Taking the Kids: Finding your park
"The National Park Service has a responsibility to facilitate a conversation that will help get America to face the issues around race, inclusion and diversity," said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. "So many of the places that we care for represent, in many ways, the trials and tribulations of civil rights, of equality, of the striving for these ideals that were set up by this country and are a symbol for the world. I would suggest that we are not there yet."
Find Your Park Virtual View kiosks are intended to encourage interest in embarking on a nationwide tour. "While we never want a virtual experience to replace a genuine connection, we are hopeful the display will provide a gateway that inspires people to visit their parks and fall in love with the beauty, history and culture..." said Sally Jewell, U.S. secretary of the Interior.
Check out the special activities at a park or historic site near your home during National Park Week. Join the "green celebration" at the Grand Canyon or watch a meteor shower at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Colorado; Discover animals that live on and off shore of Cape Cod at Cape Cod National Seashore.
It's so much easier these days to get the kids engaged with apps to tour historic sites and national parks and WebRanger and Junior Ranger program materials they can download prior to their visit. Some national park websites have special just-for-kids areas. (A tip: I find the section "for teachers" a great place for parents too!)
I love the Owner's Guide Series the National Park Foundation has created for us. "The Places Nobody Knows steers visitors to less visited parks like the amazing Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado or Muir Woods near San Francisco with its famous redwoods.
There's also a "parks for play' guide with 35 national park adventures for "kids of all ages" kayaking in Acadia National Park in Maine, sand-boarding in Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado or touring Mammoth Cave via lantern tour in Kentucky. Many believe the parks not only offer a terrific classroom, but also the country's best place to connect with kids.
"Share a park; shape a life," the National Park Foundation urges.
Ready?
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For more about Eileen's National Park adventures, visit www.takingthekids.com and follow @takingthekids on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. See what kids have to say about visiting national parks and historic monuments in Eileen's Kid's Guide series.
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