By Mike Graf, author of the Adventures with the Parkers series

Our national parks are full of wonderful hiking opportunities. The Adventures with the Parkers series, which features a fictitious family of four—a mom and dad and their two children, twins Morgan and James who are going into 5th grade—follows this family as it spends a week or so in a famous national park and has adventures derived from trails, campgrounds, tours, or other experiences our best national parks have to offer.

Featured here is one of the hikes from “Harrowing Ascent of Half Dome,” which takes place in Yosemite National Park.

To the uninitiated, kayaking—as demonstrated by the graceful, smooth strokes of the seasoned kayaker—may seem like an activity that could take months or years to learn. Not so, says Dennis Stuhaug, a lifelong paddler and author of Falcon’s Kayaking Made Easy 3rd: A Manual for Beginners with Tips for the Experienced. “Anyone can learn to paddle in 10 minutes or less,” he says. “That’s how easy it is.” And once you’ve grasped the basic maneuvers and safety tips, the key to pushing off in this popular sport is to pick the right gear. Here are a few essentials:

By Ken Keffer, Destination Nature

Playing in nature takes me right back to my childhood. There is something about grass under your feet and dirt under your fingernails that keeps you young at heart.