Austin Adventure’s first “Virtual Adventure for Kids”, held Thursday, March 26, was a resounding success. Hosted by Austin Adventures President Kasey Austin, the Yellowstone National Park Virtual Adventure featured videos of Old Faithful, descriptions of the park’s wildlife, and of course, Austin’s famous bison hat, as well as a Q&A session with hundreds of great questions from the audience such as “Can I swim in a hot spring?” and “How many bears are in Yellowstone National Park?”
Over 1,000 kids (and a few parents) from around the world registered, and feedback was extremely positive. Roughly 80-90% of those attending were children (Virtual Adventures are recommended for children aged 6-12). Austin Adventures CEO/Founder Dan Austin was put to work to help answer the 500+ questions that came in throughout the adventure, and Kasey Austin herself answered questions at the end of the presentation.
One father, whose children logged on for the adventure, said, “The visuals were great and my two daughters (Abby -10 and Hannah - 7) loved the entire presentation (especially when they got the polls right and could strut their intelligence). These webinars are not only an incredible offer for me and my wife, who are working hard and trying to find educational content for our girls, but are so important to develop a sense of adventure and desire to learn and explore in a fun way.”
With recent school closures and restrictions in place due to COVID-19, Austin Adventures decided to launch their “Virtual Adventures for Kids” in an effort to help bring some positivity to the world, give children something to enjoy from the comfort of their own homes, and give parents a small break. There was no better candidate to host these adventures than Austin. Having graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, and honored as the world’s top family guide in 2014 by OUTSIDE Magazine, she is passionate about having fun & teaching kids.
“The best part of my job is when I get to spend time in our parks, sharing my passion with our fellow travelers, especially the young adventure seekers” noted Kasey Austin. “When hit with the prospect of not getting out onto the trails, we thought the next best thing would be to share “virtual adventures,” we had no idea they would be so popular. I can’t wait to continue to share some of my favorite spots on the planet with kids from around the world!”
The Yellowstone National Park adventure is the first of many to come. These virtual adventures are designed for children ages 6-12, but everyone (including parents) is encouraged to join. Lessons will last anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 hour, and are planned for Thursdays at 2:00 PM EST. The Austin Adventures team is working on additional content and may expand to two adventures a week in the future. “Next up is Alaska,” notes Austin. “I was born in Alaska and its always been close to my heart. Sharing it is going to be the highlight of my upcoming week!"
Austin Adventures will be sending out webinar invites, as well as posting the schedule on social media channels (listed below) and their homepage. All virtual adventures will be recorded for future viewing and sharing, so those who can’t attend the live version will still have the chance to enjoy them later. Regardless of where or when they are watched, “Virtual Adventures for Kids” is sure to be a positive way to inspire a sense of adventure in the young, and the young at heart.
The schedule for these virtual adventures is as follows:
Thursday, April 2nd: Alaska “The Great Land” - Register here.
Thursday, April 9th: Zoo Montana “Take a Walk on the Wild Side” - Register here.
Thursday, April 16th: Costa Rica “The Land of Fire” - Register here.
Thursday, April 23rd: Life is Good Adventures “The Power of Positivity” - Register here.
Thursday, April 30th: Peru “The Land of the Inca” - Register here.
About Austin Adventures
Based in Billings, Montana, Austin Adventures has spent over 35 years building an international reputation as a top provider of luxury, small group, multisport tours for adults and families to the world’s most captivating destinations. They have been acknowledged twice by Travel + Leisure Magazine with the prestigious World’s Best Awards along with other national media accolades and distinctions. Austin Adventures has perfected the art of creating itineraries featuring exceptional regional dining, distinctive accommodations, incredible guides and exhilarating activities, all while keeping all-inclusive rates and services the norm. In addition to scheduled group departures on all seven continents, Austin Adventures has developed a reputation as the leader in customized trip planning and execution, all backed by the industry’s best money-back satisfaction guarantee.