The young nature enthusiasts in your life deserve gifts they can keep and build upon for years to come, gifts that will encourage them to get outside and explore our precious earth! Here are some ideas to encourage them to treasure experiences and nature.
When kids visit local, state, and national parks during vacation, they can nurture their love of nature by creating lasting memories of their adventures with photos, postcards, pins, and badges. This pin board and this personalized banner will provide a safe place to display each park pin. The pin board holds photos, too, as does this mini photo album. Or, for kids who like to keep an organized list of places they’ve visited, how about a scratch off national park print, or a checklist bandana or poster. Your favorite Junior Park Ranger might also want a t-shirt to show that the Force is with them as they work to protect nature and our precious parks.
Finally, what would the holiday season be without books. Literature is one of the best ways to appreciate nature when you’re stuck inside. For older readers, we love this collection of campfire stories from the national parks. And for younger readers who might not even know what a national park is yet, try this picture book, My First Day as a Junior Park Ranger. Kyler the prairie dog is anxious about his first day on the job, but he finds out that not only is the park a beautiful place, but it’s full of other Rangers who are ready to become friends. Is There Still Gold in Bodie? brings together all the animals who live in Bodie State Historic Park. They’re trying to protect their home, and they can only do it by working together. Young readers can also share old books with new readers by donating to a nearby little free library or the local public library’s Friends of the Library association.
We hope you have a lovely winter season, no matter how you celebrate, and may you always have nature around you!