First time taking the kids out? Want to make your next trip even better than your last one?
If you’re like us, and you’ve got young people in your life, the sooner you get them hooked on canoe camping, the sooner they’ll be carrying your canoe over the portage (wouldn’t that be nice!).
We’ve worked at summer camps and have tripped with our nieces and nephews when they were young. One of those nieces, Cassie, now has 4 adventurous boys of her own and has contributed excellent tips and photos for this blog. Thanks Cas!
These five tried-and-tested tips for canoe trips are memorable for all the right reasons.
1. Involve your Kids in Planning the Canoe Trip
When kids are involved in a process, and have a real sense of ownership & contribution, the likelihood of them being more excited when it comes time to do the thing is that much greater.
Here are some ideas to build excitement and anticipation for canoe camping.
- Ask them what fun things they’d like to do. Fish? Swim? Cliff jump? Build faerie houses?
- Involve your kids in research about where you could go – online or at the library
- Look at maps and pictures of the area
- Read an age-appropriate book to learn about the Indigenous peoples where you’re going
- Read a story about a canoe trip. It’s a great way to make the experience come alive
Kids can get bored paddling. So once you have a list, plan a canoe route with mini-adventures of activities they love to do. Keep them asking for more!!
Speaking of which… Base camping every other day is one of the biggest pieces of advice we can give you. Setting up camp takes a lot of time and energy! Especially when your kids are young or if camping is new to them. We know it’s not always possible with the need to make reservations, but consider staying an extra night or two on kid-friendly sites.Great fishing spot? Make some more memories on the water.
Beach? We spent hours throwing a small nerf football to our nephew who would run into the water for the “line drive”, flying up to catch the ball and landing with a big splash. That’s what canoe tripping is all about for kids!
“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” - Arthur Ashe
2. Plan for Canoe Snacks, Portage Snacks, and Campsite Snacks — All the Snacks!
It’s time to take your child to the bulk food store! Introduce them to the adventure of GORP (good ol’ raisins and peanuts). With kids on canoe trips, it’s important to keep energy levels stable and the fun meter high. So plan for easy access to snacks between mealtimes. And pack snacks your children love (you don’t want your picky eaters to crash!)
Think about:
- Protein foods like jerky, roasted chick-peas, and nuts to fill the belly
- Sugar! Sour soother anyone? Candy, dried fruit, and raisins provide quick energy
- Salty snacks for hot, active days. (Got to replenish those electrolytes)
Kids love it when they can put together their own bags of trail mix. But don’t forget those “extra special” treats for those extra challenging paddles or portages. Who doesn’t like getting rewarded for hard work? Children love getting special treats that encourage and congratulate achievement… along with lots of positive affirmation!
Remember to have snacks easily accessible in the canoe and in your canoe packs or barrel.
Another great tip is to plan for quick appetizers and “cocktails” after you’ve set up camp or while you’re working on supper. Soup, hummus, crackers, cheese, and dried fruit are so yummy, and it really helps keep end-of-day attitudes positive.
3. Have a Plan for the Portages
Portages can be great adventures, and you’ll need a strategy to wrangle your kids, especially if they’re young. We find it helpful to have one adult in the front of the group, and one in the back. Try to stay within calling distance in case any child (or adult) needs help.
If more than one trip across the portage is needed, one adult can stay at the end with the kids while the other goes back for the extra trip (along with any child full of beans and brimming with enthusiasm…).
Does your child carry a pack over the portage?
They might need some practice and a lot of encouragement. But carrying their own pack gives your child a sense of responsibility, accomplishment and contribution to the group effort of the trip.
Check out these tips!
- Get your child to pack a small toy or activity in their bag (and SNACKS!) Then make sure the pack is handy for them in the canoe.
- Kids packs are great for storing gear you need easy access to, e.g., rain gear
- Choose the best canoe pack for each child in terms of the right size, volume and fit. And make sure it has a chest strap if possible (it helps secure the pack.)
- How heavy should the pack be? Well, the American Occupational Therapy Association recommends a maximum weight of 10-15% of their body weight. But keep an eye on your child’s fun-o-meter and adjust accordingly.
- And finally, make sure there is nothing digging into the child’s back. (We learned a lesson on our last trip… wrap the tackle box!!)
4. Anticipate and Have a Plan for Emotions and Feelings
My friend and I took her daughter and my niece (ages 9 and 7) for their first trip. We ran out of water (in the creek) and had to drag the canoe over a bit of a grassy fen. I got stung by a wasp.
As adults, we were swearing a bit (under our breath) and working at keeping our “attitudes” (aka our spirits) high. The girls didn’t have a clue… and it was one big adventure. But there will be times when the kids are at risk of “losing it”.
So here are some strategies that anticipate and plan for those moments.
Before you leave, brainstorm with your kids about what feelings and emotions might come up during the canoe trip. What will be fun? What will be hard? What can we do at those times to help ourselves and each other?
And then brainstorm some scripts they can tell themselves (or that you can remind them of) when they’re tired and want to give up.
“I can do this!”
“I can do hard things.”
“Only a little longer.”
“I am strong and capable.”
“At the end of this portage, I have a snack to look forward to.”
The other thing you can do is to “play” (code for “practice”) in the weeks leading up to the canoe trip. If you think carrying a pack on the portage will be a challenge physically and emotionally – get out on a few practice hikes first.
Scavenger hunt, anyone?!
5. Everyone Helps Around the Campsite
Helping out is a great way to build skills and responsibility – And it can be an adventure!
Our niece and nephew never go anywhere without a flint and tinder to make a fire. Which means, at any point in time on a bush walk with their kids, they can create a “teachable moment.”
Have you tried to start a fire with a flint? Talk about teaching patience and perseverance! Learning about the mechanics of how to lay out a fire at home gets them ready to do it on a canoe trip.
Here are some ways to get kids involved in campsite life so they feel part of the team.
First – Start ’em young! You’ll want to keep your “littles” close by. Getting them to do simple things like handing you tent pegs or carrying a couple sticks as you collect firewood keeps them engaged. (And they learn by osmosis…)
Second – Make a list of things to be done so kids can work on their own or together.
- Collecting firewood
- Finding a tent spot
- Sawing firewood
- Washing dishes (woo hoo!)
- Packing up their sleeping bag
Third – Your child will have greater success if they have tools that are age/ability-appropriate, e.g., knives, saws. Hand in hand with this is to come up with safety rules with your kids. (They are more likely to follow the rules they set themselves.) And, just like the example of lighting a fire, teach and practice the skills at home before heading out.
Summary
Whether you’re just starting out, or have been canoeing for decades, one of the most rewarding things is to inspire the next generation to get out paddling.
There will definitely be ups and downs. Kids likely won’t have the same “drive” to push themselves on a canoe trip like adults. They’ll get bored and tire quickly if the work-to-fun ratio is “off”.
Having said that, it’s so much fun seeing the world through a child’s eyes (or a teenager’s for that matter). The key is in being flexible and planning ahead (learn those goofy songs! Brush up on the rules for “I spy”.)
We’d love it if you would write your own advice for canoe tripping with children in the comments. Let’s keep this conversation going!