Tips to Make Boating Safe and Fun for Kids

With summer just around the corner, there are a few extra passengers that might have the time to join you on your trips out on the water: kids! Never underestimate how much fun boating can be for children, whether they’re your own kids or they’re nieces and nephews, grandchildren, or even family friends. They’re going to have lots of fun out on the water and you might find you’re in for a new kind of boating experience with them around. Just remember that children have different needs than some of your adult passengers, so make sure you’re prepared for boating with children. Riva Motorsports and Marine of the Keys has provided some of our go-to tips, but for advice from our experienced staff, you’ll want to stop by our dealership in Key Largo, proudly serving the Florida Keys.

Teach Kids to Swim

If they’re your own kids, make sure they can swim before they hit the water. Even though they’ll be wearing safety vests, basic swimming skills are an essential part to any on-water trip. Children as young as one can take introductory courses, with more formal lessons starting around age four. At the very least, they should be able to keep themselves afloat if they fall overboard, without the assistance of a life jacket.

Get Them Used to Life Jackets

Having said that, everyone needs to be wearing life jackets. This includes the adults. Children will emulate behavior that they see, so if you’re not wearing a life jacket, they won’t think it’s necessary for them to wear one either. Get them used to the feeling of a life jacket early on and ensure they’re wearing one that’s big enough--or in their case, small enough--for them. 

Establish Safety Rules

Always keep in mind that as the captain of the boat, you’re responsible for everyone’s safety. That means you get to set all the safety rules. Take some time before launching to instruct everyone on what you expect from them. This should include basic boat safety, like safe areas to sit, especially when the boat is in motion, and that there will be no running. Make sure they know what all emergency procedures look like (including what to do if they fall overboard) and, if applicable, necessary hand signals and rules for water sport activities. And, as we said before, follow all these rules yourself so they have a good example to follow.

Keep Them Warm

Even on the warmest of days, life out on the water can get pretty chilly. Cold children can get pretty cranky pretty quickly. Encourage them to bring their own jackets, but you should also have a few extra blankets and coats, just in case.

Reduce Sun Exposure

Having said that, if the sun is going to be out, then you’ll still need to take steps to protect your kids from the sun’s harmful rays. Everyone should be wearing sunscreen and reapplying as instructed. You should have a covered area where anyone can retreat from the sunshine should they need a little break. We also highly recommend sunglasses, since the sun’s reflection on the water can be so bright that it can actually damage your vision if you aren’t taking the right precautions. And, of course, bring plenty of water to keep your passengers hydrated.

As important as all these cautionary steps are, you should still try to make the day on the water as entertaining as possible for everyone. Consider hooking up an inner tube to a tow line and getting some fun water sport activities going. Or find a watering hole for everyone to splash around in. Whatever the case may be, you’ll want to start by getting the right boat. Check out the boats for sale here at Riva Motorsports and Marine of the Keys here in Key Largo so we can show you what we have available right now.