All across Florida State Parks there are a number of fun interactive activities to take advantage of and to keep the kids entertained. Be sure to check information on hours and camping availability for the park you plan to visit beforehand so you can head out prepared for your adventure.
Here are a few of the fun kids activities in Florida State Parks to help get you started.
Junior Ranger Program
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Helping a child become a Florida State Parks Junior Ranger is a great way to get more involved with nature. It's also incredibly educational and an excellent skill-building experience for kids. The program provides the opportunity for young people to learn, serve and share in the parks' natural and cultural resources. Visit the Junior Ranger Program to find out more.
The program covers four components of a ranger's job: natural resources, cultural resources, recreation and service. Junior Rangers range in age from 2 to 12, and with nearly 100 participating parks in Florida, you are never far from a place to get involved.
How it Works
*Visit any participating Florida State Park and ask for a Junior Ranger Kit.
*Complete the 6 CORE Activities from the kit.
*Review the 6 CORE Activities with park staff.
*Recite the Junior Ranger Pledge to receive a Certificate, Member ID Card and the Official Junior Ranger PASSPORT.
*Complete more activities to earn stamps for your PASSPORT.
*Turn in your completed PASSPORT to receive an Official Junior Ranger Badge, Patch or Pin!
Continue the journey as a Junior Ranger by completing additional activities to earn a badge patch and/or pin and use your Junior Ranger PASSPORT to track your progress. Be sure to share your Junior Ranger experiences using #FLStateParksJrRanger.
Geocaching
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Build a bridge between technology and the outdoors with geocaching in Florida State Parks.
Operation Recreation GeoTour
The Operation Recreation GeoTour is hosted by Geocaching.com. This GeoTour stretches from Pensacola to Key West and includes 74 of the first, three-time National Gold Medal Award winning Florida State Parks and Trails. Visit 40 caches and win the new Official Operation Recreation Geocoin. Download and print the Official Tracking Sheet to begin your adventure. Remember to cache and save with unlimited entry for a year with the Florida State Parks Annual Pass.
Coming Soon - Kids GeoTour
Florida State Parks will be launching a program to engage a younger audience in the now classic location-based geocaching game. The Kids GeoTour will use the same caches as the current Operation Recreation GeoTour, however the challenge is specially designed for children ages 5-10. Every cache will have one of six mystery Critter cards placed in it. Children will search for caches to collect the species name of all six Critters. This means they will need to visit parks until they find one of each card. Once the child has collected all the Critters and recorded them on the tracking sheet, they will receive a custom-designed prize. Launching Spring 2017.
Junior Ranger Geocaching Activity
Get ready to play a game of discovery when you download the Quest for a Cache recreation activity. Junior Rangers can go on an adventure to search for cleverly hidden containers using geocaching tools for the chance to earn PASSPORT stamps.
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