Celebrate National Parks Week with National Geographic Kids! (+ GIVEAWAY!)

April 16th marks the beginning of National Parks Week and 2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the National Parks Service! All week long you can get into any National Park for free! National Geographic hopes this will inspire you to plan your own National Parks Adventure:  




If that video doesn't inspire you and your family, here are some books from National Geographic Kids to get them to want to add the National Parks to their bucket lists. Book descriptions are from Goodreads.

National Parks Guide U.S.A

More than two hundred million people visited our national parks in 2009. National parks are some of America's most treasured places, and the National Geographic Kids National Parks Guide U.S.A. is the perfect way to bring the fun and amazement of these majestic places to kids. Divided by region, (Northeast & Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West), this guide is both accessible and tons of fun. NG Kids color treatments, full-color photographs, and layering of information make information jump off the page. Features include tips on exploration, information about animals, sidebars, checklists, fun facts, maps, cool things to do, and much more. Conservation information, a find out more section, glossary, and index add ample back matter to round out this book.


Funny Fill-In: My National Parks Adventure

Mad Libs, National Parks style

Junior Ranger Activity Book

Calling all explorers and nature-lovers! From Acadia to Zion, discover all 59 of the United States' amazing National Parks in this jam-packed book of games, trivia, jokes, fun facts, and so much more, all inspired by the National Parks outdoor-based Junior Ranger Program. Great for generating pre-trip excitement, long car rides, poking around historical sites, or general learning, these fun and sometimes silly activities will entertain while they draw kids into the majestic and historic importance of America's national parks. Check out the most amazing park habitats, plus awesome sights and animals you might see, from birds to bears. Fun facts are jam-packed onto every page, so kids learn something amazing about each cool park. 

Buddy Bison's Yellowstone Adventure by Ilona E. Holland

Butterflies flutter, birds soar, and geysers burst into the sky. Join Buddy Bison and his two new friends as they explore the majestic Yellowstone National Park. Breathtaking photographs of Yellowstone serve as the backdrop for the wacky adventures of a curious pair of twins, Elena and Christopher, who are spending the summer with their aunt Rosa, a park ranger.

Instead of waiting patiently when their aunt gets an emergency call, Christopher wanders off. That's when Buddy Bison, the adorable plush toy clipped to Elena's backpack comes to life and to her aid. The unlikely pair heads out on a wild adventure through Yellowstone to search for her brother. As soon as Buddy leads Elena safely to her twin, her new oversized pal disappears. What happened to Buddy Bison? Did Elena imagine him or did he really come to life? This charming tale is sprinkled with helpful tidbits about the park, weird-but-true facts about the animals, and more fun facts kids adore. A comprehensive afterword offers a short history of the park and ways kids can get involved in parks preservation.


Here are some more links to inspire your National Parks wanderlust
NatGeo's online guide to the National Parks

Find Your Park, Love Your Park

The Greatest American Road Trip
Former NatGeo staffer Jonathan Irish travels the country, visiting all 59 National Parks in 52 weeks.



GIVEAWAY!
I'm giving away all four of the National Geographic Kids books mentioned above.

Terms and conditions:
Must be 13 or older to enter and have a U.S. mailing address
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