It is hard living at the beach during the winter (I know, you are weeping for us). But, truthfully, we are a family that loves to be outside. When the weather is frigid, the frothy sea is impossible.
Luckily, even in the middle of a terrible federal government shutdown, we have been taking advantage of the North Carolina State Park system.
What is even more fun is that there are a few programs that will get your children not just enjoying the outdoors, but absolutely HOOKED on it. Your kids may even ASK to go hiking.
NC State Park Passport Books
www.ncparks.gov/passport-program
As we shared in our Epic Trip Out West, we love having our National Parks passport books. We were taken by surprise at a North Carolina State Park Visitors Center just late last year when one friendly staff member asked if we had started our state passport book yet. What?! How many state parks had we been to now and had NO IDEA there was a passport book? So, of course, we started immediately.
I remain unsure as to why/how these passport books are popular with my kids. But either way, I enjoy them, too. NC State Parks took their passport program to the next level by adding prizes! After you get stamped for 10 state parks, you can submit for prizes (new prizes for every 10 parks you visit).
TRACK Trails for Kids
This actually part of a larger, nationwide campaign called “Kids in Parks.” The mission:
Kids in Parks began through a need to get families unplugged and get them outdoors. Together with our partners, KIP promotes children’s health and the health of our parks.
This is something we are only too happy to promote, as well, and participate in. When we head into an NC State Park, we ask rangers where the TRACK Trails are (note that not all rangers have known what these are!). But if you use the link above, you can see them beforehand.
At the trailhead, you will find booklets on various subjects to use during the hike. Have the kids take notes and answer the questions, and when they get home they can log onto their TRACK account and log their hikes. And, of course, they earn things for this.
When I registered the Bug and the Bean, they each received packages in the mail with goodies and more information to encourage them to enjoy these trails and stick with the program.
#NC100miles Challenge
This is the one I, personally, am most excited by. The challenge issued by the NC State Park system: log 100 miles of outdoor activity in the calendar year. Can we do it?! 100 miles in one year?! That is a lot! I have no idea if we will make it (we hike in 3-mile bursts), but having a goal keeps our hiking boots closer to the front door.
Of course, after we hike, we log onto our account, enter our mileage, and work towards prizes.
For Mr. Family Trip and I, we don’t need much of a reason to get outside. But it helps get the kids going when they know they are working toward some goal – especially a goal that may end in prizes!
So thank you so much to the North Carolina State Park system for developing programs such as these to get families outdoors more. We hope to lead by example and let them know we appreciate these unique programs, one boot tread by one boot tread down the trail.
Learn more about North Carolina State Parks (and find the best one for your family) online at www.ncparks.gov.
See our post on Morrow Mountain State Park for a detailed account of one North Carolina State Park, and be sure to follow us on Instagram, where we share our hikes in real time! (Encourage us to make that #NC100Miles benchmark!)
Last Updated on April 20, 2021 by Mrs. Family Trip