Kayaking is a beautiful and relaxing sport. Nothing is better than roaming in the water and staring at the distant horizon or even the surrounding green.
Want to make it even better? Take your baby with you. Do you think it’s dangerous? It can be if you don’t do it the right way.
That’s why I thought I should write this article to share with you what I know about kayaking with a baby. Ready when you are!
When Is It Safe to Kayak With a Baby?
We all want to have quality time with our family, right? But it goes without saying that any activity shouldn’t be risky for your children, especially the youngest.
According to the U.S coast guards, a baby is allowed on a kayak if he/she:
- Can sit still.
- Can float alone in the water.
- Can wear a fitting personal flotation device (PFD).
- Weighs at least 18 pounds.
So, unless your babies are born as superheroes, bringing your newborn on a kayak isn’t the best idea for a family trip.
I think that the minimum age that satisfies the mentioned requirements is around 2-3 years. The ideal age for a child to actually enjoy the experience and retain memories is around 6-7 years.
If you’re unfamiliar with kayaking, go with an experienced paddler. That way, you’d be able to give your full attention to your baby.
Ideally, kayaks can hold up to two adults. Take no more than two babies on a kayak so that every baby would be under adult supervision. Never take your eyes off them.
Babies should sit in your lap. And older kids may sit alone upfront the kayak or be allowed on their own kayaks after having enough experience.
Preparing Yourself and Your Babies
If you’re still considering the trip and you haven’t booked anything yet, I think you should invest some time in swimming and kayaking lessons.
A baby can be taken to baby-parent swimming classes after 6 months of age. However, the minimum age for a child to swim himself is around 3-4 years.
The main goal of these lessons is to make your baby comfortable around water. Having a crying baby in the middle of the water doesn’t seem that relaxing.
Learning basic kayak knowledge is, of course, a must. Going for a few trips yourself before taking your babies is more practical than just taking courses.
Before the actual trip, workout with your kids by doing exercises like push-ups and pull-ups. This will make you more comfortable with paddling.
Where Can You Kayak with a Baby
Is there a specific destination? No.
Start with the calmest water you can find. Protected lakes, bays, and slow rivers are good options.
Choosing a place rich in visuals, like trees, is optimal to keep your kids engaged. Whatever place you choose, go for a test trip alone to study the currents and the possible traffic.
If you aren’t sure about the right place, you could refer to your state parks commission or ask professionals online.
What to Buy
We went through the basics. Now it’s time to look at the close details of the fundamental items you’ll need in kayaking with a baby. There are other important general supplies that I won’t mention to keep things simple.
Is your shopping list ready? Awesome, let’s go!
The Kayak
Depending on how many babies you’re planning to take, choose between a single and a tandem sit-on-top kayaks.
Sit-inside kayaks don’t fit babies well. They usually don’t have a self-bailing feature. And they’re much harder to recover if they flip for any reason.
Moreover, sit-on-top kayaks are more spacious and easy to get on/off in case you want to take a swimming break.
The kayak material choices are polyethylene, composite, and inflatable PVC.
Inflatable kayaks are my personal favorite. They can be easily stored and carried in a small bag to any place of your choice. And don’t worry, they’re advanced enough to be strong and puncture-resistant.
Baby’s PFD
I wish your baby won’t have to use it, but better safe than sorry, right? But a life jacket can be also beneficial in case you opt for a swim during the kayak trip. There are some things you have to put in mind when purchasing.
Coast Guard Approval
Make sure the life jacket you’ll purchase is approved by the U.S. coast guards. Check their size recommendations to know what’ll properly fit your baby.
Check the Fit
Don’t take anyone’s word for granted. Try on the life jacket before using it. Pick the child by the shoulders of the life jacket. It shouldn’t slip on the chin or the ears of your child to be correctly sized.
Additional Support
Babies’ life jackets should have a neck and head support to keep them upright in the water. Moreover, they should have a crotch strap that improves retention under stressful conditions.
Sun Protection
Wait! Don’t skip this point.
I know what you’re thinking, sun protection in the middle of the water, duh!
Basic sun protection can be achieved by wearing long sleeves, hats, and sunglasses. But if you want to step up your game, go for UPF clothes. They’re great to reflect the harmful Ultraviolet sun rays.
Sunscreen should be applied under clothing for extra protection. Pay special attention to highly exposed areas like the neck and the top of the cheeks.
Generally, apply sunscreen every 2 hours. In case you decided to swim with your babies, then do it every 30 minutes.
Toys
Young babies who can’t paddle yet need to stay busy. Packing their favorite toys can be a handy tool to entertain them if they get bored.
To Sum Up
If you prepare the right way, kayaking with a baby can be an exceptional way to spend quality time.
Most importantly, only bring babies who are older than two years. Make sure they’re well protected by purchasing the right PFD and properly applying sun protection measures.
The go-to kayak is a sit-on-top tandem. When your kids are old enough, they can be trusted to paddle in their own kayak.
Lastly, I wish you happy and safe kayaking!