Family Fun - Florissant Fossil National Monument

This fall during a camping trip, we were invited by our

new friend Gwen, to check out

Florissant Fossil National Monument.

We had never been before, and thought it a wonderful learning opportunity for the kids.

Here are a few pictures of our trip there!

We stopped in at the Visitor's Center first.

There is so much information about the monument,

what fossils and petrified wood they have found there, and the

people who dedicated their time to preserving it into a

National Monument.

There were lots of hands-on activities for the kids to do...

images of fossils

petrified wood samples

The kids really enjoyed all there was to see!

Here is Nate and our new friend Ms. Gwen.

We were watching a video that the visitor center offers to teach

about how the fossil beds were formed.

One of the most exciting activities for the kids though,

was to go through the Jr. Ranger program.

Here one of the Park Rangers is giving them the instructions to be

able to complete the program, receive their badge, and be sworn in!

All of the kids took their new job very seriously!

They set to work right away...

There was a scavenger hunt BINGO...

An artist activity...

A safety message activity...

Here we are next to a petrified Redwood in

the Outdoor Exhibition Area.

(Thank you Ms. Gwen for taking our picture!)

Then we started down the Petrified Forrest Walk,

which is a 1 mile walk with massive petrified redwoods.

The kids did great!  At the end of the walk,

they sat down to finish their workbook so they could become

Jr. Rangers!

Nate next to a petrified stump.

Here the Ranger signed off on their completed workbooks.

Then the kids got to be "sworn-in" as Jr. Rangers...

(couldn't resist taking a video!)

We had a wonderful time!