Sometimes, kids just don’t get as much enjoyment out of our hobbies and leisure activities as we’d like. Spending a day out on the boat might seem like a wonderfully relaxing time to you, but your kids may not agree. If they’re not having fun, they’ll get bored. And boredom, as any parent knows, is the key ingredient in any recipe for disaster.

Fortunately, there are things you can do with your kids (apart from leaving them with Grandma for the day) to help them have a good time while you’re out on the water. Here are some things to try:

• Bring along a Rubbermaid tote full of activities. Depending on your kids’ ages, you might include marine-themed coloring books, toy fishing rods or toy binoculars, or even small toy boats. Let the kids each bring two or three toys or activities, as well Try to stay away from anything that wouldn’t work well with the motion of the waters, like board games. (Magnetic “travel” board games should be fine, however.
• Involve your kids with the boat itself. Especially if your children are a little bit older, you may be able to let them do things like help with sails or rigging, or even steer the boat.
• Use your time on the water as a teaching opportunity. Get some paper charts of your area, and teach them how to navigate. Let the kids plot a course out of a channel, find sea life sightings, or other points of interest. Show them how to use a GPS and plot locations, as well. Teach them how to measure depth and wind direction, or to use a fish finder. You can even teach them a financial lesson about how you’re paying interest on a boat loan, or the importance of boat insurance.

Ultimately, how much fun you and your kids have on your boat is up to you. Spend some time beforehand thinking about what they’ll be doing on the boat, and you’ll find you all have a much better day of it.

Photo via Frankensteinnn