Stand-Up paddle boarding has rising in popularity so much in the last few year there’s been a drastic diversification in the kinds of products available for people who want to learn it for themselves. Now, paddle board manufacturers have begun making SUPs for kids. Any day now, parents who take their families on trips to coastal or watery regions may start to hear requests from their own kids asking if they can learn. While this can be the most fun anyone can have, parents need to take care and make sure they’ve done enough research on the ideal conditions and best practices need when teaching their kids how to ride a stand-up paddle board.
Preparation: Making Sure Your Kids Can Swim
Before you even think about teaching your kids to use a SUP, you need to make sure they are comfortable in the water to begin with. Although the most optimal conditions to do so are in shallow flat-water, you have to ensure they can reach the safety of their paddle board if they ever fall off first in shallow water before they start venturing any further. You should be teaching them to swim at an early age way, so this is a good excuse as any. As long as they can master developmental swimmer techniques like kicking, streamlining and alignment, they can learn to freestyle swim quicker. Have them start out kicking with a flotation device, then transition to freestyle by have them streamline and align their freestyle technique with your arms underneath them. The better they get at controlling themselves in the water, the sooner you can start moving your arms out from underneath them.
Best types of personal flotation devices for kids
If your going to teach your kids to swim and paddle board, they’re going to need a really good personal flotation device. Infants and small children need one rating for weights between 8-30 or 3-50 pounds and should come with padded head support, a grab handle to help them out of the water, and a crotch strap to keep their PFD from riding up. The two main types of PFDs are Type II and Type III. Type II is best for sporting activities are allow for maximum freedom of movement while Type III is best for calm inland waters. Anyone who plans on using a SUP beyond the limits of swimming is required to use a PFD.
Finding the right size paddle board for your child
Though we’ll go into ideal paddle board lengths below, you first have to learn how to determine if a paddle board you get your child is the best size for them. This has more to do with weight and shape rather than length. There are many different type for different kinds of conditions such as surf, touring and race SUPs. But the best kind is the all-around type for any kind of paddle board conditions, mostly make of an epoxy and fiberglass layer wrapped around an EPS foam core with one to three fins and an attached velcro-strap leash so they don’t lose it. If you want to totally ensure their safety, a sturdy inflatable paddle board is even better. When your child holds the board, it shouldn’t tip forward when they stand on it without forward motion.
Ideal Length and Paddle Size
As to the size of the board, most kids from age 7 and up can usually handle an 7′-11′ board that’s at least 30″ wide. If they start to tip over too much as they stand up with not moving, you may need to get one that’s wider than that. As to the ideal paddle size, the bottom of the paddle blade should be even with your eye’s eye line for the perfect size.
Finding a Safe Area to Paddle In
Now you have to find the perfect space to teach your kids how to ride a SUP. You usually want to start out in calm, shallower waters like a lagoon or a lake. Surf paddle boarding is only for adults, so on the beach in the middle of the waves is probably not the best place to start. If you know the water might be a little cold, you might want to get them a wet suit. Either way, as long as the water is deep enough for the fins to clear the bottom and they can float on top without sinking that deep, you’re fine.
The Basics of Paddling
When you child is first starting out, you want to hold the paddle board for them as they kneel in the center of the board. This will help them to get a feel for the board and help their body get accustomed to steadying it in the water. Have them start by taking a few strokes on either side of the board, and then have them get used to propelling the board forward on their own. Teach them how to do the basic forward stroke – straight bottom arm, pull top arm to extend the blade, stick the paddle in the water and focus more on pulling past the paddle rather than paddling towards you and tell them to let their back muscles to all the work Make sure they are alternating paddling on both side of the board. Next, show then how to turn left with the forward stroke – stick the paddle on the right side while the board is in motion, twist your torso to the left and lower your stance and pull the paddle to the right towards the tail as you twist and lean your body to the left. Reverse this process when you teach them how to turn right.
How to Teach your Child to Stand-up while paddling
Now come the hard part. Make sure they try this in calm water for the first time Once your kid is comfortable moving forward and turning while on their knees, slowly get them accustomed to do the same maneuvers standing up. To do this, first have them practice getting to their feet while the board is stationary. Next, have them paddle forward slowly and try to get to their feet when they stop paddling and have gained enough momentum. Make sure they don’t go too fast for you to keep up as they move. It will take a few tries, and they can always go back down to their knees if they get scared. The more you stay with them as they get bolder and bolder, the easier it will be for them to control themselves all on their own as they starting standing up more often. Make sure they keep their feet parallel and shoulder-width apart as they start standing up.
How to avoid water hazards
If your going to have them practice in a lake, make sure you’re clear of any piers or any other people in boats or canoes as your child learns. If you’re in a lagoon or bay, also watch out for buoys and other swimmers nearby.
Photo Credit: Zachary Collier.