Imagine the smiles and the excitement of their first paddle! And then imagine how well they will sleep after a fun-filled day out in nature!
Taking your young children kayaking when they are little is such a wonderful gift to give them. They will learn the value of exercise, develop a love of the outdoors and you get to spend quality time together as a family. But like any kind of adventure with little kids, you need the right equipment to make it a safe and enjoyable experience for all of you.Here are the most important features to look for when choosing a family kayak:
- Durable – kids are great at breaking things, aren’t they? Your kayak is a pretty expensive item for them to be honing their product testing skills on, so make sure you get a kayak that can take a beating.
- Stable – stability is important when kayaking with kids for a few reasons: – A stable kayak is easy to step in and out of and it’s a big step for a little person. – A stable kayak is less likely to capsize – even though the kids should be wearing PFDs at all times, it would still be pretty scary if you capsized and they were dumped in the water. – The kids are less likely to fall out of a stable kayak because it is forgiving of sudden movements. – The kids don’t need to stay perfectly still while you are paddling – they can move about (as they do) and it won’t disrupt your paddling.
- Spacious – because kids love being cramped into small spaces for hours at a time … NOT
- Comfortable – to really relax and enjoy the experience, instead of whinging the whole time, children need to be comfortable in the kayak. Ideally, you want a kayak that they can lie down in and have a nap.
- Dry and sheltered – nobody is happy when they are cold, especially not children. Go for a sit-in style kayak – they are generally dry and the cockpit provides protection from the wind.
