The great outdoors gets the spotlight it deserves when we celebrate National Park Week this year (April 20-28), which also includes Earth Day on Saturday, April 22, and culminates on Monday, April 29 with National Junior Ranger Day!
According to the National Park Service, “National Park Week is an annual week for celebration and recognition of your national parks. National Park Week usually coincides with Earth Day (April 22). For 2024, National Park Week will be observed from Saturday, April 20 through Sunday, April 28.”
With more than 400 national parks nationwide of different shapes, sizes, and types to choose from, there’s plenty of opportunities for people to visit a national park during this year’s promotion. You can also discover what the National Park Service does through its programs and partners to preserve natural and cultural heritage and provide recreational opportunities in places across the country—and even the world.
Melissa & Doug proudly supports the National Park Foundation with our line of park-themed toys, perfect for encouraging your little one to get outside, enjoy the great outdoors, and learn more about our country’s amazing national parks.
Fun ways to celebrate National Park Week with Melissa & Doug!
Plan a Visit to a National Park
With over 400 national parks located across the country, there’s a decent chance you live near enough to one to plan an in-person visit. The National Park Service offers a handy page to search for national parks in your area, and entrance fees are waived on Saturday, April 20, an extra incentive to explore a national park in person!
Bring Home the Fun: Give your little explorers a snapshot of the National Park Service across the United States with our National Parks USA Map Floor Puzzle - 45 pieces, so they can see where various park locations are around the country while developing problem-solving abilities.
Take a Virtual Tour
The National Park Service also offers digital experiences for folks who can’t visit the parks in person. You can download the NPS app for free through the App Store and Google Play, or Find Your Virtual Park by visiting this page on the NPS site.
Bring Home the Fun: Toddlers and preschoolers can explore four different national parks while engaging in learning and construction fun with our National Parks Alphabet & Animals Cube Puzzle – 24 Wooden Block Pieces, which includes educational guides to teach kids more about the various parks.
No Parks? No Worries–Go Green!
Don’t have a national park in your area for visits? No problem! Find a local green space near you—a park, nature preserve, even a backyard will do—and plan a nature-themed scavenger hunt to encourage your kids to enjoy nature and the outdoors.
Bring Home the Fun: Have your kids gear up for an outdoor adventure with our Grand Canyon Hiking Gear Play Set, an ideal toy to inspire appreciation for nature and the outdoors.
Pretend Play Learning Adventure
If you don’t live close to a green space or park or if traveling is an issue, plan a fun, engaging pretend play learning adventure at home using our National Park Foundation toy collection.
Bring Home the Fun: Set up your kiddos with our National Park Foundation Picture Matching Magnetic Game, which includes 60 educational cards with facts all about our national parks. Then, indulge their wild side with our Yellowstone Grizzly Bear Game Play Set to encourage kids to pretend play like bears while learning about the fabled national park.
For more great toy content from Melissa & Doug, click on the links below:
Shop Melissa & Doug’s National Park Foundation Toy Collection
Unplug with Melissa & Doug: Fun Play Ideas for Global Day of Unplugging
How to Create an All-Around-the-Town Adventure at Home!
Plan a First Day Hike with National Park Foundation Toys!
Toy Spotlight: Grand Canyon National Park Hiking Gear Play Set
