How to Enjoy Yellowstone National Park With the Kids

If spouting geysers, meandering bison, bubbling mud pots and fabulous views aren't enough to keep the kids interested, there are plenty of opportunities for learning at the Grizzly Discovery Center, the IMAX Theatre in West Yellowstone and a variety of area museums.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Camping Gear
• Bear Safety Devices
• Camcorders
• Hiking Boots
• Hats
• Children's Bicycles
• Travel Services
• Bicycle Helmets
• Sporty Hats
• Children's Bicycle Helmets
• National Park Passes
• Sunscreen
• Insect Repellents

1. See "Enjoy a Vacation in Yellowstone National Park," under Related eHows, for general information on the park, its basic features and activities. Many of these activities are appropriate for both adults and kids.
2. Check the kids section of the Yellowstone National Park website (nps.gov/yell/kidstuff) for some online fun designed to acquaint kids with the park and its natural wonders. This is a great introduction for both younger and older children.
3. Get kids aged 5 to 12 involved in the Junior Ranger Program. Buy the Junior Ranger newspaper at a visitor center or ranger station, help kids complete the activities as directed, have them get their finished list checked at a visitor center, and they'll be bona fide Junior Rangers with a special Junior Ranger patch.
4. Take the kids over to the Grizzly Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. Although the grizzlies are kept out of public view at this bear and wolf preserve, kids can see the wolves and become educated about both animals - or even adopt one (but not take it home, of course).
5. Visit some of the museum partners of the park. These include the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming, the Gallatin County Historical Society and Pioneer Museum in Bozeman, Montana, and the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale, Wyoming. All of these museums have kid-pleasing exhibits.
6. Check in at the IMAX Theatre in West Yellowstone. It's open all year and always has three films running, including the awe-inspiring "Yellowstone." After the movie, you can browse the West Yellowstone shops and other attractions.
7. Be sure to bring your videocamera. Kids frolicking amid the beautiful scenery of Yellowstone is an unforgettable photo opportunity.

Tips & Warnings

• Expect to pay about $30 admission for a family of four at the Yellowstone IMAX Theatre.
• Doing justice to the park is hard to do in a few hours, or even a day - there are 2.2 million acres within its boundaries. If your stay will be short, do some research and find those things that will interest as well as educate your kids.
• The facilities of the park's museum partners can be quite a distance from the park itself. Check your maps carefully before setting out.
• Your kids will get bored sitting around waiting for Old Faithful to erupt. Check in at the visitor center for the time of the next expected eruption and keep busy doing something else until it's almost time.
• Be sure kids know all the rules about encountering wild animals in the park. Even the bison, which seem extremely tame and approachable, can be dangerous. Instruct children in no uncertain terms, or they may be injured.
• If your child will be riding a bicycle within the park, warn him or her about heavy traffic; narrow, winding roads; potholes; and wide-bodied RVs. Be sure the child wears a helmet at all times and abides by all traffic rules.