For Kids

 

Junior Ranger Activity Guide

NPS Photo

Junior Ranger Activities

Become a Junior Ranger. Start your visit to the missions by picking up an activity book at the Visitor Center or downloading a copy here. It's free!

You can still earn your Junior Ranger badge during the COVID-19 modifications to operations! Just complete the activity book at home and email e-mail us describing your favorite activity. Include your name and address in the email. When our Visitor Center reopens, we will mail your Junior Ranger badge to you!

• Junior Ranger Booklet - English
• Junior Ranger Booklet - Español

Looking for field trips?

Field trips and education program information is located here.

 

Flat Ranger explores the pollinator garden at Mission San Juan!

NPS Photo.

Explore with Flat Ranger!

You can download our Flat Ranger Girl or Flat Ranger Boy cutouts, use a template from FlatStanley.com, or draw your own.

Decorate your flat ranger any way you want.

Want to see that Flat Ranger is up to? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Once you've completed the Flat Ranger scavenger hunt, download your virtual GPS with the NPS Junior Ranger patch here!

 

 

Kid FAQs

• What did kids at the missions do all day?

Kids at the missions had many chores. These included carding wool, gathering food rations, preparing meals, cleaning up, feeding livestock, and looking after the younger ones.

• Where did the mission residents go to the bathroom?

The people who lived in the mission walls would have used a chamber pot or a bucket for their bathroom. When they were done, children would empty the bucket by dumping it right outside of their door. Yuck!

 

• Are the missions really old?

The missions are really old! Mission San Jose was founded in 1720. Mission Concepcion, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada were founded in 1731. How old does that make the missions?

People have been living along the San Antonio River for even longer. We believe that Indigenous people have been living along this river for about 10,000 years!

• Why are there so many doors in the missions?

Mission residents lived in the perimeter walls of the mission. When you enter Mission San Jose, you'll see that the walls are lined with doors where the 350 mission residents lived at the mission's peak.