Kayaking with Kids by kelloggfamily | Oct 15, 2012 | Kid's Kayaks, Whitewater | 7 comments When people see us on the river, they always assume we are a school … at a minimum there are 5 paddlers, at most there are 10! We try to balance our days with fun (epic) paddling for the older kids and fun (and safe) paddling for the younger kids. With kids, everything is fun, they can never be accused of turning anything unnecessarily into work. And kids love water, it’s almost a natural environment for them!! Drop ’em in a river with the appropriate safety gear and they are little fish. We teach our kids to kayak simply by having a blast on the river. No pressure, no real goals in mind except to share our love of the river with them. If they want to boof a little rock, by all means go for it. If they want to surf a wave, have at it. If they want to roll and pull their skirts, do it! That’s a great skill to have and gets them comfortable being upside down! They are always doing wacky things in their kayaks! Always. From standing up inside the boat and paddling to playing chicken to practicing tricks on the trampoline — they are not following some careful regime, it’s just pure fun. But, unbeknownst to them, every minute they are on the river they are learning new skills that build confidence and lead to a lifelong love of the water. Our older kids who paddle competitively are out there because it is fun. What they say they love about kayaking is that even practice is fun. 8 hours on a wave practicing a McNasty is fun, the adrenaline charge they get from paddling a difficult run is fun. Keep it fun, keep it light and your kids will be accompanying you on the water for years to come – there’s just no way you’ll ever get them out … and that, my friend, becomes your new struggle!! 🙂 Susie [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvZ4PQh0j2A[/youtube] 7 Comments Tony Dyrsmid on October 15, 2012 at 4:53 pm I love to see and hear of kids playing on the rivers. They are soo willing to just let it happen. Reply Butler Cox on October 16, 2012 at 3:58 am Certainly looks like you’ll never lack for river buddies! Where did this occur? We’re looking to move somewhere with a park like that. Thanks! Reply Kellogg Family on October 16, 2012 at 11:38 am This was at the Nantahala Outdoor Center near Bryson City, NC. It is a great place for all skill levels. Dan Reply Butler Cox on October 17, 2012 at 4:56 am Thanks! Just love the expression on the little guy after the face plant on the rock. Just like my grandson, only he cliff dives on skis and sticks tree branches which are much softer!. They’re fearless! Reply Eugene on October 17, 2012 at 4:38 pm Looks awesome. Can you send me the name and ages of your kids (and parents’ names) and I’ll post it up on our kids site, http://www.recreatingwithkids.com. (eugene@paddlinglife.net). Thx… Reply Chuck Hines on October 17, 2012 at 6:23 pm We at the Asheville YMCA taught 300+ kids, ages 10-18, from 1978 to 2000, working the last half-dozen years with NOC and NRC. Two dozen of our Y kids won Southeastern/Dixie Div. junior slalom and wildwater titles, and a number represented the USA internationally at the Junior Worlds. The Y and NOC/NRC started the Whitewater Junior Olympics Program in 1996. We had over 80 kids from coast to coast competing in the JO Championships at Charlotte’s Carowinds Park in 1997. Good memories. Reply quinb on October 24, 2012 at 9:11 pm Congrats… Love all (the video, the humour & the kayak ov’ curs’)… Quin-B from France Reply Submit a Comment Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ
Tony Dyrsmid on October 15, 2012 at 4:53 pm I love to see and hear of kids playing on the rivers. They are soo willing to just let it happen. Reply
Butler Cox on October 16, 2012 at 3:58 am Certainly looks like you’ll never lack for river buddies! Where did this occur? We’re looking to move somewhere with a park like that. Thanks! Reply
Kellogg Family on October 16, 2012 at 11:38 am This was at the Nantahala Outdoor Center near Bryson City, NC. It is a great place for all skill levels. Dan Reply
Butler Cox on October 17, 2012 at 4:56 am Thanks! Just love the expression on the little guy after the face plant on the rock. Just like my grandson, only he cliff dives on skis and sticks tree branches which are much softer!. They’re fearless! Reply
Eugene on October 17, 2012 at 4:38 pm Looks awesome. Can you send me the name and ages of your kids (and parents’ names) and I’ll post it up on our kids site, http://www.recreatingwithkids.com. (eugene@paddlinglife.net). Thx… Reply
Chuck Hines on October 17, 2012 at 6:23 pm We at the Asheville YMCA taught 300+ kids, ages 10-18, from 1978 to 2000, working the last half-dozen years with NOC and NRC. Two dozen of our Y kids won Southeastern/Dixie Div. junior slalom and wildwater titles, and a number represented the USA internationally at the Junior Worlds. The Y and NOC/NRC started the Whitewater Junior Olympics Program in 1996. We had over 80 kids from coast to coast competing in the JO Championships at Charlotte’s Carowinds Park in 1997. Good memories. Reply
quinb on October 24, 2012 at 9:11 pm Congrats… Love all (the video, the humour & the kayak ov’ curs’)… Quin-B from France Reply
