|
It's Public Lands Day at Florissant Fossil Beds on Saturday, September 25, 2010 and that means it is a free day for everyone! The Monument will be celebrating by hosting activities for children from 10 AM – 3PM because it is also No Child Left Inside Day. That's three great reasons to visit the Monument and reconnect your family with the natural world. Children that participate in the Junior Ranger Program will earn a patch and badge and become a Junior Ranger. The activities are appropriate for ages 1 – 12 and include a visit to an interactive fossil lab, a simulated fossil excavation, ranger led hikes, animal tracking, meeting a geologist, and even touring the historic Hornbek Homestead. Additionally, a variety of ranger programs will be offered throughout the day and as always the park film and exhibits will be available for viewing. There are also 14 miles of hiking trails to explore. On that day, 15 other partner organizations will also be hosting No Child Left Inside Day events. The purpose of No Child Left Inside day is to reconnect children to the natural world. According to award winning author, Richard Louv, in his book The Last Child in the Woods, the current generation of children have become so plugged into the inside world that it is affecting their emotional and physical health. It's time to get kids involved with outdoor activities that are an alternative to the electronic playgrounds of video games, television and hi-tech toys. The Monument's hours are 9:00AM to 5:00PM. To reach the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, travel 35 miles west of Colorado Springs on Highway 24. At the town of Florissant, turn left onto Teller County #1, and travel 2 miles south to the Visitor Center. For more information, visit the park's website at https://www.nps.gov/flfo/forkids/ncli2010.htm or call 719-748- 3253. |
Last updated: February 24, 2015