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Stand Up Paddle Boarding with kids

Eva Wieners
Stand Up paddling with kids

Stand Up Paddle Boarding seems to be the newest trend – anywhere we go we see people on their SUPs. But is it a great sport for kids as well?

We have tried paddleboarding with kids and have unanimously come to the conclusion: It is amazing. We got a beginner’s board last year and have used it a lot since then and my daughter and her friends love it. So, after a year with our board, I thought to pour our experiences with stand-up paddleboarding with kids into this article.

We had plenty of great adventures with our SUP since it joined us. Often, my daughter takes her friend and we go on adventures together. They explore our local river on it, tried yoga poses on a lake, and of course tried to push each other off of it. Playing with it is obviously much more important to them than covering distances. I also like it, as it’s a completely different way of exploring a body of water and great exercise. We hope we can help you with this article to reach a decision if stand-up paddleboarding with kids will be your next hobby as well…

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SUP – What is Stand Up Paddle Boarding?

Stand Up Paddling is a water sport where you stand on a floating board and move the board with a paddle. You can also surf small waves, but usually, it is done on calm bodies of water. This could be the ocean behind the surf, a lake, or a calm river. SUP in general, but also Stand Up Paddle Boarding with kids has gained a lot of popularity during Covid times, at you don’t need a lot of gear to enjoy it and its an amazing way to spend your summers outdoors.

Stand Up Paddle Boarding has many benefits – it is great to train balance, coordination, and concentration. Furthermore, it is an amazing outdoor workout for the entire body and a lot of fun. You get to spend time with your family in a beautiful setting and exercise at the same time. And you will never forget the way your kids will laugh when they manage for the first time to flip the board with you on it…

 

When should you start your kids to get on the SUP?

You can start Stand Up Paddle boarding with kids when they are very young – they can sit in front of you while you navigate the board. To be able to paddle their own SUP, kids should be 5 years and older – and at that age, you should not expect to get far. When you just start out, it makes the most sense to just chose a nice spot and let them play with the board in the shallow water instead of doing a tour where you actually have to cover a distance.

Especially when you start your kids young, it is crucial that you use a life jacket for them. Even if they can swim, just add that extra security. When they play with the board, they might hit their head or be startled when they fall in suddenly – a life jacket just makes sure that they will be safe no matter what. The easiest way for this is to lead by example.

Where should you go Stand Up Paddle Boarding with kids?

For the first trips on the SUP with kids I would choose a lake or another very calm body of water where the water gets deeper slowly. This way, kids can play rather than immediately having to stay on the board and it is no big problem if they fall into the water.

When you have any kinds of waves, it immediately gets much more difficult for your children to stay on the Stand Up Paddle Board. The few times that I fell off involuntarily were always because of waves – when they are very small, the board does not start gliding but moves in unexpected waves. Waves might also make kids feel insecure to stand up on the board, and that is not what you want to achieve.

Stand Up Paddle Boarding with kids should be all about the fun, so don’t chose a trip where you have to cover long distances for the beginning. My daughter is happiest when she just gets the chance to paddle around a bit and mostly play in the water.

Related: Canoeing with kids

How do you get started paddleboarding with kids?

Again – when we started Stand Up paddling with kids, we centered play. That is a great way for kids to get comfortable with the board and to get to know how it moves in different situations.

When anybody – not only kids – gets on the board for the first time, they should either sit or kneel. That way, the board is much more stable and they can get used to the movements. When your kids are small you can even have them sit in front of you while you paddle.

The second step is standing up without a paddle. Try that somewhere where the water is deep enough so that falling in would not cause the rider to hit the ground. Also, no waves are important – they make it much harder. Try to get up slowly from kneeling, first with one foot, then with the next. The person should be situated in the middle of the board, with their feet on the rubber to avoid slipping. Once they are standing, they can try to move around a bit to get a feel for the stability.

The next step is adding the paddle. When standing up from kneeling, your kids should hold it in both hands. When they are standing up, they can try to paddle, but very lightly first to get used to it. You will see that they will get the hang of it very quickly and will be following you around in no time.

What do you need for your first SUP adventure as a family?

