National parks become living classrooms for fourth graders through free pass program

By Stacy Mantle
Mail

Arizona fourth graders are taking their learning outdoors. As families prepare for a new school year, parents of fourth-grade students have an opportunity to turn classroom lessons into real-world adventures at no cost. 

"The National Park Service's Every Kid Outdoors Program allows U.S. fourth graders and family members free access to the rich and varied wildlife, resources, and history of our federal lands and waters, helping inspire a future generation of stewards for America's spectacular national parks and other public lands," an NPS spokesperson said. "Arizona requested 41,865 vouchers in 2023 and 53,438 vouchers in 2024."

The federal Every Kid Outdoors program provides every U.S. fourth grader, including homeschooled and ESA learners of equivalent age, with a free pass granting access to more than 2,000 federally managed parks, forests, wildlife refuges and public lands for an entire year. The initiative is designed to encourage children to connect with nature, history and science while supporting classroom learning through hands-on experiences.

The pass is valid from Sept. 1 of a student's fourth-grade year through Aug. 31 of the following summer, giving families an entire school year and summer break to explore destinations ranging from the Grand Canyon National Park to local national monuments, recreation areas and wildlife refuges.

The program was extended through the EXPLORE Act, which was enacted in 2025. That law reauthorized the program for another seven years, extending it through Sept. 30, 2031.

Affordable learning beyond the classroom

National parks and public lands offer opportunities for students to experience subjects they study in school firsthand.

Mother of six Jennifer Allen said the pass has made it easier for her family to choose meaningful experiences over costly entertainment.

"When I compare the cost of an hour of video games or bowling for our family of eight with spending an entire day hiking some of Arizona's most beautiful places less than an hour from home, it's an easy choice," Allen said. "Outdoor adventures give us exercise, uninterrupted family time and opportunities to learn together. Hiking in Arizona wins every time."

Students begin by completing age-appropriate activity packets, then bring those lessons to life by exploring desert ecosystems, learning about Indigenous cultures, examining geology, observing wildlife habitats and visiting historic landmarks. These hands-on experiences help reinforce classroom learning while encouraging curiosity, critical thinking and an appreciation for the nation's natural and cultural resources.

How families can get the pass

Students can receive their free Every Kid Outdoors pass by completing a brief educational activity on the Every Kid Outdoors website. After finishing the activity, families can print a paper pass immediately or obtain the official Digital Every Kid Outdoors 4th Grade Pass through Recreation.gov for use on a mobile device, making it easier to access participating federal recreation sites.

The pass covers entrance fees for the fourth grader and accompanying family members. At sites that charge per vehicle, everyone traveling together in a non-commercial passenger vehicle is admitted free. At locations that charge per person, the pass covers the fourth grader, all children younger than 16 and up to three accompanying adults.

The pass does not cover camping, tours, parking fees or other special-use fees.

A resource for teachers

The program also supports educators. Fourth-grade teachers, homeschool leaders and youth organization leaders can download lesson materials and generate passes for their students. Educational resources include activities focused on conservation, environmental stewardship, citizen science and the nation's cultural history, making it easier to connect field experiences with classroom instruction.

As schools increasingly emphasize project-based, experiential learning and real-world experiences, programs like Every Kid Outdoors provide an accessible way for families to extend education beyond the classroom while introducing students to the public lands they will help protect in the future.

Parents and educators can learn more or obtain a free pass by visiting the Every Kid Outdoors website.

Editor’s note:  The quoted individual is the author's sister. A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.

Stacy Mantle
Education Solutions Reporter

smantle@iniusa.org

Meet Stacy
Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.

Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.

Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!

Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.

Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.