How Old Do Your Kids Need to be to Learn to kayak?

Age Guidelines for learning to kayak on calm water:

4-7 ride as non-paddling passenger on a tandem kayak
5-11 paddle own 6 ft child kayak
8+ front paddler of a tandem kayak 
9-12 may be able to use an 8-foot kayak
12+ may be able to use 8 or 10 ft kayak  
14+ can manage medium sized kayak solo 
 
So let's talk about this question more in-depth, as there are so many variables.  

It seems the most prevalent questions about kayaking for parents looking into the sport revolve around what age kid can do specific things with a kayak.

Let's get into it and cover all the ages, variable and questions regarding kids and kayaking that we can think of!

First off, the most controversial age topic: Babies and Toddlers in Kayaks.  

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Babies and Young Toddlers

• Highly-skilled kayaking parents may feel comfortable taking older babies and toddlers in a tandem kayak 
• Almost all kayaking sources strongly advise that inexperienced parents NOT take babies or toddlers kayaking 
• Canoes are sometimes suggested in place of kayaks for families wanting to bring very young babies and wiggly toddlers on the water
• If you are considering a baby or toddler in a tandem kayak with you, you will need a proficient stern (back seat) paddler who can manage kayak alone while you may or may not be able to paddle while you are holding little ones.  This may or may not be safe depending on your situation.
• Paddlers who choose to take babies and toddlers kayaking should consider their proficiency in handling capsizing.  What they would do if they tipped over with babies and toddlers in the specific water they are kayaking in.  How comfortable are they with handling this situation?  Do they know how to handle it without a baby?  Most people are not competent enough to know how to handle this situation safely.  Obviously what type of water you are padding on plays a big part in this decision.  
• For most people and most situations, it is not a good idea, nor enjoyable, to paddle very long with this age, especially for beginners.  However, there is a big difference between taking a little spin on calm water and going on a white-water river trip.  Still, be conservative when risks are apparent.    
• As always, there will be exceptions for some highly skilled kayaking families. This guide is for beginners.  If you were going to be riding a bike or a longboard, it would be a good idea to learn how to do it yourself before trying to carry a baby with you while you learn.  Same for a kayak!     

​2-year-old and 3-year-old

• Highly-skilled kayaking parents may feel comfortable taking this age in their-sit-inside solo kayaks
• Beginners probably should not be taking this age in a solo sit-inside kayak except maybe on very calm water with support
• May sit as a middle passenger (duffer) on a sit-on-top kayak with a competent paddler on calm water
• Will enjoy riding duffer (as a non-paddling passenger somewhere in the middle of the boat) with competent parents in a tandem kayak
• my three-year-old likes to sit on the back of his brother's child-sized kayaks and even hang off the back of the swim deck on our pond

4-year-old

• Great age to play and practice paddling on a child-sized kayak in a swimming pool if you want to raise an early kayaker
• some 4-year-old children will be able to paddle a child-sized kayak (suggested age is 5 and up on most children's kayaks)

4 to 7-year-old

•  can ride duffer (middle of boat as a non-paddling passenger) in a tandem kayak
• If they are strong enough to hold and use a paddle, and parent is a competent paddler, the child may sit as the bow paddler (front seat of the boat) of a tandem sit-inside kayak on calm water. 
• May enjoy assisting with paddling a tandem sit-on-top with competent older siblings or parents on calm water 

5-year-old

• This is the recommended age for starting kids on a child-sized (usually 6 or 6.5 ft) sit-on-top kayak alone. These kayaks are very small and easy to manage.  They will need a child-sized paddle, approximately 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; most sit-on-top child kayaks come with a child-sized paddle.  

8-year-old

• These kids are ready to learn how to be the bow paddler (paddler sitting in the front seat of a tandem kayak).  Once again, make sure they have a scaled down, child-sized paddle if you want it to be a pleasant paddling experience.  Plan on an 8-year-old paddling with an experienced stern (back seat of kayak) paddler, as the 8-year-old probably won't be doing much yet to move or steer the kayak.  Also, keep any outings short, not longer than 1 mile, until you know your child's abilities.    

9 to 12-year-old 

• Many sit-inside-kayak paddling lessons are offered to kids around this age.  This is a great age to get your kids into kayaking if you haven't already.  Many kids can swim well, or are learning to swim at this age, are curious and increasing in strength and endurance.  Getting your child interested in an outdoor hobby at this age can change their life.   
• Kids this age vary in weight, height, and strength to such a degree it is difficult to generalize what this age can do with a kayak.  Kids that started very young on individual child-sized kayaks or grew up as duffers and bow paddlers on their parent's kayaks may be able to learn advanced kayaking skills at this age.  Some kids in this age group can manage an 8-foot kayak.  Some can even handle a 10-foot kayak.  When reading kayak reviews online, you will hear many parents say that their 9 to 11-year-old children did great on calm water in small family recreation kayaks ranging from 8 to 10 feet. 
• For a beginners -  if your child this age is small or average-sized, get a 6-foot child kayak which will fit an average child until 11 or 12 years of age.  If your child is taller, stronger, or more athletically inclined than average or getting closer to 12, consider getting an 8-foot kayak, especially if you don't have younger children who will be using the 6-foot kayak later on.
• You may consider hiring an instructor to teach rolling and wet-exits to kids who are interested in learning these skills at this age, otherwise stick to calm (no rapids) water or purchase a sit-on-top kayak.    
• For sit-on-top recreational kayaking at this age, you do not need lessons, just calm water, life jackets and a beautiful day.

