DC Snow Day | Kids to Parks Day School Grants
With so many communities in the Southeast continuing to deal with the recent snow storms, I am sharing how we handle snow days in DC: with Pandamonium! The National Zoo released a video of the recently arrived Giant Pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao frolicking in the snow. The National Zoo was closed on Monday and the panda exhibit is currently close to the public but it was a nice dose of adorable silliness on a stressful day. It’s also terrific promotion for the panda exhibit that will open on January 24.
For gateway communities, the National Park Trust has announced it will again offer its Kids to Parks Day School Grants Program. Open to students from US Title I schools (40% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch) in grades PreK through 12, this grant program provides classrooms with up to $1,000 for in-park experiences. Funding can be used towards program fees, transportation costs, stewardship supplies, and any other materials needed for a robust learning experience.
National Kids to Park Day is Saturday, May 17, 2025 and is designed as a day for kids and families nationwide to discover and explore America’s parks, historic sites, public lands, and waters. The grant is designed to be student-driven, and student-teacher collaboration is a must. In addition, all applications must include a stewardship element and a park-themed educational component that focuses on either outdoor recreation and healthy lifestyles, environmental education/science, or history.
Share this opportunity with school districts in your state to encourage them to connect kids with the rich natural, cultural, and historic assets of their state. The application deadline is February 7. Detailed information and a link to the application form can be found here.