Kids can plan to ditch their devices and head outdoors because there’s a day at a nearby state park designed just for them.
Saturday is National Kids to Park Day, which is organized by National Park Trust, and Jacksonport State Park is observing the day with special programming and activities.
The park will hold a Kids Fishing Workshop from 10 a.m to noon and a free The Land of the Lorax and Us program at 6:30 p.m. The fee for the fishing workshop is $5.
“The focus is on the kids, so [park interpreters] decided they wanted to pick those types of programs that help with that subject [for] kids going to our state parks or any of our parks,” said Mark Ballard, park superintendent.
The fishing workshop is targeted to ages 6 to 12, and families can meet at the park’s visitor center at 10 a.m. With the help of a park interpreter, children will learn how to cast and bait a fishing pole and try to catch bass, catfish and crappie. The park will provide bait and a fishing pole, but anglers are welcome to bring their own supplies. Teens are also able to attend the workshop, but those 16 and older must have an Arkansas fishing license.
“We’ve done the Kids Fishing Workshop during a spring-break event, and it’s been successful,” Ballard said. “We’ve had 10 to 20 people, adults and kids. We anticipate having 12 to 15 kids and adults there.”
Those who would like to attend The Land of the Lorax and Us can meet at the campground bathhouse. The program will feature a park interpreter reading The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss, to the crowd and leading a discussion on stewardship toward land.
“It’s important to certainly educate our younger generation about taking care of where we live and our environment,” Ballard said. “We are very attuned to taking care of our world, so we want to provide opportunities for the younger generations to come out and enjoy the park and see what it’s about.”
The Land of the Lorax and Us is also ideal for families who are already spending the evening at the park.
“With us being a camping park, the 6:30 p.m. program is suited for the campers, but it’s open for everybody,” said Ballard, who spent time in his childhood at state and national parks. “We host this program in the campground so that people who are camping can walk over and sit and enjoy the program, while others who may not be camping can park and come up and enjoy the program as well.”
Ballard said wildflower seeds that were planted this past fall are now blooming at the park. He said he hopes that while families visit the park for National Kids to Park Day, they’ll also explore the landscape, including the wildflowers, and the nearby Jacksonport Courthouse Museum, which has free admission.
“It is our goal to connect the visitor to the resource, whether it is connecting a camper to the outdoor experience by sleeping in a tent, or connecting the visitor to the cultural history of a steamboat town that prospered more than 150 years ago, or connecting a child to the excitement of catching their first fish,” Ballard said.
Children can also visit Ozark Folk Center State Park in
Mountain View for special activities. Fun With Plants and Flowers will take place at 11 a.m. and will give children a hands-on lesson on plants that have multiple uses. At 2 p.m., Scent Sacks, a garden project, will allow children to collect and take home flowers that have powerful smells, said Mary Gillihan, youth programs director. A guided trail walk will take place at 3:30 p.m. Children can meet at the Shannon Cabin before each program.
Ozark Folk Center’s Young Pioneers program, which will offer crafts and musical projects — such as spinning yarn and square dancing — will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Shannon Cabin. Ozark Folk Center’s children’s programs target ages 7 to 14 and is free with regular park admission, which is $7 for ages 6 to 12 and $12 for adults. Children 5 and younger are admitted free.
While children playing on electronics is not a bad thing, Ballard said, too much of one thing could be. National Parks Day is a time to connect with our state without the devices, he said.
“National Kids to Park Day is designed and intended to connect kids to the experiences found in our parks,” he said. “Kids today need outdoor and cultural experiences found in our parks, which help them connect and discover something about themselves.”
Staff writer Syd Hayman can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or shayman@arkansasonline.com.