Kayaking w/toddler?

[Anonymous]

Would love to take 2.5 year old on a tandem kayak ride...Terrible idea? Sit-on-top kind better? Anyone gone w/toddler in this general area---Where did you go & how was your experience?


Thanks...

[Anonymous]

I think it's probably ok as long as they have a PFD and you are on calm water - a lake maybe. We've taken our kids out in a bay area, but they were a bit older (4). I wouldn't hesistate to take a toddler out under the above circumstances though.

[Anonymous]

Yes, we've gone kayaking and canoeing with our toddler who was 18 months. We had the pfd and all that, but you also have to make sure you have one person to watch the toddler and one person to row the boat.

[Anonymous]

We took our son kayaking as a toddler and he did great. I would recommend a really good pfd that has a large collar that will keep his head above water (we like one called "Lil' Mustang" that you can get at West Marine). Our son has been sailing since he was a baby, and when he was little, we took our son into a pool with the pfd on so he could get used to it and we could see that it really would hold him upright.
Because the best bet is to make sure they never go overboard in the first place, we have also always kept a tether on him (also available at West Marine). When we are on bigger boats, we tether him to the boat. On a kayak, we tether him to one of us. We have done this from day one, and he just accepts that this is the way it is. If he is on the deck of a boat, or even on a dock (before he could swim), he has his pfd on. Period. There was a really sad story from a couple of years ago where someone took a child's pfd off when the boat got to the dock, and the child fell overboard and drowned. Small children do NOT float, and I don't even want to think about trying to find one in dark, murky water with current, etc. That said, we go out all the time, but we are VERY careful.

[Anonymous]

Is it worth it?

[Anonymous]

We started with a canoe first. This allowed us to drill in certain behaviors while on the canoe which had better stability and allowed all 3 of us to go together. Take every precaution necessary as PP said - looking for a small child underwater in lakes /rivers is not too terrible to even think about.

[Anonymous]

For 23:10: Absolutely. Our DS LOVES boats, and it's something he can enjoy his entire life. When I mentioned (rather hesitantly) to our pediatrician that we were taking him sailing, she said something along the lines of: "Wonderful! It's so great for children!" I actually think he's less likely to get hurt on the boat than he is on dry land, because we are never complacent.

[zumbamama]

I've been kayaking with my DCs since they were little. ALWAYS with someone to hold, someone to paddle. Life vests of course, and I stay in calm water. I also take them tubing, boating, fishing, crabbing etc. It is totally worth the experience if you take all the safety precautions. It is one place they actually sit still!