RESTON, Va. — The National Wildlife Federation will offer free, complimentary access to Ranger Rick online and the digital editions of its magazines during the COVID-19 shutdown of schools and daycare centers. The access will extend through June 30, 2020, and will only require an email address for access online. 

“We understand that this may be a scary, uncertain time for families,” said Hannah Schardt, editor of Ranger Rick for the National Wildlife Federation. “The most important thing right now is to stay healthy and do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19. Here at Ranger Rick, we also want to help families stay engaged with wildlife and the natural world, so we are removing the paywall from rangerrick.org and making all the digital editions of our magazines free to the public through the end of June. And if you’re giving homeschooling a try, we hope you’ll take advantage of the activity ideas and student pages in our monthly Ranger Rick Educator’s Guides and Ranger Rick Jr. Parent Reading Guides.” 

The National Wildlife Federation’s magazines aren’t our only resources to help stay connected with nature. With spring on its way and cooped-up kids bouncing off the walls, now is the perfect time to play outside, even with playgrounds and public parks closed. Here are some ideas to get started spying on squirrels, prowling for owls and planting a garden for wildlife.

Stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter feeds. We will keep them both updated with fresh ideas and activities.