Top 11 Fantastic Kids Kayaks for Fun and Adventure

Kids love kayaking, and who can blame them? This is a wonderful way for kids to spend their off time, and more so, it is a great form of exercise. If you live near lakes or rivers, kayaking is an absolute must for you. If we had the range of kids’ kayaks that were available now when we were kids, we’d probably spend all our time kayaking!

All that being said, choosing the right kayak for your kids is very important since it is also a matter of personal safety. There are thousands of options to choose from, and it can be potentially overwhelming to just settle on one out of many. Well, that is where we come from! We have rounded up some of the best kids’ kayaks that you can easily get on Amazon for good deals. Read on to learn more!

1. Lifetime Youth Kayak

The Lifetime Youth Kayak is one of the best options for kids aged 5 and above because it is exceptionally lightweight and has a swim-up deck. This is a great safety feature because it is a lowered platform that allows your children to get a more accessible handle in case they topple over during kayaking.

There are also molded holders on either side of the kid’s kayak, which helps your children hold onto the kayak better. The bottom of the kayak also features a reverse chine, which sprays away from the boat. Moreover, this is a slightly narrow kayak that will not let your kids bruise their hands against the sides every time they row.

Pros

• It is the best kids’ kayak for children aged 5 and above
• It comes with the paddle
• Very lightweight, making it easy to kayak

Cons

• It does not come with a seat attached

2. Airhead Montana Kayak

Coming to the topic of inflatable kayaks, these are great because they do not take up a lot of space in your car and can be packed pretty much for any journey that has a waterway involved. The Airhead Montana Kayak is suitable for both kids and adults, and it is inflatable, which makes it very popular. It is small and extremely lightweight, which makes it an ideal kids’ kayak.

It comes with an 840-denier nylon, which makes it extremely durable as well, so you know it will be a great purchase. Moreover, its durability also stretches to the fact that it can be used by your kid when they grow up, well into their adolescent as well as teen years. Airhead is well-known for making affordable kids’ kayaks, and the Montana variant is no exception to this rule.

Pros

• Very durable and can last for a very long
• Lightweight
• Very affordable
• Inflatable
• Length is perfect for kids as well as adults

Cons

• There could be possible manufacturing issues with the seams.

3. Perception Hi-Five Kids Kayak

This series from Perception will probably be included in every listicle about the best kayaks for kids because of how awesome it is. Their youth kayak option is the perfect choice for kids if you are looking for something that offers optimum performance along with great stability.

This is six feet long and very brightly colored, which will instantly capture the attention of your kids. It has a swim-up deck, which can also act as a storage for gear and other requisites. While it comes with a kids-sized paddle, there are optimization options available for the following- padded seat, padded holder, and tether system.

One thing that sets this apart from other kids’ kayaks is that your child can choose to either sit or stand on it while kayaking, which is great when they are in their learning phase.

Pros

• Very lightweight
• Swim-up step
• Customizable color options
• Affordable

Cons

• Not suited for kids older than 15
• The paddle seat and tether system have to be bought separately

4. GoPlus Youth Kids Kayak

If you are looking for a kayak particularly made for fishing purposes, you can swear on the GoPlus 6Feet Youth Kayak. The feature that sets it apart from every other kids’ kayak in the market is that it comes with a padded backrest. However, the portion of the seat does not have any padding. The downside of this is if your child is sitting on it for a very long time, they may need a separate seat cushion.

This kid’s kayak comes with a fishing rod holder set in the middle of the kayak. The design is well-suited for kids, but your child may have to be quite good at kayaking to operate this one. The kayak also comes with a bottle holder and gear storage with bungee lacing. This feature makes it unique and can be used to store snacks during a fishing trip.

Pros

• The backrest is padded
• It comes with a paddle included
• Gear storage options available

Cons

• The seat rest is not padded.

5. evrWorld Kids Kayak

If you are looking for a fancy-looking kayak with all the premium features, this one is the right choice for you. Mind you; this bad boy comes with ALL the features you could ever ask for in a kid’s kayak. It comes up with a swim-up deck that has a lot of hand rests for holding. It has carry handles on both sides, which is great for stability. It also comes with a storage bay with bungee netting towards the front.

It has a paddle holder with a backrest for kids, which is a premium feature because not most kids’ kayaks come with back support and a non-slip seat. On top of everything, to appeal to your kids, this kayak comes with a treasure tray in the middle.

Pros

• The design features a lot of different elements, which can be very useful for a first-timer.
• It has a swim-up deck with holders
• Special treasure tray option
• Paddle holder built-in

Cons

• It is quite expensive
• The paddle is sold separately

6. Lifetime Wave Youth Kayak

If you are looking for a kid’s kayak that gives you functionality and stability with an awesome design at an affordable price, this will probably be the best option for you. It is a simple kayak for children under 130 lbs.

