I’m packing for our first-ever trip to Everglades National Park. It’s my kids’ winter break, and when we sat down as a family to figure out where we wanted to go, it was my wildlife-loving son who lobbied hard for the Everglades.

As I reflect on how our family evolved into one that spends lots of time outdoors in nature, one of things that made a difference–since I’m one of those thrifty moms–was the free entrance program the National Park Service offers.

It’s Free Several Times in the Year

Last spring we visited Virginia's Great Falls National Park during one of the free weekends.

• January 14-16
  Martin Luther King Jr. weekend
• April 21-29
  National Park Week
• June 9
  Get Outdoors Day
• September 29
  National Public Lands Day
• November 10-12
  Veterans Day weekend

Check out the list of participating sites and you’ll find a mix of not only national parks, but national monuments and national battlefields, too.

Now free entrance might have helped us start our love affair with national parks, but there are  many reasons why we keep coming back.

Things Differ With the Seasons

For example, our visit to the Everglades would be vastly different–from birds to bugs to sogginess–if we came during the summer months. Migrating birds always make certain park visits differ. Those parks with old-growth deciduous forests have a completely different look, and views, when those leaves are shed. Also, those northern parks seem to have a quiet calm during the winter months that is appealing to many.

My kids being sworn in as junior rangers at Acadia National Park in Maine. (Photo by Kristy Myers)

Junior Ranger Program

How cool is it that your kids can be sworn in as Junior Rangers?! The Junior Ranger program offers a flexible, self-guided schedule of activities your family can do while at the parks. If your kids complete the activities, they can turn it in for a certificate and a badge/patch. The best part is when they get “sworn in” by the park ranger. Bring your cameras!

Ranger-Led Activities for Your Family

Each national park has a unique list of ranger-led activities ranging from nature talks, walks and tours. Here’s an example of the ranger-led programs at Everglades National Park for when we’re there. Oftentimes there are special programs geared toward kids, like a touch-tank talk we attended with a ranger at Acadia National Park in Maine.

Passport Program

To encourage you to learn more about and visit other parks, the National Park Service offers Passport® to Your National Parks. My kids have loved exploring the information and thoroughly enjoy taking the passport to the ranger station to get a stamp for each park they visit. Our passport is one of the things I’m packing now for our trip.

We spotted these wild ponies at Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland. (Photo by Kristy Myers)

Seeing Wildlife

Of course seeing wildlife always ranks high with the kids. Through ranger-led tours and programs or with your own keen observations you’re liable to catch glimpses of all sorts of wildlife at national parks and refuges. Then, be sure to log what you spot through the National Wildlife Federation’s Wildlife Watch website!

Do you have a favorite National Park? Would love to hear about it in the comments below because I’m always looking for the next great place to take the kids. I know I’ll share more with you upon our return, but for now I hope you’ll Be Out There at a nearby National Park during this long holiday weekend!

This past year, however, I’m so glad my family stuck with our resolution to spend more time outdoors. Over the past year we’ve created amazing memories, plus I’ve seen curiosity and creativity flourish in our kids as they’ve spent time in nature. In order to stick with this resolution I created easy ways for us to build outdoor time in our lives and tapped into a number of resources the National Wildlife Federation offers.

If you’re thinking that 2012 is the year to get your family outdoors, here are a few tips to get you started:

We hiked Pilot Mountain State Park the day after Thanksgiving while visiting family in North Carolina. We hiked around the monolith you see in the background. (Photo by Kristy Myers)

First Day Hikes

Why not kick off the New Year with a family hike? For the first time ever all 50 state park systems are participating in First Day Hikes, special programming for New Year’s Day encouraged to get families out to their local state park. Even if you’ve hiked a particular trail other times of the year, winter offers a completely different perspective — a calm quiet, coupled with views typically blocked by leaves on the trees. Our family enjoys checking out local state parks when we travel to see family for the holidays. So for Thanksgiving we hit Pilot Mountain State Park in North Carolina while visiting my in-laws, and we plan to hit a Delaware State Park tomorrow during our visit to my Mom’s. Here’s the events on tap tomorrow at Delaware State Parks. To find a First Day Hike near you, search here.

Walk Through the Neighborhood

The easiest way to spend more time outdoors is to just walk out the door and explore your home turf. Now if your kids are anything like mine you may hear a chorus of complaints sometimes when you’re trying to get out of the door. My solution:  create a scavenger hunt. On the days when they’re resistant — like Christmas weekend when my in-laws were here — I have them come up with a theme and a hunt for us to do. Last weekend’s was a holiday decoration scavenger hunt where we looked out for things like Santa statues or a wreath with a red bow.

