5 Tips to Make Your Kids Fall in Love With Kayaking

HOW TO MAKE YOUR KAYAKING TRIP WITH  THE KIDS UNFORGETTABLE

You are counting on the fact that your kids will like kayaking.
They will like it, right?  They are going to have fun, aren't they?
You have bought a kayak, paddle, and a life jacket that you are sure they are going to love.
You've invested your money and time into researching and shopping, and you are so excited to take them to the lake.
You know it's going to be a blast, and it's part of your plan for an epic summer with the family.  
There are a lot of things you can do to make a day on the water something to look back and smile about.


Here are five tips to make sure you get off to a good start. 
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CAPTURE YOUR KID KAYAKING ON CAMERA 
 
BRING A CAMERA AND CAPTURE A MOMENT WITH YOUR KID ON THE KAYAK TO PRINT OUT IN A GIANT SIZE, FRAME AND DISPLAY IN YOUR HOUSE.

• ​By capturing an image of your child kayaking, bringing it home and displaying it in a cool way on the wall, it helps your child visualize themselves on a kayak and begin to form a self-image that includes them as someone who spends time on the water.  
• This will make your son or daughter feel proud, remind them that even if they were afraid or unsure, that they overcame and ultimately that they did it.  Self-esteem comes from conquering new experiences, sticking with things and overcoming fears.  The photo from their day of paddling will remind and reinforce the feeling of accomplishment.  This is not a little thing.  Kids in the modern day don't have as many opportunities to "overcome" or accomplish" in the physical world, which is why you wanted to get them into the paddling sport in the first place!
• They get to see how cool they look, which will make them want to go again.  I like seeing how cool I look paddling too!  Or running, or snowshoeing, or standing on top of a mountain.  I like to live up to that self-image in the future.  
• They get to show others what they are capable of by having a photo on the wall telling their story​.
• The picture communicates the message that they are at the beginning of something great, a new chapter in their life story.
• They know you are proud of them.

CHOOSE LOCATION WISELY

GO SOMEWHERE THAT YOU KNOW THEY CAN EASILY MANAGE, AND THAT WILL PROVIDE THE PERFECT BACKDROP FOR FUN. 

Do your research.  Go to the lake or river beforehand and check it out.   

• Is there a nice area for getting the kayaks into the water?
• Is it the right kind of water for the level your kids are at? (Brand new = small lake or pond.  Next, progress to a lazy river, and take it one step at a time from there as you all develop confidence and skills.)  
• Is there someplace for the kids to play such as shallow water, a grassy bank, or a sandy shore?
• Is it overly buggy? 
• Are there other beginners there? 
• Is it beautiful and clean? 
• Are there bathroom facilities (if this is important to your family)?
• Does it have interest, such as somewhere to paddle to, somewhere to play, somewhere to picnic? 
• Are you allowed to have a fire or cookout at the place you are considering?

You want it to be a great day and even though we can't control everything, arming ourselves with enough information so that we will be prepared goes a very long way in getting our kids off on the right foot.  Going beforehand to scope things out will give you confidence, or help you decide to choose a different location. 

I guarantee you won't regret going to scout out the area ahead of time without your kids.  Going somewhere that is covered with so much geese poop, or with a biting-fly infestation can ruin the memory of kayaking for a long time for kids.  If the conditions are miserable, it is hard to combat that as the parent.  

BE PREPARED WITH WAY TOO MANY SUPPLIES THE FIRST FEW TIMES

EVENTUALLY, YOU WILL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO BRING, BUT FOR NOW, BRING IT ALL.

Besides your kayaks, life jackets, and paddles, bring all the extras until you've been a few times.  Eventually, you will be able to whittle it down to the essentials that work for your family.  The first few times it is good to be overly prepared.  You will have more flexibility for how the day goes if you brought all the extras along.  Having checked out your location ahead of time will have already given you a lot of information about what to bring to that specific place.  Consider the ideas below as a starting place for a fun-packed day!  Some items listed include affiliate links to some of our family's favorite products but you probably already have most of these things at your house or can get during your next trip to the grocery store!  

