Parks offer a wide variety of fun things to do in different settings and with levels of difficulty. When you plan your trip, match the interests and physical fitness of your group with the activities you choose. You do not want to push yourself or your group members to hike, climb, or explore beyond their physical abilities—that's when injuries are more likely to occur.
Once you know the limits of your group and their experience level, pick the park you want to visit, explore your camping options, and select your campsite. Some sites may be reserved either by calling the campground or through online reservation systems including Recreation.gov, while other sites within a campground may be available by a first-come, first-served system.
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A Youth Educator’s Guide to Leave No Trace Activities, Games, and Experiential Curriculum
Leave No Trace Activity Playbook Leave No Trace - Short Answer Questions Glacier National Park Activity A National Park Service Index 2012-2016 Trip Planning Guide National Park Service The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics protects the outdoors by teaching and inspiring people to enjoy it responsibly. The Center accomplishes this mission by delivering cutting-edge education and research to millions of people every year.
Cook Fun Things
Kids love to be involved cooking their own food that can be cooked at the end of a stick. Introduce your kids to the camping tradition of roasting marshmallows and cooking hot dogs over a fire. Cooking in Camp for more tips, tricks and recipes for meals.
Camping Trip Safety Series
- Know Your Limits
- Plan Your Trip
- Park Requirements and Regulations
- In Case of Emergency
- Prepare – Gear Up!
Keep Your Pet Safe Too
If camping with your pet, be sure to follow these guidelines:
- Always keep your pet restrained.
- Check your pet for ticks.
- Do not leave your pet in a closed vehicle.
- If you are camping in bear country, camping with dogs can be more dangerous than elsewhere. Dogs can attract curious bears, and the interaction often leads to conflict, which can put your pet and you in danger.
Respect Wildlife
Follow these basic guidelines to ensure the safety of you and animals in the park with respect to wildlife:
- Do NOT feed wildlife under any circumstances. Feeding wildlife creates an expectation that they can receive food from you (and other campers) in the future. This can make them persistent and sometimes violent, and may attract wildlife to your site.
- Avoid contact with wildlife. While it is certainly tempting to approach wildlife, this can be very dangerous.
- Keep safe viewing distances. When watching wildlife, make sure to keep a safe distance. Your park may or may not have recommended viewing distances regarding certain wildlife.
Avoid attracting wildlife to your campsite with the following methods:
- Keep food secured in airtight containers. Not only will it be fresher, it will attract less unwanted attention from wildlife.
- Keep your food out of reach of wildlife. Generally, food can be stored in your car, but certain campgrounds may require the use of food storage lockers or other means of keeping food out of reach of wildlife.
- Keep your campsite clean. Collect any food packaging and food scraps in a waste bag and dispose of the waste in the campground's receptacle before you leave the camp or turn in for the night.
- Do not feed wildlife. Not only will they become more aggressive toward you, they will be more likely to be a nuisance for campers who use the site after you.
- Do not take food inside your tent. While it's tempting to have that midnight snack on hand, it will attract wildlife.
How to Get a Campsite in a National Park
Step-by-step instructions on how to claim a campsite in a national park. (This video is specifically tailored to Norris Campground in Yellowstone, but the basics are the same at all U.S. National Parks.)
Now that you have found a place to camp, set up your tent, and started roasting marshmallows, what else can you and your companions do? Browse through a list of ideas suited for everyone.
Download the trip planning guide and checklist. Make your fun adventure a safe one too! No one plans to get hurt while out exploring in a National Park. However, nature is unpredictable, structures are historical, and your equipment can unexpectedly fail. Planning can be the key to a fun and safe adventure. Remember, safety starts with you!
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Adventure Activity Resources
All downloads in this category include any Junior Ranger activity books available in each state park. Explore additional subcategories with activities to download for special exhibits, events and National Park Service programs. Be sure to check out other articles in this section for links to resources, information and videos.
Public Downloads
All items are free to view, share, and download.
Public Downloads - Español (Spanish)
When available, we provide all our content with a Spanish version in our public download section. You can find additional material from sources listed in all our articles.
Download Hiking and Camping Activities, Information, and Resources
A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment and Sanitation for Backcountry & Travel Use California State Parks Activities Guide Camping Equipment Checklist Educate Kids to find Directions using a Compass Activity Challenges 
Hiking 10 Essentials Hiking and Camping Picture Checklist Emergency Preparedness Kit 
Hiking and Camping Picture Checklist Emergency Preparedness Kit Image Hiking Environmental Awareness Kids Worksheets Hiking Merit Badge Workbook Hiking Scavenger Hunt Activity Sheet How to Maintain Personal Hygiene While Camping Kids Camping and Recreation Activity Book New York Camping and Recreation Guide Sleepover & Camping Kids Activity Worksheets Smokey Bear Printable Campfire Checklist Smokey Bear Printable Campfire Checklist - Spanish Summer Camp Checklist Download National Park Fishing Activities and Identification Handouts
A List of Links to Find Junior Ranger Pages for Specific Parks A List of National Trail Junior Ranger Programs Address and Contact Junior Ranger Badges and Patches 
Find Junior Ranger Pages for Specific Parks Find Junior Ranger Pages for Specific Parks Independent State of Samoa Junior Ranger National Park of American Samoa Activity Book Samoan Version Independent State of Samoa Junior Ranger National Park of American Samoa English Activity Book Junior Ranger Book Morse Code Junior Ranger Certificate Printing Guide NASA Spaceflight Explorer Junior Ranger Activity Book United States Territory of Guam Junior Ranger War In The Pacific National Historical Park Activity Book Where to Request Badges and Patches Download Yellowstone Junior Ranger Activities
Map of Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone Junior Ranger National Park Activity Book 5-7 Yellowstone Junior Ranger National Park Activity Book 8-12 Yellowstone National Park 1938 Poster Yellowstone National Park Bison Baby's First Steps Video Yellowstone National Park Lodges Yellowstone National Park Safety Download Junior Ranger and State Park Program Activities, Information, and Resources
Download Files: Multi-State Parks
Download Files: Songs for Junior Rangers
Download Files: State Parks
A List of Links to Find Junior Ranger Pages for Specific Parks A List of National Trail Junior Ranger Programs Address and Contact Junior Ranger Badges and Patches Find Junior Ranger Pages for Specific Parks Find Junior Ranger Pages for Specific Parks Independent State of Samoa Junior Ranger National Park of American Samoa Activity Book Samoan Version Independent State of Samoa Junior Ranger National Park of American Samoa English Activity Book Junior Ranger Book Morse Code Junior Ranger Certificate Printing Guide NASA Spaceflight Explorer Junior Ranger Activity Book United States Territory of Guam Junior Ranger War In The Pacific National Historical Park Activity Book Where to Request Badges and Patches Download National Park Information and Resources
DownloadSize 154.77 KBDownloadSize 1.42 MBDownloadSize 16.45 MBDownload Environmental and Educational Activity Guides, Information, and Resources
52 Weeks of Sun Safe Activities Finding My Forest Tools to Re-connect with Nature Education Activity Guide Let's Move Outside Junior Ranger Book Activity Book New Mexico Junior Ranger Great Outdoors Activity Book Outdoor Participation Report by the Outdoor Industry Association Recreational Areas and List of Outdoor Activities with Pictures for Schools, Families, Groups, and Children A National Park Service Index 2012-2016 All Seasons Safety Activity Book An Overview of Nature eBook Book of Stuff To Do Do Not Feed Wildlife Poster Environmental Games and Activities Finding My Forest Tools to Re-connect with Nature Education Activity Guide Leave No Trace Activity Playbook Spend Time in Nature Parent Guide