Affordability is the selling point of this kayak. Its design is similar to other high-end kayaks. It is made with high-density polyethylene, which is used in high-end models as well. So you know your child will be getting only the best.

The product from Lifetime has a swim-up deck and molded seat with three molded footrest pads. It also comes with a paddle.

Pros

• Very lightweight
• Extremely durable
• It has all the features of higher-end models for a very affordable price
• It comes with paddles included
• Made with high-quality material

Cons

• The seat, unfortunately, does not come with any padding.

 

7. Perception Prodigy XS Kids Kayak

If you are on the lookout for an ocean kayak for your children, you will need a kayak specifically designed for this purpose, which is different from those you can use on lakes and rivers. This is where the Perception Poridy XS comes into play. Ocean kayaks need to be longer, narrower, and definitely have sit-in options.

This kid’s kayak is around 10 feet long and 23 inches wide. The narrowness may cause the child to feel a little uncomfortable in it, so keep in mind that this is suitable only for kids who are proficient at kayaking. Otherwise, there is a chance for your kid to topple over.

However, there are certain features, such as adjustable footrests and padded seats, which can help in adjusting your kid until they are comfortable. We reiterate that this is one of the best ocean kids’ kayaks because its design is intended to keep ocean spray away from your child.

Pros

• Very efficient design for ocean kayaking
• Quite lightweight
• Footrests and backrests are adjustable
• The design is ensured to keep your child dry and away from ocean spray

Cons

• There is no spray skirt for this kayak.

8. Sevylor Big Basin 3-Person Kayak

If you have multiple kids and want all of them to use one kayak, look no further. The Sevylor Big Basin 3-Person Kayakis inflatable, which gives you the benefit of not being troubled about storing it separately. After all, it is more practical to get one kayak for multiple kids instead of getting multiple kayaks. Keep in mind; this product is one of the very few that can seat three people in it and is inflatable since multiple-seater kids’ kayaks usually are not. This way, there could be one parent with two children or just three children in the kayak, all working on improving their skills.

One of the top features of this kayak is that it is NMMA-certified and comes with an added tarp on the bottom which can prevent punctures (which are common with inflatable kayaks). Moreover, it also has adjustable seats.

Pros

• NMMA-certified kayak
• Very durable material construction
• Adjustable seats

Cons

• It is not lightweight.

9. Sea Eagle SE330 Inflatable Sports Kids Kayak

This is a wonderful product that comes at an even better price. The best durable feature of the Sea Eagle SE330 inflatable Sports Kayak is that it can work for your kids well into their adulthood due to the adjustable and inflatable features. Your child can paddle this solo or tandem, as well as go up to class III whitewater kayaking.

Moreover, unlike most other inflatable kayaks, this only takes around six to seven minutes to inflate. The kayak backs down to fit in a duffel bag as well, which is great for its size and the fact that your kids can use this well into their older years.

Pros

• The best kayak for bigger children
• Very quick setup time
• 500-pound capacity
• Suitable for whitewater kayaking

Cons

• This lacks a lot of attachment points.

10. Driftsun Rover Inflatable Kayak

If you are looking for a tandem kayak, because let’s face it, children cannot kayak- then this is your best choice. After all, it is always better to start out by teaching your kids how to kayak who;e being with them there than just letting them learn on their own. This kid’s kayak is best suited for a parent and a child.

This is also inflatable, which is great because it does not take up a lot of space anywhere and is easy to store. It also features a drop-stitch floor, which is as good as a hard-sided kayak option. This kayak is extremely wide, which increases its stability, making it an ideal kayak for your kids to learn how to kayak. The sides are also fairly high, so slip-out accidents are not prone to happen.

Pros

• Very lightweight
• Inflatable, easy to store
• It can take the weight of an adult and a child
• Very wide, hence very stable
• Very suitable for class III and IV level kayaking

Cons

• Much more expensive than other models

11. Intex Challenger Inflatable Kids Kayak

The Intex Challenger kayak has been a bestseller for several reasons. It features a very durable and streamlined low-profile design which is suitable for kayaking in mild waters. It also comes with comfortable cockpit seats and a removable skeg, which provides directional stability. Moreover, it is made with heavy-duty puncture-resistant vinyl.

Pros

• Very affordable
• Very durable
• Strong design features

Cons

• Not suitable for bigger children

Conclusion

We have gone through numerous reviews and customer satisfaction profiles and finally settled on these 11 kids kayaks.

It is important to keep in mind your child’s size, age, and kayaking ability while browsing for a kayak.

It is important to slowly transition your kids to a solo kayak so that they can get the hang of kayaking by the time they have their own.

Whether you are looking to kayak on rapids or rivers, or oceans, we have listed out the best ones for you and your kids.

This is a great way to spend your weekends with your family. Happy kayaking!