Can my little kids paddle board, Yes, a thousand times! Let’s get those tiny tykes on the water immediately if not sooner! Our youngest was 3 when we purchased our first boards. We purchased inflatable standup paddle boards and they were great for what we were looking for at the time. We made sure to purchase a kayak seat attachment for my board, this was to make sure that our sweet boy had a good spot to sit while paddling. That seat also had a pouch in the back, which let’s be honest SNACKS!! As he grew so did our needs as far as our paddle boarding was concerned. It felt like a blink of an eye and he was ready for his own board. The sooner you get kids paddle boarding the sooner they will gain that water confidence.
When paddle boarding with a child / kid some things to remember:
Choose a calm lake or small pond to get your sea legs with your child- a small wave to you may look like a tsunami to your small child. We want to make sure that we are facilitating a positive experience for everyone involved. Lower your expectations on your paddle time, most younger kids will lose interest and may only want to paddle to the center of the lake to swim, and that is okay! Also, it might be a good idea to remember snacks and water. The sun affects everyone differently and kids love a good snack (Don’t we all). Sunscreen is so important to remember – it’s best if you can bring a cooler for your paddle board and put the sunscreen in there so it doesn’t get to hot. A few other items to think about – hat and rash guard shirt this will help keep exposure to the sun at a minimum. Please also remember it’s ALWAYS IMPORTANT to have a PFD (personal flotation device) We recommend a neoprene life jacket, they are a little softer on the skin and more comfortable. We use our boards as great picnic spots – Kids always have fun with this (letting them pick the perfect spot on the lake for a good picnic).
As your toddler gets a little bigger they will soon be ready for a board all their own. There are some important things to remember when finding the perfect board for your little/big kids:
Make sure the board is light in color – darker colored boards can get very hot in the sun making it dangerous for your child to get on and off the board. Choose a smaller board for a smaller paddler, you will want to make sure that the width of the board is smaller because if the board is to wide it will make it difficult for your child to paddle without leaning way over causing lack of balance. Another thing to think about is the paddle size – you will want to get a paddle that is designed for littles because it will be easier to handler and maneuver.
Another thing to think about – SAFETY! The Xplor kid board has a tow ring placed at the front of the board, this is strategically placed there so that you can attach the kid board to your adult board using an ankle strap or a tow strap. The placement of this D ring will help when your beginner paddler is trying to figure out paddling and balance. Being attached to your adult board will give your kiddo extra confidence knowing that they are never going to be very far from you.
As you can see in the photo – There is an ankle strap attaching the Xplor kid board to an adult board.
As your child begins to feel more comfortable you can remove the strap and they are good to go.
Paddle boarding is a great way to get kids comfortable on and around the water. Having water confidence at a young age will help them as they grow. Having the right accessories and board will help build a love for the water!
“Happy Paddling”
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