This program is built around the people and places that make Maryland so special. During this program, Junior Rangers will explore the parks, natural and historical areas, learn about conservation and stewardship, and explore recreational opportunities.
The mission of the Maryland Junior Ranger Program is to encourage children to discover and connect with the natural world and celebrate their culture and heritage through play, learning, and service in the outdoors, under the mentorship of Park Rangers and other natural resource professionals.
Through a combination of recreational opportunities and hands-on environmental education activities including hiking, games, and crafts, the Junior Ranger program engages children ages 3-14 in learning about the following topics:
- Parks & Park Rangers
- People
- Planet Earth
- Plants
- Animals
- Conservation
- Earth Hour
Park Rangers and Naturalists lead children through the fundamentals of environmental education and stewardship. Junior Rangers can earn three achievement awards: Basic, Advanced, and Expert. Once they complete their Expert Achievement award, they begin to earn patches in our more self-guided levels, such as Naturalist, Explorer, Conservationist, and Guide.
To better accommodate a variety of developmental levels and interests, Junior Rangers are typically divided into these age categories.
- Sprouts, ages 2-4
- Park Pals, ages 3-6
- Junior Rangers, ages 7-10
- Junior Rangers, ages 11-14
- Teen Rangers, ages 15-17
The sessions will typically last 1 to 1 ½ hours each, totaling approximately 6 hours. Often they are offered over a series of six sessions, though some parks will lump sessions together for a mini summer camp or school’s out camp. In order to earn their Junior Ranger status, children must attend all sessions. Check with each park for their specific availability.
Learn more, including contact information for participating parks, on their website.
