Packing up the family and taking them on an outdoor adventure for the weekend has plenty of benefits. Not only do you find the time to bond with your kids, but you can also teach them valuable survival skills and how to appreciate nature.

Kayaking is a fun water sport, but there are specific rules and procedures you should teach your kids, so they are safe. Some lessons include teaching them about the importance of wearing a life jacket, steering, and what dangers to look for in any body of water. 

Teaching kids how to safely and adequately kayak can build their confidence and give them a hobby outside of video games and the television.

Our top pick for the best kayak for kids is the Lifetime Youth Wave vessel. This ultra-lightweight kayak is perfect for children 5+. It comes with molded finger handles so your child can quickly pick this kayak up out of the water and transport it anywhere.

The lightweight design is also essential for long trips, making it easy to maneuver over the water and paddle for hours of fun. With multiple footrests, this kayak grows with your child and is constructed to last for years. With a 5-year warranty, we guarantee you'll be able to enjoy countless weekend trips and summer getaways, exploring water channels and coastlines.

We know that finding the right kayak for your child’s age can be a challenge. That’s why we’ve recommended the Lifetime Youth Wave as the best kayak for kids. Not only is it affordable and comes with a lengthy warranty, but it's also designed for kids of all ages. This allows your child to build their confidence with each trip in this kayak. 

Stability, mobility, and safety are all taken into consideration when Lifetime constructed this kayak. The stable hull is flip resistant, and the reverse chine design offers enhanced stability, even on choppy waters. The twin-fin design in the rear assist in tracking and help your child glide over the water with ease. It also has a swim-up deck that makes climbing back in a breeze should your child fall off.

Are you looking for an affordable kayak for you younger tykes with a lot of energy to give? Then look no further than the Pelican Solo Youth Kayak. Designed with an open cockpit, built-in hand molds, and a twin tunnel hull, this vessel is the best rated Pelican kayak for kids. This kayak is highly functional, easy to maneuver as your child paddles across the water’s surface and is made from RAM-XS impact-resistant material.

Pelican has designed this kayak with all the safety in mind. After long days on the lake, your child can easily put up the safety flag to let you know they need help or are too tired to paddle in. This vessel also comes with a swim-up deck and handles that make it easy for your child to get back into their kayak if they fall off. The self-bailing drain plug reduces the risk of the best rated Pelican kayak for kids taking on too much water.

This Solo Youth kayak is suitable for younger children that are just starting out with their own kayak. The built-in footrests ensure that kids can grow into the best rated Pelican kayak for kids and enjoy making years or memories on the water. This kayak is also designed to help build your child’s confidence in their own abilities on the water. It’s easy to maneuver, lightweight, and skims the surface of the water quickly, only adding to your child’s enjoyment each time they climb on board.

The Sun Dolphin Aruba 10-foot kayak is the best sit-in kayak for teens. As one of the top manufacturers, Sun Dolphin has equipped this kayak with a padded seat for more comfort and adjustable foot braces. The cockpit is large and open, allowing for maximum storage and making it comfortable to ride in for hours of fun or on long water excursions. You can even tow this kayak if your teen gets tuckered out.

The Sun Dolphin Aruba is our best sit-in kayak for teens and is durable enough to handle rough waters and rocky shores. Made from UV stabilized fortiflex high-density polyethylene, this hard-shell kayak is one of the best-made kayaks on our list. 

Selecting the right kayak for your child is tricky, which is why we love this kayak so much. While it may be the best sit-in kayak for teens, we recommended that you purchase this one before they turn 13. The weight of the kayak is just 40-pounds, making it easy to maneuver and handle for any child 10 and older. They'll get acquainted with the vessel, and they can grow into this kayak in the years to come.

Water-loving families with young children and pets can still enjoy kayaking as a whole, especially with the Ocean Kayak Malibu Two Tandem vessel. This kayak is the best tandem kayak for kids and parents. As a sit-on unit, this vessel provides more stability and offers Comfort Plus seats that offer four-way adjustability for more comfort. The overlapping footwells ensure you and your little one can stay strapped in for ultimate fun and safety.

If you’re on a budget for a kayak but still want to get the best bang for your buck, then the Ocean Kayak Malibu Two Tandem vessel is the right one for you and your family. While the price tag may come as a shock, this kayak is built well and has a lifetime warranty on the hull, ensuring you get your money's worth. It can accommodate paddlers of all sizes, which means your child can even grow into this kayak, making it worth your investment. 

