Keeping young kids (5-6) occupied while sailing

[bubb2]

My Kite flying son just got home from orchestra practice (cello player). I said to him remember when we used to fly kites off the back of the boat. He says, I remember when you used to tie the kite string to my life vest and tell me "I hope the wind doesn't pick up." LOL

For more parenting tips please PM me. lol

[djodenda]

Lot's of great memories cruising as a kid.. I trust that mine have them as well...

Here's some potential great memories from cruising this summer...


Board games in the evening


Hope the photographer taking pictures of the Lady Washington (used in Pirates of the Caribbean)


Mark standing watch in the early morning


Mark handling courtesy flag duties after we cross the border

David

[mrwuffles]

Throw em in the Dinghy

[bljones]

Great advice. One we play on our boat, kids and used-to-be-kids alike, is "Sail Number Rummy." Spot other boats, spot the sail numbers, add em up, either individually or in combos. first person to 200, 500, or 1000 (depending upon attention span and/or passage length.) For adults, whenever anybody spotted a combo that equalled our sail number (or a multiple of our sail number), everyone not on the helm had to throw down a shot.
When adults play, it is funny to watch math nerds become drunks... oh, who am i kidding, it is definitely drunks pretending to be math nerds.

[MiVelero]

The main entertainment for my grand daughter has been sailing, she reads the radar , plotter and loves to lay the chart out and find her way against the gps and what she sees around. With binoculars a small vhf and her whistle she feels like hot sh*t. After the sun, the motion and all the activity a long nap on the cockpit next to pawpaw and all is well.
Actually now at the age of eight I have more faith and trust in her as my first mate than with the admiral
She knows the whole manoverboard drill and is incharge of showing guest how to operate the head, water conservation and do's and don't.
The important part is remember do not underestimate their capacity to learn and how they enjoy the process. Get them actively involved, call for bridge openning(only one has refused to answer her so far), let them at the helm and as look outs. Video games and that sort of entertainment is usually at night in port or anchorage before bed.
There is always the guitar and sing alongs underway.

[smackdaddy]

Ours seem to like to bring toys that have millions of tiny pieces. I'm always fishing Bionicle body parts out of the bilge. Go figure.

But I concur with the v-berth/clubhouse thing. It's a great battle field for the army guys - and a nap waiting to happen.

Of course, with our 52" plasma screen game system with surround sound in the main salon (which I never let them play with), I have a blast goofin' around while they're underneath scrubbin' the bottom (just kiddin' on that part).

Nothin' better than sailing with your kids. Memories - man - memories.

[frank31]

Sailing with kids is great, besides the normal safety drills my goal is to keep them busy until nap time!

[painkiller]

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

Ours seem to like to bring toys that have millions of tiny pieces. I'm always fishing Bionicle body parts out of the bilge. Go figure.

But I concur with the v-berth/clubhouse thing. It's a great battle field for the army guys - and a nap waiting to happen.

Of course, with our 52" plasma screen game system with surround sound in the main salon (which I never let them play with), I have a blast goofin' around while they're underneath scrubbin' the bottom (just kiddin' on that part).

Nothin' better than sailing with your kids. Memories - man - memories.

Hah! Same here, but I have girls, so it's Polly Pockets and Barbie shoes in the bilge. And you'd be amazed at where hair clips and scrunchies end up.

[lbdavis]

Originally Posted by djodenda

Great pics, but I'm not sure why Hope is smiling with those tiles!

She needs to buy a vowel!

[Calabego]

I use cam-cleats for my jib sheets. Ditch sailing on a busy summer day makes for lots of tacking espically around those nice folk in fishing boats anchored next to the channel. I showed my 9 year old how to keep clear of sheet tails especially any loops that occur, pop a loaded sheet off the cam cleat with little required strength and just let go while I sheet in on the other side. So she's a learned participant. She also keeps watch for me and has learned right of way, (although I always check and steer myself when there's call for concern) steer with supervision which she likes the best, as well as call out wind puffs. Figure our postition on the chart (just by eyeball for now) Even at 9 her attention does drift, so I make up other low watt tasks to keep things new. Given her understanding of the chart, and to aid in her practical math development I'm going to get her to do some Dead Reckoning plots on my laminated chart from the cockpit. The little challenges like finding specific bouys given their signalling characteristics, be it whistles, bells, or flashes are great challenges and I found that they commit this stuff to memory and recall it so well, that she'll call out bouy XXX on the return trip. Involving kids in sailing at their level is such a great relationship deepening, skill, confidence and interest in their environment away from the electronic distractions, is priceless.