4th Graders get free access to federal parks, forests

Now that the new school year is underway, it’s time for all fourth graders to claim their free Every Kid in a Park pass.

The annual program allows fourth graders free entry into all federal parks, forests, and recreation areas for a full year.

Fourth graders can log onto the Every Kid website  and complete a fun educational activity  to print out a paper voucher.

Students and their families can also exchange the paper voucher for a more durable pass at Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest offices.

The voucher and passes are valid for an entire year,  with this year's passes valid through August 31, 2019.

Teachers or adults who engage fourth-graders through a youth-serving organization can print paper passes, and find activities and lesson plans HERE

Today, more than 80 percent of American families live in urban areas, and many lack easy access to safe outdoor spaces.

At the same time, kids are spending more hours than ever in front of screens instead of outside.

The Every Kid in a Park initiative works to encourage kids and families to explore, learn, and play in the places that belong to us all

Research shows that children ages 9 – 11 are at a unique developmental stage in their learning where they begin to understand how the world around them works in more concrete ways.

By targeting fourth graders, the program works to ensure every child in the U.S. has the opportunity to visit and enjoy their public lands by the time he or she is 11 years old.