Kids in Nature
Connecting Kids to Nature
The Kids in Nature (KIN) program connects kids with nature and fosters environmental awareness, respect, and land stewardship through fun educational programs and direct experience.
Our goals are to:
- Connect kids with nature via fun, hands-on experiences
- Educate kids about natural processes and wild animals and plants
- Encourage kids to respect natural areas and practice land stewardship
- Introduce kids to selected outdoor skills
- Instill a sense of wonder and appreciation for nature
The KIN program provides ranger-guided hikes with organizations and established groups. We lead small groups of children with their adult leaders or adult family members, enlightening them to the availability of the USFS land — It’s All Yours! — teaching basic Leave No Trace skills as well as trail safety. We also will hold in-town sessions to help educate.
We have a ‘tool kit’ of activities that we can use, including map-and-compass lessons and always one of three interactive, in-depth curricula: "Aquatic Macroinvertebrates", "Mammals in Our Mountains" or "We Need Trees".
Most of the kids we take on a trail have never been in the mountains or on a trail before and they are all excited to be in our beautiful wild lands! We hike at the kid’s pace, stopping to smell, touch and explore the wonders of nature that interest the kids.
