Educational Offerings

Classes and Seminars

Art Classes. Professional artists conduct workshops in watercolor, etching, drawing, and other media. Bring your own materials, or purchase the basics at the Happy Isles Art and Nature Center. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. The center also offers beginner art workshops and children's art and family craft programs ($20–$40 per person). Happy Isles Art and Nature Center, Yosemite National Park, California, 95389. www.yosemite.org. $20. Early Apr.–Oct., Mon.–Sat. 10–2. No classes Sun. Closed Dec.–Feb..

Yosemite Outdoor Adventures. Naturalists, scientists, and park rangers lead multihour to multiday outings on topics from woodpeckers to fire management to day hikes and bird-watching. Most sessions take place spring through fall with just a few in winter. Yosemite National Park, California, 95389. www.yosemite.org. From $99.

Museums

Happy Isles Art and Nature Center. This family-focused center has a rotating selection of kid-friendly activities and hands-on exhibits that teach tykes and their parents about the park's ecosystem. Books, toys, and T-shirts are stocked in the small gift shop. Yosemite National Park, California, 95389. Free. May–Sept., daily 9:30–5. Closed Oct.–Apr..

Yosemite Museum. This small museum consists of a permanent exhibit that focuses on the history of the area and the people who once lived here. An adjacent gallery promotes contemporary and historic Yosemite art in revolving gallery exhibits. A docent demonstrates traditional Native American basket-weaving techniques a few days a week. Yosemite Village, California, 95389. 209/372–0299. Free. Daily 9–5.

Ranger Programs

Junior Ranger Program. Children ages 3 to 13 can participate in the informal, self-guided Junior Ranger program. Park activity handbooks ($3.50 for ages 7 to 13 and $3 for Junior Cubs ages 3 to 6) are available at the Valley Visitor Center, the Happy Isles Art and Nature Center, the Tuolumne Visitor Center, and the Wawona Visitor Center. Once kids complete the book, rangers present them with a badge and, in some cases, a certificate. Valley Visitor Center or the Happy Isles Art & Nature Center, Yosemite National Park, California, 95389. 209/372–0299.

Ranger-Led Programs. Rangers lead entertaining walks and give informative talks several times a day from spring to fall. The schedule is more limited in winter, but most days you can find a program somewhere in the park. In the evenings at Yosemite Valley Lodge and Curry Village, lectures, slide shows, and documentary films present unique perspectives on Yosemite. On summer weekends, campgrounds at Curry Village and Tuolumne Meadows host sing-along campfire programs. Schedules and locations are posted on bulletin boards throughout the park as well as in the indispensable Yosemite Guide, which is distributed to visitors as they arrive at the park. Yosemite National Park, California. nps.gov/yose.