There’s so many opportunities to spark your child’s curiosity and give them a broader view of the world when you’re traveling, but it’s easy to miss these opportunities when you’re busy parenting. These guides are here to help: we’ll connect a destination to a big idea and give you suggestions on how to help your child make that connection, too.
Costa Rica is a small country but it’s teeming with natural beauty and wildlife. This is partly thanks to the country’s dedication to wildlife conservation. While you’re ziplining through the trees or hiking the volcanoes, it can be easy to miss the fact Costa Rica wasn’t always an environmental pioneer — it had to take some pretty bold steps to get there.
Into the jungle: reversing deforestation
Over 50% of Costa Rica is rainforest. The small country is also home to half a million plant and animal species, making it one of the most biodiverse places in the world.
Reversing deforestation: Forty years ago, Costa Rica had one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world thanks to an influx of loggers — in the 1980s, it had lost nearly half of its forest cover. But soon after, the government banned deforestation and started a unique program that pays local communities to help protect the ecosystem in various ways — and it worked. The small country is the only tropical country to have reversed deforestation.
“We have learned that the pocket is the quickest way to get to the heart,” Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, Costa Rica’s minister for environment and energy told CNN.
Why it matters: The other tropical countries haven’t fared as well — in 2019, the region lost nearly 12 million hectares of forest, which is about 30 football fields a minute according to CNN.
This is a huge problem because 80% of the Earth’s land animals and plants live in forests. They need tree coverage for protection from the sun during the day as well as for heat preservation during the night. Without tree coverage, the temperatures in the forests may swing wildly from day to night. And losing trees can lead to more complex problem, too: rainforests affect the global water supply and cutting trees means more CO2 in the atmosphere.
In 2019, tropical countries lost nearly 12 million hectares of forest, which is about 30 football fields a minute
Big question: Can Costa Rica’s formula — strict government bans and an incentive program — be a model for other countries in the region?
Before you go: Young kids may not understand the effects of deforestation, but a great place to start is to illustrate how organisms in ecosystems interact. There’s two great illustrated books set in MonteVerde that help kids explore these delicate ecosystems: The Forest in the Clouds and Jan Brett’s The Umbrella, which introduces the animals of the cloud forest through the perspective of a little tree frog and his umbrella puddle.
Explore: Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, located north of San Jose at the Continental Divide, is a popular spot in Costa Rica. One of the best learning experiences is a guided hike through the reserve. You could do it without a guide, but an expert will be able to point out the animals hidden in the forest that an untrained eye may not see — they’ll also be able to provide detailed information about the animals and their habitat.
In the south, Manuel Antonio is also a very accessible rainforest. The park is a very easy stroll for little kids and you’re bound to see a wide variety of animals. While you’re there, another really cool place to check out is the Kids Saving the Rainforest non-profit rescue and rehabilitation center — you’ll be able to take a tour and see the rescued animals as well as help in the conservation efforts. (Bonus: if your workation is for at least 3 months, you can look into enrolling your child at the Cloud Forest School! This is an environmentally-focused and accredited school for little ones.)
And, situated on the northeastern Caribbean coast, the well-known Tortuguero National Park allows for the opportunity to see plenty of turtles — even the endangered leatherback turtle.
Off the beaten path: If you’re looking for something a little less touristy Corcovado National Park, in southwestern Costa Rica, is one of the most pristine rainforests in the country —and scientists visit the park each year to spot many rare animals, like tapirs, spider monkeys, tanagers, and more. And, if you want a really remote experience, nearby Piedras Blancas National Park Is sure to pique the adventure lover’s curiosity.
Volcanoes: exploring geothermal energy
There’s 61 volcanoes in Costa Rica (only 6 of them are considered active). Not only are they majestic to look at, but they can serve as valuable resources for a kind of energy production that is largely untapped: geothermal energy.
Background: Costa Rica typically produces 90% of its electricity from renewable sources, primarily from hydroelectric projects. However, similar to solar energy, hydroelectric power is weather dependent. Energy production is low during the dry season when water reserves are low. So, the country needs other clean energy sources that can pinch-hit for hydroelectricity.That’s where the volcanoes come in — Costa Rica can use the underground steam from volcanoes to produce energy. This geothermal energy is produced by drilling deep underground — hot water rises and the heat is extracted…and voila, there’s sustainable electricity.
Volcanoes can serve as valuable resources for a kind of energy production that is largely untapped: geothermal energy.
Why it matters: As concerns about climate change grow, governments are looking for more ways to decarbonize and geothermal energy could be one of the solutions. There’s only 25 countries in the world that produce geothermal energy and Costa Rica is among the largest in Latin America because of the abundance of volcanoes and hot springs. This will help the country diversify its renewable energy resources and give it a better shot at reaching its ambitious sustainability goals.
Big question: The rest of the world is looking for more renewable energy sources too, specifically ones that aren’t weather-dependent. Can we make geothermal energy work in locations without volcanoes or hot springs?
Before you go: For young kids, NASA has a section for kids on climate change and renewable energy, which includes games and videos on geothermal energy.
Older kids (and adults!) may enjoy this geothermal video explainer by Grist.
Explore: Arenal Volcano is in the north, just outside the small town of La Fortuna. It’s probably the most famous volcano in Central America and was once the most active. Now, you won’t be able to hear the rumblings or see the red hot lava because it’s been dormant since 2010, but it’s still a pretty awesome site to see.
Poas Volcano is located in the Central Valley and makes a great day trip from San Jose. It’s also still active, the last major eruption was in 2017 when the national park had to be evacuated. There’s also two lakes — one is aqua blue right in the middle of the crater, which makes this gorgeous volcano to photograph. There’s also a ton to do in this area as a family besides the volcano — there’s coffee plantations to check out as well as La Paz Waterfall Gardens.
Off the beaten path: Miravalles Volcano is a bit more rural than the other volcanoes, making this a great place to consider if you’re up for a little adventure. It’s in the Guanacaste Province just 2 hours from Tamarindo. It’s surrounded by small towns that can give you a view of local culture with farm fields and small neighborhoods. The coolest thing about Miravalles is that even though it’s dormant it produces a ton of thermal energy — you’ll be able to see several geothermal plants here.