The Easiest Way to Learn the Leave No Trace Seven Principles for Kids

Kids at the Yosemite National Park Valley School live, go to school and play in Yosemite National Park year-round. (Don’t be jealous.) (Okay, we know, you can’t help it.)

Growing up in one of the most iconic U.S. National Parks means that your backyard is many people’s dream vacation spot. It also means that you see the effects of millions of people visiting your “backyard” who might not know how to take care of it.

Even the school’s youngest students can explain the negative effects of feeding animals (“It makes the animals sick and they keep coming back for more food”) or not putting your campfire (“Sparks can fly and make a wildfire”). So we knew who to turn to when we wanted to make a video on the Leave No Trace Seven Principles for kids.

It’s not just for kids, though! If you’re a grown-up who teaches Leave No Trace to children, you’ll want to check this out for a cool way to remember the Kids’ Seven Principles.

Want some hand motions for the Leave No Trace Seven Principles for the backcountry? Check out this video!

Leave No Trace’s Jessie Johnson and Matt Schneider are part of the 2019 Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer Program that provides free, mobile education to communities across the country. Proud partners of this program include Subaru of America, REI, Eagles Nest Outfitters, Deuter, Thule, Fjällräven and Klean Kanteen.