temperature icon 72°F

How Kids Can Help Sea Turtles at Edisto Beach: Join the Junior Turtle Patrol

JR Turtle Patrolers

Let Your Kids Join the Junior Turtle Patrol!

Most kids love an adventure, especially one that comes with a “badge” at the end. Well, Edisto Beach has the perfect one this summer.

The Junior Turtle Patrol is a new program from the Edisto Beach Loggerhead Turtle Project, and it’s a fun way for kids to help protect the amazing sea turtles that call our beach home. Every summer, mama loggerheads, which can weigh as much as a refrigerator, waddle up the sand to lay their eggs. But here’s the crazy part, those giant turtles all start out as tiny babies about the size of a ping pong ball. Their trip to the ocean is tough, and only a few make it. That’s where your kids can help.

How It Works

  • Step one, grab a copy of the Turtle Times, which is a kid-friendly sea turtle newspaper.
  • Step two, have your child sign the Junior Turtle Patrol Pledge, which basically says they will:
    • Knock down sandcastles and fill in holes before dark so turtles do not get stuck
    • Pick up trash and bring beach gear in at night
    • Keep lights off the beach after dark
    • Remind friends and family to follow turtle-friendly rules

Once they have signed, they can head to Island Bikes & Outfitters or the Edisto Surf Shop to get their official Junior Turtle Patrol sticker. It is their badge of honor, and trust me, they will wear it proudly.

Where to Find the Turtle Times

You will find it at:

JR Turtle Patrolers Turtle Times

Why It’s Awesome

The Junior Turtle Patrol is more than just a fun activity, it is a chance for kids to learn about wildlife, care for our beaches, and be part of something that matters. Plus, it is a great excuse to slow down, look for turtle tracks, and enjoy the magic of Edisto.

So next time you are here, get your kids signed up. The turtles will thank them, and you will get to see their faces light up when they realize they are making a real difference.

Accessibility by WAH