Having a child in fourth grade gets you a major travel perk and millions of families are missing out on it because they don’t know it exists. The U.S. government’s Every Kid Outdoors program allows families with fourth graders to get free access to national parks and public lands and waters across the country.
“We chose fourth graders because research shows that kids ages 9 to 11 are beginning to learn about the world around them. They're open to new ideas, and they are likely to connect to nature and our history,” the program’s website states. “Over time, every kid can get a free pass to explore our country.”
Here’s how it works:
- Fourth graders just have to sign up on everykidoutdoors.gov and print out a pass to bring to the federal recreation site of their choice. Electronic copies won’t be accepted, but no further proof or documentation is required.
- The passes cover entry for the fourth grader and up to three adults with them, as well as all kids under age 16.
- The passes can be used in areas managed by the National Park Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service.
- The pass is good for the fourth grader’s full academic year and most of the following summer.
Source: USA Today