Once your child is comfortable in the kayak, it is time to teach him or her how to paddle the kayak with what is known as the forward stroke. The first step is to teach them how to grip the kayak paddle. This should be done on land with older children. With younger kids you should place their hands on the paddle and guide their strokes. Teach them how to do a proper forward stroke and guide their kayak paddle if possible.
It can be a great bonding experience to place the child in your lap and to paddle with them. You can guide how their strokes along the way, allowing them to experience how the kayak forward stroke should feel and perform. It should be noted that your form is less important than theirs at this point as it is difficult to achieve the proper torso rotation when someone is in your lap.