Our kids camped in the family room before making the jump to camping in the backyard. (Photo by Kristy Myers)

Camp in Your Yard

Have fond memories of camping when you were a kid? Why not bring that fun to your own family. Start simple by camping right in your own backyard. If it’s too cold to venture out right now, you can set up a pup tent in your family room or basement for a fun indoor campout. Or, if you don’t have a tent, tap into your kids’ imagination by building a blanket fort to campout in. Then, when the weather is nice you’ll be ready for our Great American Backyard Campout on June 23.

Get Your Green Hour

Okay back when I was a kid it was just called kicking your kids out the door to spend time playing. Today we call it Green Hour, but it’s basically the same thing. It’s finding time for kids to have unstructured play time outdoors — time for kids to be kids. The National Wildlife Federation offers activities and resources through our greenhour.org website.

Geocache

Is your family into the latest electronic gadgets and gizmos? Then geocaching might be for you because it’s a great way to pair screen time with a fun outdoor adventure. Geocaching is a combination of old-fashioned treasure hunting, while using GPS technology, and spending time outdoors. With the help of a handheld GPS device or smartphone, people can hunt for geocaches hidden in public areas all over the world. To find out more, check out this information on Ranger Rick’s Geocache Trails.

Families can mark their trees with a red ribbon and return later to cut them down.

We’d set aside last weekend to do our holiday decorating, so as the weekend approached and the weather forecast was good I suggested to my husband that we check for a local tree farm where we could select and chop down our own Christmas tree.

We’ve often bought cut trees from local vendors, but I can’t say for sure the trees themselves were local. I’m a big supporter of buying my food local, straight from the farmer so it only made sense that I should take that next step and buy my tree straight from a local farmer, too.

Although it was our first time cutting our own tree it won’t be our last. The kids had a ball wandering the land in search of the perfect tree for our family. Inevitably we’d find “the one” only to find that it was already claimed by another family, shown by a red ribbon tied on it.

"The one" at Blue Heron Tree Farm in Centreville, MD.

Beyond the fun we had, I feel good about our choice because during their growing cycle these trees provide oxygen, as well as habitat for many types of wildlife. Also the leftover tree can be recycled to mulch or left as a snag, a dead tree that provides habitat for wildlife.

We also supported local farmers Harriet and Ed Caporin, owners of Blue Heron Tree Farm. Buying local helps our economy and, in cases like this, it keeps the land as a productive farm versus over-developed.

Outdoor fun. Adventure. Shopping local. The smell of a fresh cut tree. If any or all of things lure you to buy a local Christmas tree, you can find a farmer near you by searching the National Christmas Tree Association directory.

‘Tis the Season from the National Wildlife Federation:

• 5 Gifts Birds Are “Tweeting” About This Holiday Season
• This Year, Shift Your Gift Into a Gift For Wildlife
• Reindeer: 12 Fascinating Facts About These Amazing Creatures
• Simple Holiday Crafts to Make With Your Kids
• Habitat Certification and Other Gifts for Gardeners
• The Northern Cardinal: Find Out About the Bird That Most Symbolizes the Season

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (right) signs a bill proposed by Jacob Robinson, 8, (left) on Tuesday. Photo Courtesy of the Governors Press Office

As the Maryland General Assembly wrapped this week there was a bill signing that was important for us conservationists because it addressed an important issue – Invasive Plant Species.

For those of us parents who believe in connecting our kids with nature, the victory was even sweeter because the champion for the bill was a third grader named Jacob Robinson.

Eight-year-old Jacob not only came up with the idea for the bill, he testified before both House and Senate committees before the bill was passed. He also was there this week when Mayor Martin O’Malley signed the bill into law.

Now I don’t know 8-year-old Jacob, but I would imagine if invasive plant species are of interest to him, he must spend a good deal of time outdoors. Somewhere along the way he noticed a problem, invasive plants, and thought of a solution. With the help of his Dad, and many advocates gathered along the way, he was able to make his solution a reality for Maryland consumers.

Under the new law, a committee will be formed to select which plant species are considered invasive. Some plants will be effectively banned, while others will be marked as invasive for consumers to make an educated purchase.

I’m a parent who believes in our Be Out There campaign because I know the benefits of unstructured outdoor play include raising children who are more likely to be creative problem solvers. Jacob proves that point.

Taking our love of nature and turning it into action to preserve it – this is a lesson for us all, no matter what age.

NOTE:  Many invasive plants outcompete the native species favored by birds, insects and other wildlife. Check with your local U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative Extension System office for information on plant species to avoid. Find your local Cooperative Extension System office.

Related Links

• More about Invasive Species
• National Wildlife Federation’s Work to Stop Invasive Species
• Stink Bug Invasion