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Familiarisation One of the first things you should do before even considering taking your little ones Stand Up Paddling is to familiarise them with the board . It is no different to dogs ! With my eldest , I was lucky enough to spend many sunny days in the garden over the lockdown period . I set myself the challenge of doing something fun daily with a paddleboard . This went from turning the board into a slide , a see-saw , a giant balance board , and even decorating a board as the Easter bunny . These activities very much involved my daughter and made her familiar with the board . We sat and ate a teddy bear picnic in the garden on the board and even turned the board into a shop ; it was fun every time the paddleboard came out .
I even made sure to familiarise her with a wetsuit and lifejacket by putting these on to play in her paddling pool , something I then did again with my second daughter , now on the water , aged 12 months . If you leave these things too late , it becomes more difficult to introduce them later .
Equipment The equipment is one of the potential biggest barriers to taking your children on a paddleboard . Although very little is required , there are some serious considerations to make .
Make sure your kids are warm and not just in the short term . You should always keep them warm for extended periods . A good quality wetsuit is essential ; avoid supermarket wetsuits . Many are much
Lizzie Carr MBE
Lizzie (@ lizzie _ carr ), founder of Planet Patrol , campaigner and environmentalist Lizzie , shares some top tips when taking her daughter on board . Lizzie ’ s top tips :
• Find a buoyancy aid that fits and get them wearing it before heading out on the paddle board so they are comfortable and familiar with it .
• Show them videos of yourself or other people paddle boarding and explain what is happening so they know what to expect .
• Let them watch you first so they can see it ’ s safe and fun .
• Ensure you are clear on tidal flow , wind direction and other potential hazards before taking your child on board . thinner than your surf brand wetsuits ; some are not genuine neoprene and do not have the same insulation properties . Plenty of good wetsuits are available if you shop around , and remember , it ’ s much cheaper to buy out of season . If your children get cold quickly , consider a 5mm wetsuit . It will keep them warmer for longer .
PFD A PFD is essential and should be nonnegotiable when taking any child on the water . If your child can ’ t swim , a life jacket is essential , a life jacket will float your child on their back , and the neck pillar will keep their airways clear . Lifejackets have a few features which come as standard , they have