Kids Kayak Day Camp

Kids Kayak Camp (5 half-days, M-F)

Enjoy five days on the water learning all the fun things you can do in and with kayaks. Paddle a variety of kayak, everything from sit-on-top kayaks to touring/sea kayaks (both tandem and one-person kayaks of each style) at our day-camp on Lake Sammamish (Issaquah, just 30 minutes east of Seattle). Learn basic paddling and safety skills while playing water games like sponge tag, going on a kayak treasure hunt, and racing -- each day is fun and different. The last day we'll take a half-day kayak trip. Class sized limited to eight students maximum with five-to-one student/instructor ratio so everyone gets the personal attention they need and can progress at there own rate.

There's no other Kids Kayak Camp like this anywhere. Our camp was created by Barbara Gronseth (K.A.'s Head of Youth Kayaking Programs), and it leads students to their first BCU Paddlesports Performance Awards (K.A. is the only school in the NW offering BCU youth programs). Barb is a mother of two, a BCU North America certified kayaking and canoeing coach with decades of experience introducing youth to paddle sports. All our camp instructors are chosen, trained, and mentored by Barb specifically for this program. Participants benefit from the Kayak Academy's resources of youth sized touring kayaks, comfortable PFD's designed for paddling, warm booties, and most unique of all - free use of wet suits or dry suits (depending on the weather and water temperature). K.A. is the only school in the world to offer all this in a youth program. Students in this youth camp primarily use touring kayaks, but they are also given opportunities to try sit-on-top kayaks and other human powered water craft (i.e. Canoes and Stand Up Paddle Boards).

This camp builds both self reliance and teamwork skills. Watch your child's confidence, safety awareness and sense of accomplishment develop all week.

Requirements: Even though PFD's will be worn whenever we are on the water, participants must be able to swim to take this camp. Outdoor type clothing is required -- no cotton (i.e. synthetic or wool long underwear tops and bottoms to wear under the dry suit), an equipment list will be provided with sign up.

Note, in addition to the camps at our location on L. Sammamish, we also offer some Kids Kayak Camps (5 half-days) at Mercer Island through the Mercer Island Parks & Recreation Department. The Mercer Island camps generally have larger class size and do not include building and paddling cardboard kayaks or the use of other paddle craft. For the dates and more information on these programs, please click here Mercer Island Parks & Recreation Department.

For Family Lessons and Party Rentals see our subsidiary: Issaquah Paddle Sports

Location: Tibbitts Beach, Lake Sammamish State Park (see map below)
Instructor: Barb Gronseth (formerly Barb Sherrill) and staff
Duration: 5 half day sessions - Mornings, 9-12noon or Afternoons, 1-4pm
Class Size: 8
Ages: 8-14
Fee: $300 (Price includes use of: PFD, wet suit booties, dry suit or wet suit, kayak, paddle, and snacks)

Call us at (206) 527-1825 or E-mail us at info@kayakacademy.com to make a reservation.

Sample Course Syllabus

Day 1

Get wet, stay warm, and have a lot of fun! Each student is outfitted with their own PFD (life jacket), dry suit, and neoprene wet suit booties. Then we let them run into the water and experience the weird/funny sensation of swimming in a dry suit. Only their hands and heads get wet, the dry suit keeps their clothes dry so they stay warm. Through this play they discover the suits and PFD's give them lots of buoyancy so the can relax and have fun in the water. Next each kid is fitted with their own kayak and paddle while we familiarize them with entry level safety skills -- first on the shore, then in shallow water near the beach. Kayak games that develop paddling skills through experiential learning completes the day.

Day 2

Confidence grows as they practice kayak rescue skills and take a short trip along the shoreline of L. Sammamish State Park (at the south end of the lake). Along the way, students discover the challenge and joy of learning to keep a kayak going straight while touring, and kayaking through narrow passageways while exploring the wildlife and slow moving water of Issaquah Creek (which flows through the park into L. Sammamish) helps them develop some finer points of the maneuvering strokes. On the way back they will begin learning techniques to paddle faster and more efficiently.

Day 3

Kids love our treasure hunt! Excitement is contagious as they learn to work as teams to solve the clues to find the hidden treasure. The clues are cleverly designed so they learn to use a chart and compass to navigate to the treasure. And this treasure chest is full of rewards they can play with.

Day 4

Race day! Students work in teams building and racing cardboard kayaks. Building a kayak is the best way to learn kayak nomenclature and design basics. During the race they'll discover that it's not necessarily the strongest kid who wins when racing a kayak they designed and built. After the race all the kids have a blast trying to sink their creations' while testing their craft's seaworthiness.

Day 5

Pack a snack and extra clothes - we're going on a tour. This kayak trip is an opportunity to use all the skills and experience they've acquired during the week for a successful kayak tour. Students participate in planning the tour for our final Day 5 Trip. We will look over the maps and charts along with checking the marine weather forecast of wind and wave conditions to determine the best destination and route for our trip. Imagine the feeling of accomplishment your son or daughter will get when they look back at where they started after paddling a few miles under their own power in a one-person kayak. Completion of the camp qualifies each student for a BCU Paddlesport Performance Awards START Certificate which they will be presented with.

Map to Tibbitts Beach (click on blue tag to get driving directions)

View Tibbitts Beach in a larger map