For a full packing list for your Stand Up Paddling trip with kids you can read this article – but here is a quick list of things that are needed and fun to take.

This is basically all you need – it’s pretty straightforward. But which board should you take for your kids and what are the specifics that you should look out for? This is what we will look at now.

Related: Canoeing with kids packing list – What to take on a canoeing trip

How to choose the right Stand Up Paddling Board for kids?

The right board for Stand Up Paddling with kids does not exist – it always depends a lot on what you want to do and if your kids will ride alone. If you want to start by having them sit with you on the board, you have to choose a board that is long enough (more than 11ft) and can also sustain both your and your kid’s weight. It probably should also be a bit wider so that it is more stable – this is important in the beginning to gain confidence.

If your kids will be riding alone, you need a lighter one. They will not only have to be able to handle it while on the water but also before and after, otherwise you will be carrying two boards.  The exact measurements depend on the age and weight of your kids – but I would always buy a board a little bit bigger, as they keep growing and you will want to use it  for a while.

Often the paddle comes with the board, but if it does not, you should get an adjustable one. This way, you and your children both can use it on your SUP family trips and it can grow with them. They also tend to be a bit lighter.

SUPs come either as inflatable models or with a hard case. Transportation is easier when you can just let out the air and put it in the back of your car after a trip, but hard cases are more durable and are used in competitive models.

Here are some of the boards that are a good fit for families and which are very similar to the ones we use.

Safety first – What to look out for

I love being on the water with kids, but at the same time, you always have to keep safety in mind. When water is involved, things can go south quickly, so you should have some plans in mind and prepare appropriately.

The first thing is to always wear a lifejacket. Even if you think you will only go in for a minute or the water is shallow, you should just make it a habit. We really like this model, as it also gives enough freedom to still move around and it is coast guard approved.

When you are going Stand Up Paddling with your kids – or anytime you do any water activity with them, you should have someone designated to watch them. When there is a group of adults, it happens quickly that everybody thinks the others are paying attention and, in the end, no one does. Take turns and make sure everybody knows their responsibility.

Also, use the attachment line that should come with the board when you let your kids paddle out with them. When they fall into the water, the splash, waves, or any kind of current could make the board float away quickly. If it is attached, your kids always have the SUP close and can hold onto it, even if they might not be able to climb back on.

Fun activities on the board that kids will love

If you want to enjoy Stand Up Paddle Boarding with kids, try to make it fun! Having some ideas for fun activities on the board is a great idea when the morale sinks. Here are our favorites:

River bingo

Sometimes you just want some alone time when at the lake or on a tour with your SUPs – and we have just the right thing to keep your kids busy. We have developed a river bingo card – part of our Nature bingo series – that can keep your kids entertained. Print it out and laminate it to take on the sup. They will take a while to get their first bingo, or maybe you can even motivate them to find every single item on the card. They will have fun and learn stuff at the same time.

Yoga on the board

Many people actually do yoga on stand-up paddling boards, and it is a great way to find your balance. But when you try it with your kids, it’s also a lot of fun. Ask them to dry downward-facing dog or the tree pose on the board – and you will surely get some very funny poses and some falls. We had many laughs trying poses on the SUP board.

 

Tossing a ball

This sounds basic, but it is much more challenging and fun when played on a SUP. Try to toss the ball from person to person or play Piggy in the middle – there are so many ways to play ball on the water. You will see, keeping the balance is much more difficult when you try to catch a ball, so be prepared to fall into the water.

Tipping over

My daughter loves to try to tip the SUP over when I am on it, and she has developed many different techniques to make me take a swim. She has so much fun when she can just be wild and try to get me to fall into the water and this always lifts her spirits (maybe it is supposed to tell me something, that she likes it so much to dump me in the water? Not sure…). This game of course also works with two kids on the board – who can make it rock harder and who falls into the water first…

Chasing

You can also simply play tag with the SUPs – just be sure to make good rules first. Where to touch to tag someone, no hitting with the paddle and the like would be the first to come to mind.

 

I hope now you have a better idea about how you can plan your first Stand-Up Paddling adventure with kids. Please let us know in the comments how it goes or if your kids already are little pros.

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