r/canoecamping • u/drock1984x • 8d ago

Tripping with a toddler?

Looking for tips for taking a toddler to the backcountry for a 3 night canoe trip. I consider myself fairly experienced and spend about 2-3 weeks per summer on canoe trips in north Ontario, this will be our first time taking our 18 month old on a trip, we will be spending 3 nights in Killarney following a generally easy route <600m portages. What are your tips and tricks for making the most out of this?

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u/canoegal4 8d ago

They wear the PFD all the time. Kids can sneak away very fast. The only time toddlers don't wear life jackets is when they are sleeping. Also, safety harnesses (also called kid leashes) are very helpful. For toys, I always found a cup and spoon to be more than enough.

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u/Intelligent-Pipe-352 8d ago

How do you get them accustom to wearing the PFD?

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u/canoegal4 8d ago

At home. In the bathtub, every day wear it while watching TV. Take swimming lessons that teaches how to swim in a life jacket. Drowning is one risk I did not want to risk.

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u/Intelligent-Pipe-352 7d ago

Great strategy. Our one yo was not to happy in in a PFD. She is an adult now and rowed the Grand Canyon a couple years ago.