Different strokes: The bow is the best place for kids to start out, while an adult steers from the stern

Has your child been freeloading in your canoe long enough? Is it time to turn your little passenger into a little paddler?

Just how can you encourage this transformation?

Choose the
Right Paddle

Actually, your child is probably used to one already. Or should be. After all, everyone, including toddlers, needs a paddle — not necessarily for helping propel the canoe, but because they're such wonderful diversions. Don't expect kids to share them unless you're prepared for squabbles. And sibling squabbles with paddles in hand can certainly be dangerous!

	Paddle Tip Kids may find it easier to grip plastic or aluminum paddles than wooden ones. Your child may even find it useful to wear cycling gloves while canoeing; they can improve grip and prevent blisters.

How long should your child's paddle be? Long enough to reach the water.

This may sound like a joke, but it's sound advice. For adults and children who will be paddling from a sitting position, their paddle should reach to between mid-chest and shoulder height when standing. Youngsters sitting in the bottom of a canoe may need slightly longer paddles.

First Strokes

Parents typically seat a child ready to try real paddling — something more than playful dips in the water — in the bow. Young paddlers aren't ready for the stern until their skills are fairly honed.

	Tip from a Paddling Parent "At about age five and six, my son started catching onto where the canoe should go. He would say, 'Dad, how do I get the canoe over there?' Well, boom, the door was open — he was looking for paddling information and I started giving it to him." — Ed Charles, Belgrade Lakes, ME

With children ages eight and under, there's a great deal to be said for simply handing a paddle to a child and letting him explore. If he seems interested, show him moves like the forward, back, draw, and J-strokes. But also let him splash and explore, or even invent strokes and names for them.

For young kids, keep the instruction low-key and fun, so they'll regard paddling as a pleasure and privilege instead of a chore. Don't count on either mastery or endurance until your child has both interest and strength. If they paddle the wrong way, so what?

Getting Better

Experts strongly advocate professional lessons for children. Good professional instruction is widely available now, and is often a good idea for parents, too.

Remember, yelling louder is definitely not a good teaching technique!

You can locate lessons in your area by:

		Asking for recommendations, especially from experienced canoeing enthusiasts or at your local outfitters' store.
		Investigating watershed associations, which often feature a paddling program.
		Checking with state parks.
		Investigating summer camp programs, which often include canoeing sessions and lessons.

Canoeing Books To Inspire Young Paddlers and Their Parents A Canoe Trip by Bobby Kalman, Crabtree Publishing, ages 4-8. A photographic account of a group of children on a canoe camping trip. A good introduction for beginners. Canoeing Made Easy by I. Herbert Gordon, Globe Pequot Press. A straightforward manual for beginners. Willy Whitefeather's River Book for Kids by Willy Whitefeather. Harbinger House, ages 8-12. Honorary Cherokee chief and storyteller Willy Whitefeather tells of a boy and girl's five-day river adventure. Extremely inventive and informative.

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