In September, the Sierra Club’s Outdoors For All campaign and local partners hosted outings in New York City and Washington, D.C. showcasing the power of creating opportunities for kids to connect with nature. At each event, we handed out national park passes to local students as part of the Every Kid Outdoors federal program providing free passes to fourth graders and their families across the U.S.
For some kids, it was their first walk through a hidden forest in the middle of a city. For others, it was the thrill of steering a boat for the very first time. For every student, the Every Kid Outdoors pass is more than a piece of paper – it is an invitation to experience our shared national parks, national forests, and public lands firsthand.
- Take action! Tell Congress to permanently authorize and expand the Every Kid Outdoors federal program: sc.org/EKO
Exploring Central Park in New York City
At the corner of 79th and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, 20 fourth graders gathered with the Sierra Club’s Outdoors For All Campaign, New York City Inspiring Connection Outdoors, and Catrock Ventures for a special outing to celebrate the Every Kid Outdoors Program.
Take action! Tell Congress to permanently authorize and expand the Every Kid Outdoors federal program: sc.org/EKO
The city buzzed with its usual rhythm of horns, footsteps, conversation, and music. Yet just a few steps away, the gates of Central Park offered something different. Crossing that threshold felt like stepping through a portal. One moment, we were surrounded by concrete and noise, and the next we found ourselves in the Ramble, a winding, wooded section of the park that feels like stepping into upstate New York.
For many students, it was their first time exploring this part of Central Park, and their excitement was contagious. The outing unfolded as a mix of games, conversation, and discovery. Trip leaders pointed out plants and wildlife, inviting the kids to see the Ramble not just as a park, but as a living landscape. At one point, a leader asked everyone to stop and be silent. The transformation was instant: you could hear the rustle of leaves and wind in the trees. For a few moments, the city disappeared.
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From there, the students scrambled up Balance Rock, laughed as they pointed out turtles basking in the sun, and then stopped again to watch a woodpecker high above in a tree, boring into the bark. “This is the best day of the school year,” one student declared.
At the end of the hike, each student received their Every Kid Outdoors pass. They learned about the kinds of adventures that these passes can unlock, from visiting nearby Gateway National Recreation Area to exploring the infamous Yosemite National Park in California, or even joining families across the country who visit national forests every holiday season to cut down trees. The kids held their passes with excitement, realizing they were holding invitations to places they had only begun to imagine.
Cruising through Yards Marina in Washington, D.C.
Just a few days later in Washington, D.C., 25 fourth graders joined the Sierra Club’s Outdoors For All campaign, the Outdoors Alliance for Kids, the National Park Trust, and Living Classrooms to explore Yards Marina for a day of outdoor learning, environmental education programs, and a ride on the Mildred Belle boat.
Take action! Tell Congress to permanently authorize and expand the Every Kid Outdoors federal program: sc.org/EKO
On the boat, students learned about navigation, water quality, and some were even brave enough to steer. For many students, this was their first time on a boat, so while there were some initial nerves, by the end of the ride, everyone was smiling, using binoculars, pointing out landmarks, and having a great time.
Back on land, the fourth graders received their Every Kid Outdoors pass, and heard from Ranger Ann about how this pass will allow them opportunities to go to some of the most beautiful places in the country for free with their families. The excitement was palpable.
When the students were asked if anyone had been to a national park before, only a few raised their hands, illustrating why the Every Kid Outdoors pass truly does provide an opportunity for students across the U.S. to make unique and memorable experiences by visiting public lands.
Advocating for the Every Kid Outdoors program
Moments like these underscore why it is so important to advocate for the Every Kid Outdoors Program and to ensure it remains available for generations of fourth graders to come. The Sierra Club’s Outdoors for All campaign works hard to make that vision real so every child, no matter where they live, can discover, explore, and feel at home in the outdoors.
Take action! Tell Congress to permanently authorize and expand the Every Kid Outdoors federal program: sc.org/EKO