Normally you can rent kayaks, but that is also currently closed due to COVID; I’m assuming they’ll be lifting those restrictions soon. We brought one of our inflatable double kayaks, which takes up a LOT of room in our little car; we definitely couldn’t fit camping chairs, for example, if we’re bringing one of these. The car was packed to the gills.
We also had to argue a little bit with the camp guy, who came out to tell me that we were only allowed to use hard-shell kayaks on the lake, and I told him (which was true) that I had called the Cook County office and verified that these particular Intex kayaks were in fact certified and allowed.
He grumbled a little, but then said, “At your own risk,” and let us go out, but after 20-30 minutes of inflating + carrying time, it would’ve been super-frustrating if he hadn’t let us kayak, so I guess factor that in if you’re thinking of doing such a thing. Maybe I should get a letter printed out that I can show them, in case I get someone more recalcitrant…
I took Anand out first, just to remind him what it was like — he kayaked with me a little in Mexico, down a river and on the ocean (very close to the beach). He was nervous, because it had been so long, but after 5-10 minutes of paddling around on this super-calm lake, he realized it wasn’t actually scary at all, and let me switch out for Kavi. They paddled across the lake and back again, and were pretty proud of themselves, I think. 
There was ducks too. Or maybe geese? I really am not good at identifying fowl.
