Can a 7-Year-Old Kayak?

​Seven-year-olds are ready to paddle and have many options for entering the world of kayaking.  By seven years of age most kids can do all of the following:

• paddle their own kayak (a child-sized kayak) on calm bodies of water 
• paddle  as the bow paddler (front of kayak) with an adult on a tandem sit-inside kayak
• paddle a sit-on-top kayak with siblings or parents

​ Seven years old is a great age to begin kayaking - they are strong enough to have success and a lot of fun!

Option 1 : Paddling a Child-Sized Kayak 

Kids 5 to 12 can paddle a child-sized kayak.  For families completely new to kayaking this is usually a 6 or 6.5 foot sit-on-top kayak such as the popular and inexpensive Lifetime Wave, or for those looking for sit-inside kayaks something similar to the light and nimble Perception Prodigy XS.  See our kid kayak reviews and paddle reviews for more suggestions.    

This size of kayak was what we started our children on and we own multiple of the same one so the kids can go out together with siblings and with their friends on the river.    

These kayaks are very small and easy to manage. Virtually every kid within a mile of our house comes in the summer to play on these with my kids. 

Seven-year-olds can easily paddle these a half mile to a mile on calm bodies of water after a few practice/play outings.  They also can tow a younger sibling on the back for shorter periods of time throughout the trip if you opt for the sit-on-top.      

Child-sized kayaks are definitely the easiest type of kayak for young kids age 4-7 to learn to paddle on. 

The sit-on-tops are very stable, unsinkable, and easy to paddle which makes them  great for any family, even those with no prior experience on the water.  They are perfect for exploring lakes and calm slow-moving rivers.   

The kids can climb on and off easily to play in the water, and the kids very intuitively know how to paddle as soon as they climb on with just a few minutes of experimenting. 

The small size takes away the intimidation factor and the kayak feels like it was made just for them.    

For this size of kayak, they will need a child-sized paddle, approximately 180 to 200 cm with a narrow shaft, so they have a comfortable hand-grip for their little hands, and a scaled-down blade on the paddle so that paddling is not too difficult. 

The paddle blade should not be the same size blade as an adult paddle with only a shorter shaft.  This will make paddling much too difficult.  It should look like a miniature paddle blade. 

Not to worry though; most sit-on-top child kayaks come with a child-sized paddle.   

For more guidance on choosing specific kayaks and kid paddles read our kid kayak reviews and check out our kid paddle reviews  


Option #2:  Assisting as the bow paddler 

Seven-year olds will enjoy sitting at the front of your tandem kayak and paddling across the lake with you at the stern.  Keep it short and start on the calmest water you can find and you will have a great time together exploring and making memories. 

I recommend the Perception Cove sit-inside tandem.  It's great for the whole family with adjustable seats and dry storage. 

For an inflatable tandem, I recommend the Intex Explorer 2-Person Inflatable Kayak as a first kayak for those nervous about investing in a hard shell kayak or for those with small cars or limited storage.    

Option #3: Paddling a sit-on-top tandem with parents

Seven-year-olds get a kick out of sharing a tandem sit-on-top with siblings.  ​

Sit-on-tops are loads of fun for families and especially for youth and kids.  They are like a raft/kayak hybrid, and while you may not get exceptionally far or get there fast, they are loads of fun.  They are easy to climb on and off of and take away any intimidation factor to trying out paddling.    

A great entry-level  tandem for families wanting a sit-on-top is the 10-foot Lifetime Tandem sit-on-top and the Perception Tribe is a very good, slightly more expensive option for those wanting to do a little more touring verses just playing.  


Best Option ? 

A sit-on-top kid-sized kayak to paddle all on their own!

This option, whenever possible, is the very best option and will ignite  a love a kayaking and give your kid the chance to explore and develop self-esteem and independence. 

A small kayak is manageable and is like having the right size of bicycle to ride on. 

It is a totally different experience to ride your own bike than sitting as a passenger while your parents do the peddling.  Think of the little sit-on-top kid kayaks as a tricycle or little kid bike and use it on calm water for a world of fun.


Things to remember about 7-year-olds on their own kayaks:

• Keep it short at this age, be ready to end when they are done
• Always wear life-jackets.  Please read our kayaking kid life jacket guide and reviews.  
• Show them a YouTube video of another 7-year-olds paddling for the first time to get them excited and show them that they can do it. 
• Refrain from showing them whitewater or experienced kayaking kid videos at this point or they may feel intimidated.  Let them see a beginner on calm water so they can see that they are capable, safe and how the first few minutes are a learning experience and all about getting comfortable.
• Swimming pools are a great place to practice on a small kayak if your child is afraid. 
• Let them be a passenger first if they are nervous and you have a willing older sibling who will take the kid kayak for a spin, or let them be a passenger on a tandem.
• If you are going touring on a kayak, don't expect a7-year-old to be able to go more than a half-mile in the beginning and a mile with experience.  If you are paddling further than that you will need a tandem and to take them as the bow paddler or have them ride duffer.  
• Bring snacks, always bring snacks! 
• Water, snacks, a camera, and sunscreen...
• Stay on calm water and stay nearby. 
• You will need to be on a kayak, paddleboard, or in a canoe while your child is paddling their kayak. 
• If the child is kayaking with you in a tandem, stay in water you are 100% comfortable in and that won't stress out you or your child.  If you are new to kayaking, definitely stay on calm water while you both learn to kayak and make sure you are wearing a life jacket as well.  
• Keep things fun and don't put them in a situation where they will feel terrified as this first impression of fear is hard to erase.  Let adventure come step by step when the timing is right for their age and development.  It's all about fun at this age.
• Develop trust and be right there.  Let them stop when they are tired. 
• Don't push them at this age.  This is the exploration, dipping their toe in the water stage.  Even watching is okay the first few times. 
• If they don't have siblings, bring an older child with you to paddle the kayak first so your child can watch and even take a ride with them!  Seeing other kids, especially ones older really piques the interest and excitement of the little ones. 
• The back of the child-sized sit-on-tops usually have a great place to tow a passenger on the swim-on deck.  The Lifetime Wave kayak has an easy spot to carry a small passenger and my older boys have given the little ones rides hundreds of times up and down the banks of the river.       
• Consider the personality of each child!  Some kids love high-adrenaline adventure and others just want to peacefully experience floating on the water with you.  Be considerate of this.  Be willing to match the comfort level of your child.  But please start ALL little kids on calm water while they master all the basics, especially if you are new to kayaking as well. 
• There are many years ahead of you and your child to try running rapids, but doing too much too soon turns kids away from the sport.      
• Stay near them, use your paddle to push them in the direction they are trying to go if they need help the first few minutes.  Start somewhere where there will be no pressure...just a relaxing space to play around and figure it out at their own pace.  
• End on a good note and make sure it's a good memory!  Lots of praise for effort!
• For more tips on how to make your first kayaking trip with your child successful and fun read these great tips for an unforgettable time together.

Seven-year-old children benefit from going kayaking because it gets them out in nature and using their own body. 

It's not important how much they can do.  In the beginning, don't expect more than ten, twenty, or thirty minutes of paddling. 

Don't worry....Very soon it will turn into hours of delightful exploration.  

Just let them do what they can and keep it very simple and fun and they will want to come back next year (and the next) for more!   
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Be safe, wear life jackets and take it slow and easy.

Have fun outside spending time in nature together.  ​
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Wishing your family many adventures on the water together!

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