Calling Junior Rangers: 8 Free Badges to Earn at Home

The Carful of Kids have earned lots of Junior Ranger badges through our road trips. 

The carful of kids are members of the Junior Ranger ranks of the National Park Service. Since our first road trip together, we've earned them at every park.

Junior Ranger badges are free, collectible souvenirs for kids to earn. It's a great program for families and over the years, I've learned just as much as the carful of kids.

The badges are a great way to show teachers that kids keep learning while on vacation. My 11-year-old had a project on Yellowstone National Park and he wore his hat. He got 5 points of extra credit.

What are Junior Rangers?

Junior Rangers are junior park rangers. Kids from 5 to 13 can join the ranks as they explore, learn and protect our national treasures. Most parks, over 200 national park sites in all, hand out free booklets specially designed for each park (a few parks charge $3 for the booklet). Kids complete the educational booklet as they experience the national park in a kid-friendly way.

Each park we visit has a badge to earn by completing a workbook and exploring the park. 

The Junior Ranger badge requirements are different for each park. Some requirements might be hiking, recycling or attending a ranger program. 

During the summer season when most kids visit national parks, the NPS offers special Junior Ranger programs just for kids. The programs for kids are more active than the traditional ranger programs and discuss topics kids love, like animals.

8 National Junior Ranger Badges

The Junior Ranger program has national Junior Ranger badge booklets that can be downloaded, printed and completed at home. Afterwards, the booklets can be mailed to the National Park Service which will review them and mail the earned badge back for free.

Junior Archeologist activity book can be completed at home and mailed into the NPS Chief Archeologist. This Junior Ranger booklet contains a parent guide to help kids discover how people in the past lived.

Junior Paleontologist Program is for the dinosaur-loving kid in your family. The National Park Service has 259 parks that preserve fossils. This booklet can be done in a participating park or at home.

Junior Cave Scientist Program is for all the young speleologists out there. The National Park Service has 150 areas that protect caves or karsts (landscapes created by weak acids that dissolve rocks). This badge can be completed at one of the parks with a cave or at home.

Junior Ranger Night Explorer helps kids learn about the night sky. It’s best completed in a dark sky park that hosts telescope or astronomy programs but can be completed at home.

Wilderness Explorer concentrates on the outdoor knowledge needed to explore the wilderness areas within the National Park Service. It should be done in a park or another wilderness area. The booklet includes an answer key. This program is best for kids ages 8 and up.

Underwater Explorer has Junior Rangers discovering what lies below the surface of the water. It can be completed at home and mailed to the Submerged Resources Center.

Underground Railroad Junior Ranger activity book has kids learning about slavery during the Civil War and the road to freedom. It can be completed at home.

Junior Civil War Historian is for Junior Rangers that want to learn more about the Civil War. Kids must visit three participating parks or two parks and complete the Underground Railroad Junior Ranger activity book.

Other Special Junior Ranger Programs

The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts have partnered with the National Park Service to offer a certificate or patch for registered scouts. Scouts who complete 10 hours of organized learning, like the Junior Ranger badges, or perform service projects are eligible for a patch. To earn a special certificate, scouts have to complete five hours of service or education.

The Carful of Kids recite the Junior Ranger Oath to explore, learn and protect our national treasures. 

Know Before You Go:

• Pack your own pencils, preferably the mechanical type that don't need sharpening.
• Dress for hiking, one might be required. The parks always include shorter hikes that are great for everyone, including strollering kids. 
• The Junior Ranger program is designed for kids ages 5 to 13 though I’ve been helping my youngest earn them since he was 4. He was not going to be left out. 
•  Kids love picnics so pack a picnic. Food service can be limited.