INTRODUCTION

These resources are intended for people who want to lead a beginner’s program for kayaking, canoeing, or stand-up paddle boarding on flat or tidal water. These guides, templates, and sample documents will help you to further design your program.

GUIDE Introduction and Overview Paddling with Youth

This guide is an introduction to the qualifications and knowledge needed to run a youth-focused Paddling program.

REQUIRED RESOURCES AND PLANNING

This section will help you to develop a logistical plan for a day of paddling instruction. Use the Day Planner to modify the Day-at-a-Glance to produce a portable logistics summary for your trip.

GUIDE Paddling Day Planner

This guide is a more in-depth plan for a day of paddling with youth including suggested lesson plans for kayaking, canoeing, and stand-up paddleboarding. Use this in advance of a trip to plan the details of your paddling trip.

TEMPLATE Paddling Day at a Glance

This template gives you a sample of how a day might run in terms of timing, logistics, and instruction. Use it in combination with the Day Planner to create your own itinerary and timeline.

DOCUMENTATION

Use these templates to create a Local Operations Plan and Trip Log, to efficiently organize information about your trip into a portable resource. You can use the Paddling Checklist below to make sure you have all the gear and supplies you need.

TEMPLATE Local Operation Plan

This template will help you produce a Local Operations Plan (LOP). This is a document that collects emergency information in one place so that it is readily available.

TEMPLATE Trip Log

This template has fields for collecting simple information that is pertinent to your trip. You can customize this template in any way you choose, adding anything specific and relevant to you.

CHECKLIST Paddling

This checklist is for a paddling day trip with youth that helps you keep track of equipment, gear, and other resources.

OTHER RESOURCES

Here are some further resources specific to the different paddling disciplines. Use them to get your program running or as a reference if you’re feeling stuck.

SAMPLE Introduction to Kayaking

This sample course outline from our partner the American Canoe Association is a short outline for a full-day course covering the basics of kayaking.

SAMPLE Introduction to Canoeing

This sample course outline from our partner the American Canoe Association is a short outline for a full-day course covering the basics of canoeing.

SAMPLE Introduction to Stand Up Paddleboarding

This sample course outline from our partner the American Canoe Association is a short outline for a two-hour course covering the basics of stand up paddleboarding.

SAMPLE Kayaking Manual

This sample kayaking manual from our partner Outdoor Outreach is a comprehensive guide that Outdoor Outreach uses to guide it’s staff. From the basics of the trip, to the lesson plans, and on the water this manual has all of the elements the organization uses to run it’s program.

SAMPLE Stand Up Paddleboarding Cheat Sheet

This sample from our partner Outdoor Outreach is an example of an expanded instructor cheat sheet (similar to the Day at a Glance Template provided). It is an example of how a lesson plan can be incorporated into a day of stand-up paddleboarding instruction.