Ocean Kayak makes a variety of tandem vessels, but this is the best tandem kayak for kids and adults. The extra-stable tri-hull construction completes the 12-foot frame and is capable of holding up to 425-pounds. This means you, two adults, a small child or pet, and a cooler can all ride comfortably on your trip around the lake or your weekend excursions along the coastline.

For adventurous families that don’t have enough room for hard shell kayaks, look no further than the Intex Challenger K1—the best inflatable kayak for kids. Intex is the leading maker of inflatable water sport devices, which means you know you’re getting a quality kayak when you purchase the Challenger K1.

With this kayak, you get more than you'd expect from something inflatable. Not only does it come equipped with a metal ore and ore holders, but the seat is also comfortable and offers plenty of back support. The large cockpit extends deep into the kayak, giving you plenty of room to stretch your legs. It even comes with a mesh storage compartment for easy access to sunblock, water bottles, and fishing gear.

The Intext Challenger K1 is made from heavy-duty puncture-resistant vinyl. It has two separate air chambers, so you never have to worry about your child's safety out on deeper waters. The inflatable I-beam floor allows this kayak to withstand rugged terrain and rocky shores. The removable skeg is also a nice touch, especially for choppier waters.  

Don’t let the idea of an inflatable kayak fool you. As the best inflatable kayak for kids, the Intex Challenger K1 is suitable for any child at any age and kayaking expertise. Measuring 9-feet long, you can rest assured that your child will enjoy this kayak no matter what body of water you’re exploring.

Old Town is the oldest and largest manufacturer of canoes and kayaks in the world, so it's no surprise that we'd include their best mini kayak for kids on our list.

Old Town stays true to its quality craftsmanship with this vessel and has designed it specifically for kids. Your child can ride comfortably on top of this hard-shell kayak that's nimble, lightweight, and easy to maneuver around any water obstacle. And when they get tired, the tag-along towing system allows you to tie their kayak to yours and row them home easily.

Old Town has taken the guesswork out of finding the right kayak for the age of your child with the best mini kayak for kids. Not only is the cockpit designed for a child's body shape and size, but it also comes with a lightweight foam billet that provides ultimate stability and maneuverability. The contoured seat completes this kayak and makes sitting and paddling for hours easy for your younger water explorers.

Since Old Town has designated this kayak for kids, it's no surprise that it's shorter in length and width and weighs just 26 pounds. No matter your child's age, if they can paddle on the water, they can handle this kayak with ease. All you need to do is make sure you get a paddle that's suitable for their size and strength, and away they go for hours of endless water fun and splash fights.

For anglers who love to skim the water recreationally or find new river fishing spots, the Perception Sound kayak is the best kids fishing kayak on the market.

Made specifically for calmer waters and slow-moving streams, this well-built kayak is packed full of storage spots. It comes with an extra cushy zone seat and adjustable backrest for hours of solo fishing. The additional built-in front and rear molded handles provide comfort and lockable security when transporting this kayak with your kids to your favorite fishing spot.

If you’re looking for the best kids fishing kayak, then this one is the right one for your family. All throughout the cockpit and around this kayak, you’ll find storage compartments that make it easy for you to store essentials and attach a cooler for mid-day snacking or for storing your catch. You can easily pack up your tackle box, rods, and other fishing gear in this kayak and not even come close to the 300-pound weight limit.

The Perception Sound kayak is made with both fishing and fun in mind. The sit-in design is perfect for anglers and kayakers of all ages and experience, lowering the center of gravity for more control and stability over your vessel. The smooth straight-tracking tri-keel hull allows you to quickly move through the water and maneuver around boulders, weeds, and downed trees.

If you’re planning on letting your children fish while they kayak, make sure to teach them not to lean too abruptly into the water and always wear their PFD.

They should also be aware of general water safety rules, such as where to fish, and how to stay clear of motorized boats. Once they have these basics down, your child will be able to paddle away and enjoy hours of adventure on the water.

Once your child feels confident in their abilities to handle a kayak, you might enjoy family games and fun that will include everyone for an afternoon on the water.

Some of the most popular games on the water that kids can enjoy in their kayaks include kayak basketball, polo, sharks and minnows, and even kayak races. You can also set up an obstacle course that involves dryland challenges as well as buoys in the water.

If you're looking for more ideas for fun and games, there are online resources for your reading pleasure.

The best size paddle for kids depends on your child’s height and arm span. If your kayak did not come with one, search these popular choices on Amazon.

Finding the right kayak for your child means you can all enjoy this water sport and bonding time as a family. While all of our kayaks on this guide are suitable for kids, our number one pick remains as the Lifetime Youth Wave. It's durable, long-lasting, and comes with the paddle, all for a conveniently low price.