Fun Ways to Teach Kids About Boating

teach kids about boating

Boating can be a wonderful escape from reality but it can also serve as a way to learn and explore the world around you.

Many people appreciate nature more when they are out on the water. We may not be aware of it but geography, math and other subjects are all used when operating a boat, fueling up and performing other tasks.


To teach left from right, use "red right return"

This famous saying may have been one of your first concepts when you started boating. This alliteration reminds you to keep your red navigation aids on your starboard (a.k.a. When returning from open sea, or going upstream, the alliteration is to remind you to keep red navigation aids on your starboard (a.k.a.. This is a simple concept that children young and old can understand, especially if they are learning from the left.


Use markers to teach ABCs & 123s

Children love to sing and count numbers. You can help your child practice counting by using all kinds of markers that have numbers.

Ask your children to search for numbers. Ask them to recite each number while you approach the markers. You can also use this opportunity to explain the meaning of the numbers. Children older than six years old who are good readers can read aloud signs describing hazards and obstructions.


Teach them how to plan a course

Middle schoolers can understand the distances between their home and their favorite anchorage. You can improve your math skills by teaching middle-schoolers how many nautical miles are between them and what a nautical nautical mile is, versus a mile on the land.

You can also show them how to use your chartplotter and nautical maps to plan your next trip.


Calculate fuel consumption

Is math difficult for you? Ask your children to help you calculate the fuel consumption for your next boat trip.

Tell them how much fuel you have on board. Next, ask your boater-in training to calculate how much fuel your boat will likely use on your next trip. This is based on average consumption. Double-check your calculations to confirm that they are correct after the trip.


Investigate aquatic life

Lessons about the marine life you can see on the seafloor will be a hit with budding biologists!

You can, for example, use a dropper or a cup to collect water from the ocean or lake and then examine the liquid under a microscope. You will be able to see all sorts of cool microorganisms.

You don't need a microscope. You can sit down at home and look for fauna and flora in your boating area. Next, identify as many as you can while aboard. You can also use fishing as an opportunity for your children to learn about sustainability and catch and release.


Identify cloud formations

Make learning fun for your mini meteorologists on your boat by teaching them how to watch the sky.

Cloud movement tells us which direction the weather will be heading, and the type of clouds shows when it is changing. Cloud colors, shapes and sizes can all be used to determine weather conditions and atmospheric conditions.

You can also teach children about weather conditions on your boat and make a game of naming clouds types.


Safety should be fun

Promoting boating safety is important, as you probably know. Not only can it save lives, but it can also be fun to teach your children safety best practices.

Ask them to assist you in creating a safety checklist prior to you go out on the water. You can use this checklist to include signaling devices, life jackets, fire extinguishers and floatation devices. Promoting safe boating can help ensure your family is safe and your children will have the knowledge they need to be safe on their next boating trip.


You can enroll them in a youth sailing program

You can sign your children up for a youth sailing program if they show interest in boating. These programs can teach children basic boating skills, and provide a solid foundation for recreational boating.


Conclusion 

These lessons can be incorporated into your next boat trip to make learning more fun for your children!


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