The base at home, the sport at a club

Canoe and kayak at home

Water, a boat, a lifejacket and an instructor; at home, the commands, the paddle grip and safety on land, and swimming at a pool.

4 cards at home 9 for the club

What should we practise today?

Tell us where you are and who is playing. You get one card and the reason.

Where are you?

Who is playing?

Start a session

New to canoe and kayak? The game in a minute

Read this once before the first card.

The sport in short: A kayak paddler sits with the legs in front and uses a paddle with a blade at each end. A canoe paddler kneels or sits and uses a paddle with one blade. Both are paddled on lakes, rivers and the sea.
How races are won: In sprint, boats race in straight lanes on flat water and the fastest time wins. In slalom, paddlers go through hanging gates on fast water; touching or missing a gate adds time. There are also long-distance races, wild-water races and canoe polo, a ball game played in kayaks.
Rules children learn first: A lifejacket that fits, fastened, all the time on the water.
Never paddle alone, and never without an instructor at the start.
Learn to get out of an upturned boat before anything else.
A paddler must be able to swim.
At home you start on land: The safety ideas, the paddle grip and stroke, the commands, and swimming practice at a pool with a lifeguard. The boat itself is learnt at a club.

Words you will hear (22, in plain language)

Kayak: A boat paddled sitting down, with a paddle that has a blade at each end.
Canoe: A boat paddled kneeling or sitting, with a paddle that has one blade.
Paddle: The paddle is what you hold; the blade is the flat end that goes in the water.
Lifejacket: A vest that keeps you floating. It must fit and be fastened.
Capsize: When the boat tips over and turns upside down.
Cockpit: The opening in a kayak where the paddler sits.
Spraydeck: A cover round the paddler's waist that seals the cockpit. Beginners learn without one.
Footrest: The bar inside the boat that the feet press on.
Forward stroke: The stroke that moves the boat forward: blade in by the feet, pulled back to the hip.
Sweep stroke: A wide, curving stroke that turns the boat.
Brace: Pressing the flat of the blade on the water to stop the boat tipping over.
Roll: Turning an upside-down kayak back up while staying in it.
Eddy: A calm patch of water behind a rock or bend, where the current slows or turns back.
Stopper: A place where water falls over something and curls back on itself; dangerous for swimmers.
Rapid: A stretch of fast, rough water in a river.
Self-rescue: Getting yourself to safety after falling in.
Tread water: Staying upright in deep water by moving the legs and hands slowly.
Star float: Floating on the back with arms and legs spread wide.
Buddy system: Always paddling with someone who watches out for you, and you for them.
Sculling: Small, quick movements of the hands or blade that press on the water.
Rafting up: Boats holding on to each other side by side.
Canoe polo: A ball game played in kayaks, with helmets and face guards.

Try it, nothing to buy

Mark the space once. Every card starts from it.

A suggested first ten sessions (optional)

The cards, level by level

Nobody is late. A beginner of any age starts at Basic.

Basic 6 cards · show· hide The child knows the safety rules, holds the paddle correctly, understands the start, stop and turn commands and is happy in a lifejacket on supervised water. At this stage fun, balance and a love of being on the water come first.

Move on when the instructor confirms the child is ready for the next session on the water.

Intermediate 5 cards · show· hide Body, boat and blade: power from the big muscles of the legs and trunk, the blade gripping the water early and firmly, and as little drag as possible; strength training that keeps the paddler injury-free and strong enough to repeat the stroke. Paddling in crew boats starts early and continues.

Move on when the coach agrees the paddler's technique holds up over a long session.

Advanced 2 cards · show· hide Race technique, decisions under pressure, crew boats, the personal skills of strong athletes and a preparation plan. Selection is usually judged against set times for each boat class.

Teaching this at home

Movement, safety and the words at home. The sport itself needs water, a boat, a horse or a coach.

You do not need to know the sport. Each card tells you where to stand, what to say and what to look at. Pick one thing to say in a session and say only that. The first week looks messy; that is normal. End every session on one that works.

Cards marked At a club are taught by a coach. They tell you what the coach teaches, what is safe at home, and what to ask the club before your child joins.

How to warm up before playing is at workonfitness.com. The rules of the game are at sportsmaze.com.