You know that being an American is more than a matter of where your parents came from. It is a belief that all men are created free and equal and that everyone deserves an even break. Junior Ranger ProgramThe first Junior Ranger program my daughter completed was the one for kids ages 5-8 at the Harry S. Truman Historic Site in Independence, Missouri. We are lucky to live relatively near the site, making it possible for us to complete the program in person, but they also accept submissions by emailing them through a web form. This link also includes the two program guides for the Junior Ranger program: one for kids who are 5-8 years old and 9-12 years old. Because my daughter is a bit on the young side for the program, we decided to print the guide at home, so we could take our time in completing it. I loved that it included the virtues of Harry Truman, and the section explaining what virtues are was effective in helping my daughter think more deeply about her own values. Although she is still young, she enjoys learning new words, so she was excited to learn the included vocabulary. I'm not sure how much of the vocabulary she will retain, but at least she has been introduced to these concepts, even if they are a bit abstract. One of the activities included a rebus story about how Truman made a choice to be honest with his father about why he was late; I thought that this story resonated with my daughter and was presented in a kid-friendly way. She loved guessing the images in the rebus puzzle story, and it held her attention throughout the activity. The discussion questions about honesty were an excellent jumping off point for my daughter, and I liked hearing her thoughts. There were two other word puzzle-based activities that were a bit hard for her, but she tried hard and learned some new words, so I counted them as complete. She liked the maze and draw by number activities as well, but she didn't care very much about comparing the White House to the Truman Home. I think that the activities will be more engaging for older learners, and I liked that they set up our expectations for the visit to the Truman House. For more information about the Junior Ranger Program, please check out my previous blog post here. Field Trip TimeAfter moving to Missouri, I found myself more and more interested in Harry Truman and his presidency. His presence is a bit unavoidable in Independence, but I like seeing the signs marking his personal history. I am certain that I was much more excited about visiting his home than my daughter was, but she still enjoyed herself. We plan to cover more of the local Truman-related attractions in future posts.
talk about trip Please feel free to post any comments or questions below. I would love to hear about your experiences in historic Independence if you have them. "Explore, Learn, and Protect"“There is a delight in the hardy life of the open. There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy and its charm. The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased and not impaired in value. Conservation means development as much as it does protection.” Our National Parks are some of our most treasured areas, and one of my big goals for my daughter this year is for her to learn more about the diversity of our history and landscape in a preschooler-friendly way. One of the best ways I have found to do this is by taking part in some of the Junior Ranger Programs offered in many of our National Parks (not an affiliate link). Kids who successfully complete a National Park's Junior Ranger Program will earn a special badge and a certificate; these badges are not available without completing the program, making them something special for kids to collect. Because of our schedule this year, it's not likely that we will be able to swing a big trip to the most famous National Parks, but there are programs in every state, including many online versions. The National Parks that only offer in-person Junior Ranger Programs still include the pamphlets online so you can print them at home. The Nitty-GrittyGiven how many National Parks we have, it may feel a bit overwhelming to think about completing all of them, or even choosing your first one. I've included the nitty-gritty about the various programs available below as well as a more specific example using Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah (one of my personal favorite parks). Everyone is invited to participate in the Junior Ranger Program (yep, adults too!), but they are typically designed for kids who are 5-13 years old. My daughter is on the younger side of this age range, but she has still enjoyed learning about the parks, especially seeing the photos and learning about the animals. If the Junior Ranger program guide is completed in person, a park ranger will sign it and "induct" the kid into the park as a Junior Ranger. Then it's time for the special badge and certificate. Super exciting! Online and National ProgramsAlthough seeing the parks in person is ideal, there is still so much value in using the Junior Ranger program guides as a way to learn about our shared history and the wild, special places we hold in common. That's why there are national programs that can be completed at home as well as online versions for many National Parks. Here is a list of the national programs (non-affiliate link that also includes other National Parks participating in Junior Ranger programs). Some of the topics include: fishing, archeology, bats, caves, wilderness areas, night skies, fossils, historic preservation, slavery and the abolitionist movement, and others. Like the specific park programs, there are guides that cover the topic that can be sent in to earn a badge and certificate. Junior Ranger Program: Bryce CanyonAlthough this post is already a bit lengthy, I think that it's helpful to see a more specific example of what kinds of fun activities a particular Junior Ranger program guide includes. I've chosen Bryce Canyon because it is so gorgeous, and it is one of the parks that I am most looking forward to spending time with my daughter once she is a bit older. For the in-person Junior Ranger programs, each park will have different requirements. Bryce Canyon's program guide includes a presentation or guided hike with a park ranger, a completed booklet (different pamphlets for under 6 and over 6 years old), and litter pick-up (glove for picking up at least ten pieces included). Some of the activities in the program guide a circling activity to find dangerous animals and items in the park, a scavenger hunt, and drawing activities. The program at Bryce Canyon will require at least three hours of time to complete, making it a special achievement for younger kids. For every person completing the program, a free Bryce Canyon badge will be offered, and there is a special patch that is available for $1 in the gift shop that can only be purchased by people completing the program. The patch is gorgeous, and I look forward to the day my daughter earns one.
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions. I would love to hear about your experiences in the National Parks too. |
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I'm Heidi, the lead teacher for Stone Bridge Academy. We are a homeschool serving one fabulous student. This blog occasionally uses affiliate links, which means that we will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only link to products or services that we use and love in my family. These commissions allow me to continue providing helpful content here. Thank you for your support.
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