Caring for America’s parks begins with connection. Through our Youth & Family programs, we provide fully immersive park experiences, removing common obstacles, including a lack of funding for transportation and educational resources. By giving young people and families access to our public lands and inspiring them to become stewards, we help protect these irreplaceable landscapes for generations to come.
Buddy Bison School Program
Providing outdoor recreation opportunities and environmental education for elementary and middle schools in under-resourced communities.
Military Family Programs
Offering restorative, recreation-focused experiences on public parks, lands, and waterways for the military community—including active-duty families, National Guard and Reserve families, veterans, Gold Star families, and caregivers.
College Ambassador Program
Empowers pairs of college students to launch campus initiatives that grow outdoor recreation participation, foster stewardship, and expand access to parks and outdoor spaces.
Kids to Parks Day
2026 marks the 16th anniversary of Kids to Parks Day, an annual day of outdoor exploration at local, state, and national parks and public lands across the country.
Grants & Funding
National Park Trust offers numerous grant and funding opportunities throughout the year that support youth and family outdoor engagement programs.
Resources & Activities
Looking for easy ways to connect with nature from home? Check out these activities and resources that will help elementary and middle school-aged kids stay engaged with the outdoors.
Buddy Bison Creative Learning Program
Developed during the unsure times of the 2020/2021 school year, our Buddy Bison Creative Learning Program brings parks to kids, aligns with classroom curricula, is adaptable to different educational situations, and has hands-on learning components to give students a break from video screens.
We want everyone to experience the endless possibilities of our parks.
NATIONAL PARK TRUST IMPACTS IN YOUR STATE
Find Parks And State Specific Land Projects And Resources