• Camera
• Swimming Suits (and swim diapers if you have babies or toddlers)
• water shoes, water sandals, flip flops or water socks (see options) for everyone getting in the water
• Bug spray
• sunscreen (if you remember, apply it on kids in the morning before you leave the house to save time at the water)
• Heavy-duty ziplock bags, or waterproof pouches to wear like this one on Amazon for storing your cell phones and cameras in the kayak without getting them wet
• hats, sunglasses and extra sunscreen for reapplying later in the day
• blanket to lay on the ground for picnics and naps, and chairs to sit on before or after kayaking or for those taking a rest
• towels to dry off with
• dry clothes to change into
• jackets/warm clothes if it could get cool afterward
• lots of food and drinks (food is usually the best part of the day after kayaking!)
• plates/cups/utensils, knife, an old sheet to use as a tablecloth if there are picnic tables
• Baby wipes are so great for cleaning hands and everything else
• Toilet paper, paper towels, and trash bags always come in handy
• Get a First aid kit at the store or here is a really good one
• Flashlights
• fire-starting supplies, if fires are allowed at the location  you choose (wood, kindling, matches or lighter)
• supplies for roasting hot dogs and s'mores or other memory-making food 
• Whistles should be kept in each kayak for safety (signaling for help) 
• for young kids, prepare a scavenger hunt by making a list of items for them to find, complete with a prize
• books, games, or paper for drawing during the day or on the car ride home 
• Binoculars,  walkie-talkies and glow sticks are really fun for my kids!  Glow sticks are great for safety as well.

LET THEM EXPLORE

GIVE THEM FREEDOM, LET THEM TAKE REASONABLE RISKS

For some parents, this is very easy and the whole reason they bought a kayak in the first place, but for other parents, this can be very challenging.  Letting your kid have a little room to explore when they are ready, to move away from you, can be scary for parents.  Kids need their own adventures, so when it is safe, let them venture out! 

If you are on calm water, with life jackets, and it's a nice day, let them explore with their siblings or friends.  Give them space. Obviously, you are still going to be there supervising, but you can at least pretend to be doing your own thing while they have some space to be their own person.    

When my son (9-years-old) is on his own child-sized kayak and heads out along the banks to explore, he is at his happiest.  He looks for turtles, frogs and always makes other discoveries, which he proudly reports back to us.  He is in kid-heaven.  I watch him navigate himself (purposely) in-between fallen trees and lily pads, just because he likes to navigate himself back out.  I often want to say "stay in the middle, don't go under that low-hanging tree," but I resist because I know it is good for him.    

He is learning about himself and gaining self-esteem as he handles little obstacles on his own.      

When you know your child is safe, take a deep breath and let go.  Let them take reasonable risks, such as paddling their own kayak, venturing a safe distance from you, or towing a sibling on the swim-deck of a sit-on-top kayak for a few minutes. 

FOR THE ULTIMATE MEMORY MAKING DAY, TAKE FRIENDS WITH YOU  

FOR KIDS, THERE IS NOTHING LIKE HAVING AN ADVENTURE WITH FRIENDS

Taking one of your kid's friends with you out on the kayaks, or having another family meet you at the lake can change the day from fun to unforgettable for your kids. 

Do you remember being a kid?
Having friends to swim and play with, running around in life-jackets while eating snacks from the cooler?  Nothing was better than a day like that. 

Sharing a new experience with others can help a timid child be more adventurous.  When other young children are trying out the new kayaks, they are more likely to be excited to try as well if they get to watch a more outgoing child go first.  Having other kids around can also help make the day more fun if you will be taking turns on kayaks.  There will be extra people playing at the waters-edge, eating, looking at rocks, playing in the sand, wading, or doing a scavenger hunt together. 

Having a friend to play with, eat with, or paddle with makes it that much more fun and your child will be excited to go kayaking again.  It's also more fun for you to have friends at the lake.  More adults mean more conversation, more laughter, more hands to make food, to clean up, to help with minor bumps and bruises, moving kayaks, and holding and entertaining little ones.      

Older children will enjoy paddling across a lake with their friends.  They can make their own discoveries, take walkie-talkies, cameras, or cell phones in dry bags, paddle to a destination and have lunch and a myriad of other reasonable risks that are appropriate for their age.  Take it one step at a time and always be safe, but remember to be relaxed as well!    

IN SUMMARY, FOR THE MOST MEMORABLE DAY IN KID KAYAKING HISTORY  

CAPTURE YOUR KID ON CAMERA, BLOW IT UP AND HANG IT ON THE WALL AT HOME 

PICK A GREAT KAYAKING LOCATION

BE PREPARED WITH ALL THE GOOD STUFF

LET YOUR KIDS HAVE A LITTLE INDEPENDENCE

BRING FRIENDS TO MAKE MEMORIES WITH AND MAKE THE DAY TONS OF FUN FOR BOTH YOU AND THE KIDS

Happy Kayaking!

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