Whether you live near the beach or just love spending long days in the ocean, we fully understand and agree. Being in the sea on holiday or with your friends and family is one of the greatest joys in life. There’s so much fun to be had on the coast, in the ocean, and even on our countries great rivers. If you are looking for new ways to enjoy the water with your family, you’ve come to the right place. Below are some excellent ways to have fun in the water, wherever you are.
Paddleboarding
Paddleboarding is an excellent activity for all the family. It involves standing up on a board, shaped much like a surfboard, and paddling from one destination to the next (or round in circles!) It is slow-moving, low-risk, and relaxing for everyone! You can, of course, jazz things up a little by having races or playing games while on your paddleboards, but you set the pace, so anything goes. Paddleboards can be quite large, so with a full family, you may consider purchasing inflatable ones instead of rigid boards. This way, you can pack 4 or 5 paddleboards in the trunk of one standard saloon car and zip down to the beach in no time. Everyone of all ages can enjoy cruising on a paddleboard, so give it a go!
Surfing
We just mentioned the potentially chilled and relaxed vibes of paddleboarding. If that sounded totally boring to you, how about we go the exact opposite way and give ourselves to the mercy of the waves? Surfing is, for a good reason, one of the most popular water-based activities all around the world. Now, you may need to take some lessons as a family before heading straight out into the ocean, but there are plenty of places offering group surf lessons out there. Once you have got a bit of confidence, get out there and chase some waves! There is nothing quite like the thrill of racing along with a wave on your surfboard, and what could be better than watching your kids doing it with you? Sounds like a dream day at the beach to us.
Ball Games
With nothing more than a ball or two, you can have a lot more fun than you might think. There is nothing simpler and sometimes nothing more fun. You could set up a game of water polo in a pool or the ocean with Mom and Dad as goalies and team captains. Trying to score goals past their parents will surely provide the kids with plenty of fun. Alternatively, play a game of volleyball in the shallows, with or without a net. It doesn’t really matter as long as you’re all enjoying it. One final idea is a simple game of bat and ball. You can pick up a bat and ball set at basically every seaside shop on the planet. It may seem simplistic, but you’d be amazed at how many hours can be laughed away playing simple games like these. Plus, a bit of competitiveness never hurts anyone, right?
Canoeing
We’re taking you to the rivers now and jumping in a canoe. Canoeing can be super fun and can be done in all sizes of groups. You can each take an individual canoe or kayak and have races along the river. Or, get a canoe for the whole family and take a gentle cruise downstream with some food and drink. Be sure you know where you’re headed on the river first, as we don’t want any nasty surprises. Again, there are groups out there who can coach you and take you to safe places to learn to control your canoe, if you feel you need a little lesson.
Snorkeling
Back in the ocean, and one of our all-time favorite activities, snorkeling. The ocean can actually be quite a scary place for young ones, not knowing what’s around them or being able to touch the bottom can feel quite unnatural. Snorkeling is a great way to beat this fear, as they will be able to look all around them at the beautiful sea bed, creatures, and fish they are swimming with. It’s a bonus that marine life is so fascinating to look at for kids and adults alike. If you’re somewhere tropical and get lucky you might even find yourself swimming with turtles. Also, consider getting a waterproof camera to take in the water with you to capture those beautiful moments.
These are hands down our favorite water activities for the whole family, and none of them are going to break the bank. We hope you adopt a few of these ideas on your next trip to the water and have a great day with your family. Happy swimming!
