteer was handing out Junior Ranger books to kids (and a whole lot of adults). It made my day when kids returned the books and I was able to administer their Junior Ranger oaths and present their badges. I’ll never forget how good it made me feel to know so many people were getting pumped about parks!
Now I’m addicted to earning Junior Ranger badges at every park site I visit- from the smallest monument to the biggest park and any site in between!
What is the Junior Ranger Program, Exactly?
National Park Service sites- parks, historic sites, monuments, etc.- offer the Junior Ranger program as a FREE, fun, and educational way for visitors to connect with the parks. Each park has a unique workbook full of site-specific learning activities. When you complete the activities, you earn an official Junior Ranger badge- a souvenir that lasts a lifetime.
Keep reading to find out exactly how to participate, and don’t miss my Insider Tip for making your badges even more special.
What’s Required?
- Be open to learning something new.
- Be ready to use all of your senses.
- Be willing to share with others what you learn.
That’s It!
Steps to Becoming a Junior Ranger
- Pick up a Junior Ranger book at the Visitor Center. Each person who wants to earn a badge needs to complete their own book. What if you can’t get to the Visitor Center before you start exploring the park? See FAQ below.
- Have a pencil or pen to fill in your answers. Most of the time, parks provide a small pencil, but you may want to buy a pen from the gift shop if you don’t have one in your backpack or vehicle. I always keep a pen in my backpack.
- Look over your book quickly before you get started so you know what kinds of things you need to look for while you’re in the park. (Hint: Many answers can be found in Visitor Centers.)
- Complete all activities in your age range. The workbooks have a key telling you which pages you must complete and how many points each page is worth.
- Return your book to the Visitor Center for a ranger to check your work.
- Earn your badge!
Activities
- Attending a ranger program is usually one of the required activities. There will be a schedule of programs available in Visitor Centers or online. Many parks provide a newspaper when you come through the gate with a seasonal schedule of events. (See FAQ below if you think you can’t attend a ranger program.)
- There are many types of activities in the books including puzzles, mazes, and matching games. You may be asked to draw something you see in the park, write a short-story, or even write a poem. Don’t let that scare you! You can see a few of the poems I’ve written for Junior Ranger books under my Poetry page. (Look for the ones labeled Junior Ranger.) Keep in mind, there is no “wrong” creative writing.
Get Your Badge!
You did it! Now, it’s time to return to the Visitor Center and show a ranger your work. The ranger might say, “Tell me something you learned today.” Have an answer ready! I start thinking about my answer while I’m exploring the park.
Raise your right hand, repeat the Junior Ranger oath to protect our parks, and you’ll be presented with your badge!
What is this oath I’m talking about?
It’s an oath you take to preserve and protect America’s National Parks. Each park typically has its own way of wording it. Rangers will ask you to raise your right hand and repeat it before presenting your badge. Be prepared for some rangers to get witty with their oaths- like asking kids to promise to do all their homework!
*INSIDER TIP: Make your badge even more special by stamping it on the back with the park’s official passport stamp. You can find the stamp in the Visitor Center or the park bookstore. The stamp will always be a reminder of the day you were lucky enough to visit the park!
FAQ
What if I arrive in the park before the Visitor Center opens and I can’t get my book first?
- Go online before you leave home and see if the park offers its workbook in a downloadable form. If so, you can print your book in advance and get a head start on the activities. I’ve done this several times when I’m not sure about my arrival time.
I won’t have a lot of time in the park. Can I get some activities done in advance?
- Same answer as above. It’s always a good idea to go to the park’s website before you leave home to start learning about the park even if the Junior Ranger book is not offered online. You’ll still have a head start on the Junior Ranger activities. For example, you may read about a bird in the park you’ve never seen before. When you get to the park, you may see that bird in a tree (or maybe even on your picnic table) and you’ll know exactly what it is. This happened to me when I saw a Steller’s Jay in Lassen National Park. Guess what? Steller’s Jay was also an answer in my Junior Ranger book!
What if I can’t get to a ranger program?
- Most of the time there is an alternative activity, or you can explain to the ranger checking your book why you couldn’t make it to a program. I’ve never had a ranger tell me I couldn’t earn a badge because I couldn’t get to a program. (I’ve never attended a ranger program that I didn’t enjoy though, so by all means get to one if you can.)
What if the Visitor Center has closed by the time I finish my book?
- Take your book to the Visitor Center during business hours the next day. If that’s not a possibility, ask a ranger when you pick up your book about the park’s mailing policy. Some parks will allow you to mail your book and a ranger will mail a badge back to you. I’ve done this a few times.
What if I can’t get to the park at all, but I want to be a Junior Ranger?
- That’s when I check for downloadable Junior Ranger books. Some parks may allow you to mail your completed book even if you haven’t been to the park. Make sure you request a badge be mailed back to you. Contact the park in advance for its policy. You can find the park information at the bottom of the park’s website. I’ve found email to be easiest.
What if I went to a park years ago, but didn’t know about Junior Ranger? Can I still get a book or badge?
- Same answer as above. But here’s the thing. I believe this should never happen. From what I’ve seen, most rangers working at visitor centers are good about mentioning Junior Ranger to kids. There is usually some signage at visitor centers, too. There have been a few times kids have noticed my book and been curious. I’m always excited to tell kids and parents about Junior Ranger and point them to a ranger.
Why I’m a Junior Ranger
Maybe it’s because I feel like a kid again when I earn a Junior Ranger badge, but mostly it’s because of the good feeling I get when I accomplish something. I did more than see. Have you heard the saying, “Seek first to understand, not to be understood”? You’ll be surprised how much you learn about yourself when you begin to understand nature and your place in it.
Why Should Kids Be Junior Rangers?
Because kids are the future! They will one day decide whether our natural, cultural, and historical spaces are worth protecting. We need kids to learn now why these places are worth fighting for.
Why Should Adults Be Junior Rangers?
We’re voting now for the leaders who make the decisions on what’s worth protecting. Our opinions matter! Look at the fate in flux of Bear’s Ears National Monument in Utah. Regardless of your opinion, it should be heard.
Most importantly, let’s be examples for our kids! And what better way to do that than become Junior Rangers with them?
Now get to your parks and start earning those badges!
Have you ever become a Junior Ranger? Tell me where in the comments!
To learn more about the Junior Ranger program, visit the National Park Service’s website at www.nps.gov/kids/become-a-junior-ranger.htm.
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