Full Citation
Title: Every Kid (and Family) in a Park? Free National Parks Admission for Children and Spillovers in Family Recreation
Citation Type: Miscellaneous
Publication Year: 2018
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Abstract: Family recreation contributes to positive family health and well-being and plays an important role in promoting healthy youth development. The Family Activity Model posits that families seek out novel activity environments for recreation. National parks are novel environments and create opportunities for engaging in family recreation activities such as hiking. Therefore, we evaluate the reach of the “Every Kid in a Park” initiative of the U.S. National Park Service, which offers free admission to children in fourth grade and their guests. Using a large, nationally representative data sample from the American Time Use Survey, we conduct difference-indifferences analysis to determine whether hiking patterns by family members of fourth-graders have changed following the policy implementation. We find that hiking patterns have increased overall for family members of fourth-graders following the implementation of the initiative. Moreover, we find no evidence of effects being concentrated among specific socioeconomic groups.
User Submitted?: No
Authors: Wikle, Jocelyn, S; Hodge, Camilla, J
Publisher: Brigham Young University, University of Utah
Data Collections: IPUMS CPS
Topics: Family and Marriage, Natural Resource Management, Other
Countries: United States