There are several paddle boards for kids on the market that are especially designed to be used by children.
Smaller boards, smaller paddles and smaller accessories, so the children can easily carry their board to the water and paddle around.
First, and more important than anything in this guide, make sure your child never goes paddle boarding alone!
Water can be very dangerous and it is always mandatory for an adult to be present in case the child needs help or if anything goes wrong.
Getting your child a board especially for children is a good idea, these boards are usually brighter and more colorful and generally cheaper than an adult paddle board.
(Generally speaking, of course, as you could also purchase an $800 Red Paddle Snapper 9’4”).
Of course, these boards also have their downside. Your child will keep growing, and if it starts on a bigger board it wouldn’t need to be replaced as fast.
But they will not enjoy the sport as much as on a board their size, as it is also harder to paddle and they get less pleasure out of it.
That is why I would personally recommend practicing on a children’s board before they switch to an adult one.
As some paddle boards for kids still have a rather high weight limit, they will still last a long time.
If your child is only about 30 to 40 lbs. below the weight limit of a paddle board, I would suggest buying a cheaper adult one instead.
Is your child younger and lighter? Then pick one of the boards in the guide below that will suit them best.
Important factors when choosing paddle boards for kids:
There are 5 factors that are important when choosing a Stand Up Paddle Board for kids:
Size
Of course, paddle boards for kids should be smaller than a normal paddle board.
As it gets harder to paddle for them on a bigger board, a smaller size is actually a good thing for children.
Where for adults it is important to have a thicker board of 6’, a 4’ or 5’ is better for a child as there is less distance between them and the water.
This gives them a better momentum to put strength into their paddle strokes and to build up more speed.
This will also make it easier to climb back on the paddle board and easier to carry it under their arms.
As they do not need the extra maximum carrying weight a thinner board is a good solution.
The only downside is of course that the board cannot be used anymore when they get close to the maximum carrying weight, which will happen faster when opting for a thinner board.