“I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Discover Boating. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”

Our kids love to go boating and so do we!  If you are a beginner, you can find beginner tips here. 

Here are my 5 tips for taking your family boating (& keep your kids smiling while keeping you stress-free!)

Tip #1- Pack snacks!

Our kids are hungry within ten minutes (maybe they aren’t hungry, but they know that their ‘Gi and Pap’ always have snacks on the boat, so they ask for them as soon as we start moving.   Here are some great snacks to take on the boat or to the pool.

Tip#2 – Puddle Jumpers can be used as Life Jackets

Did you know that a Puddle Jumper is a coast-guard approved life saving device?
That means that instead of a life jacket, you can use a puddle jumper!  I still prefer to use life jackets, but some kids (like my niece and nephew) would much rather wear a puddle jumper– and now they can!

Or you can just follow my daughter’s footsteps- she didn’t want either, unless she could wear a dress OVER it!  Here she is in her life-jacket-dress.  haha!

Tip #3 – Take sweatshirts or blankets (or extra towels)

The chilly breeze comes when you least expect it.  Pack a few blankets and sweatshirts (You can keep some in a storage container on the boat- pick one that keeps air, water and any critters OUT.)

Tip #4- Take them Tubing!

Our kids had so much fun tubing!   Just go really slow to start them out.  Let them give you a THUMB UP to go faster or a THUMBS DOWN to go slower.   Tell them to hold out their hand to stop completely.  Always go with an adult until you feel that you child is old enough and a good enough swimmer to handle going along (I will be so nervous about that, so I’ll just keep them riding with their Dad for a while!) 

Tip #5- Go to the pool after you finish up on the boat!

Their favorite thing to do after boating?  Swim at the pool!  They are already wet and covered in sunscreen so take them to the pool!
ps- If you have younger kids, invest in a iSwimBand – Your child wears this “bracelet” on their wrist or around their head and it will alert you if your child falls in the water or if your older child is under the water for longer than is acceptable.

Or let them paint the ground… with pool water!

Visit DiscoverBoating.com for more boating ideas for your kids and family!

  You can see pictures from our last boating trip here.

Ps- here are 6 things that moms forget to take to the pool.