Steamtown offers fourth-graders a free pass

SCRANTON — Steamtown National Historic Site invites all fourth-grade students to visit the park for free as part of the White House’s new Every Kid in a Park program.

At everykidinapark.gov, kids can complete an activity and obtain a free annual entry pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks.

“During the National Park Service’s centennial celebration, we want everyone to get to know their national parks, and we’re offering a special invitation to fourth graders and their families to discover everything that national parks offer,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “We hope these free passes will introduce fourth graders, their classes, and families to our national treasures, places where they can run and play, explore and learn.”

Steamtown National Historic Site offers a variety of activities the kids and their families can enjoy, including seasonal train rides (train ride fares apply), the park movie “Steel and Steam,” guided tours of the locomotive repair and maintenance shops, educational programs, including a self-guided tour of the museum complex and junior ranger programs to complete at the park.

Fourth graders play a game at the Every Kid in a Park site to access their special pass. They and their families (up to three adults) can then use this pass for free entry to national parks and other federal public lands and waters across the country from now through Aug. 31, 2016.

The website also includes learning activities aligned to educational standards, trip planning tools, safety and packing tips and other important and helpful information for educators and parents.

Steamtown is offering a special core standards educational program, “Railroads, Rivers and You!” (RRY!), which focuses on history, mathematics, ecology and conservation. RRY! uses park resources plus those found at the nearby Lackawanna River Heritage Trail. Educators can learn more about this program and schedule field trips by contacting Ranger Dan Kahl at 570-340-5195 or daniel_kahl@nps.gov.

Located in downtown Scranton, Steamtown is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.