12 to 16-year-old

• A child this age is probably ready to learn the skills for handling a kayak alone.  They can also carry their own small kayak, which is so helpful for a family with multiple children!  
• Sit-on-top kayaking can be learned quickly, without lessons, on calm water on a nice day at the lake at this age. 
• Sit-inside kayaking at this age requires learning some basic safety lessons from an experienced paddler and developing some basic skills before anything other than flat water recreational kayaking should be attempted. 
• For kids interested in river kayaking, you may consider kayak lessons for this age to learn rolling and wet exits and other kayaking skills.
• Take a group of inexperienced kids this age to a lake any day with a bunch of rented recreational sit-on-top kayaks for a world of fun (don't forget life-jackets), but don't expect inexperienced kids this age to be able to navigate a river trip safely without time having developed basic skills and some teaching by someone experienced. 

14-years-old and up

• Can usually manage a medium adult-sized kayak (same guidelines as mentioned above about sit-on-top versus sit-inside kayaks).  

Duffer is a non-paddling guest sitting somewhere in the boat, usually the middle. 

The bow paddler is the person in the front seat of a tandem kayak or canoe, while the stern paddler is the one sitting in the back. 

There needs to always to be someone who is capable of paddling in the stern (back) if you have a child as the bow paddler (someone needs to be able to paddle, right?). 

Kids and beginners need to always be in the front of the kayak so the more experienced paddler in the back can give directions and steer the boat.    

Kids who grow up in the water with parents who kayak and who brought them on their kayaks from a young age are not going to match these guidelines.  The above guidelines are for beginners on flat water (lake, pond, marsh, etc.).  These suggestions are not for whitewater kayaking.  For river kayaking or whitewater, remember, too much too soon can scare very young kids and turn them away forever, and if you are not at all experienced as the parent, you need a guide or teacher to work with your group before you can take yourself or your kids down a river safely.

You CAN, however, take your kids and yourself with NO experience to a calm lake with life jackets and recreational kayaks and play around while you get the hang of it.  This is especially easy with sit-on-top kayaks, as there is no risk of capsizing or taking on water.  Start slow and have fun and be safe.  Soon you will be ready for more but take it one step at a time, especially when kids are involved and if you are new to all paddling and water sports.    

The above are only general guidelines meant as a starting place.  There are MANY FACTORS, such as the development of the child, SKILL and EXPERIENCE of parents, TYPE OF WATER KAYAKING ON, CHILD'S INDIVIDUAL NATURE, TYPE of kayak, and WEATHER.      
 
These are the most common questions about age and kayaks I hear and a quick answer:

What age should I buy my kid a kayak?

• ​Now as long as they are 5 or older

Can a 10-year-old kayak in whitewater? 

• It depends.  First of all, they need a teacher and practice of many essential safety skills first, and second of all, consider the nature of the child's personality.  Some kids get terrified and are turned off for life if they go too soon or before they are ready, while others can't get enough and pick up the skills easily.  Usually, kids feel most comfortable trying rapids when they are closer to the 12 to 14 year age range, though many kids with adventurous spirits and lessons learn younger.  Kids don't know their limits or what they need to know to be safe, so you are responsible for making sure they are prepared with knowledge, skill, and maturity before each new level of kayaking.      

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Can you take babies and toddlers kayaking? 

• If you are new to kayaking, get a babysitter and have fun learning to kayak yourself before revisiting this question.  

How old does my baby need to be to take with me in my solo kayak (for those who ignored the above question and answer)?

• If you are holding a baby in a kayak or canoe, they need to be old enough to be able to hold their head up well enough to survive with a life-jacket on if they were thrown into the water and floating around alone (lovely thought, right?). 

Can I tandem kayak with a baby or toddler? 

• If your partner is proficient at paddling the tandem kayak, then you may hold your child in your lap in the front seat of the kayak (bow) and take a short spin on flat water.  

How old do you have to be to paddle a kayak?

• At 4-7-years-old, many kids may like to "help paddle," but it is not until a child is 8 or older that they are a very useful paddler on a tandem kayak, which is why they need to be with an experienced paddler.  

*Disclaimer: Everything on this site is a matter of opinion, gathered from many hundreds of other's opinions,  and should not be taken as professional advice.  Please use the suggestions as a starting place to conduct your own research and make decisions based on what is safe for you and your family.  Above all, I urge you to make smart choices and keep your kids and yourself safe.  Kayaking is loads of fun, but you need to use your common sense and always err on the side of safety when there is any question of skill level, weather, etc.     

HAPPY KAYAKING!

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