We happily just discovered this sub-forum thanks to another member.

We enjoy taking our three elementary aged kids into the BW. Fall is our favorite time of year. As a result we've come up with different things to make the trips memorable, fun and interesting.

What tips, tricks,or suggestions do you have that work for your family? We'd enjoy adding some new ones to ours!

Hey paddlefamily, love that pic too!

There are specific threads started for "activities tips" and "clothing tips", but I'm all for another one that's generic.

I was about to say our families are the same, but in 11 days, I will have a middle schooler. YIKES! She just got back from a trip in at Angleworm, which starts with a 2+ mile portage - eek. Yes, dad picked that trip. She went on her first trip just before she turned one, and it's been great to watch her start carrying more of the load and also be my bow paddler when I've taken the kids up without another adult.

Tell us how you paddle!

My kids have always carried a pack - well, OK, before age 1 probably not, lol. But even as toddlers they carried a pack - a day size pack with their stuff in it. As of this spring, two of them graduated up to adult packs (age 10 and 11) just not filled all the way. At age 8 and 9 those two captained their own loaded canoe for a short paddle into a BW campsite. They are NOT expert paddlers by any means, but it's a thrill for me just to watch them paddle a short way on their own (AND it gets the bickering farther from my ears).

Now that I don't have to worry so much about a toddler on a cliff or something, the portages are actually a fun part of the trips. Kids do not mind them at all, and if they are duffing, they actually welcome the portages more than the paddling parts of the trip. Surprise!

They don't seem to need much in the way of "toys" these days, though we bring "PIG" on almost every trip, we haven't played it in a few years... they love to play pretend and make forts. They also love to paddle near camp solo or with a sibling and I let them, even as I know I may need to swim to rescue them some time. My just-turned-8yo gave me a little scare this past spring, paddling off into wind without permission. She had to make two "loops" before I could grab her and get her to shore. Whew! It was almost easier when they were smaller and just sat still where I placed them :)

I have only made 4 trips to the BW without my kids. Every time a contemplate a solo or adult-only trip, I think about how little time I really have with the kids and I decide to take them. I dread the day that they balk at going - hopefully it will never come!

OK, so probably this was not on topic. Post your tips and tricks and I'll see if I can add any. Look forward to hearing how you manage things with three too :-)

Oh sheeish. I still have much to learn. I didn't see the other threads for "activities or tips". We're new here. Thanks for the kind direction. Again.

I think are families are nearly the same. One boy, two girls. Ages 11.5, almost 9 and 5.5. Pretty close?

What adult packs do you use for the older two? This fall we were just going to bring their back-packs, but I am intrigued by your idea. The youngest does a back pack as well. Usually try to fit in all of their clothing and rain gear. Then we have our two Granite Gear packs and the Food pack for everything else.

I like your idea of having them paddle themselves while en route or at camp. I think we're on the verge of that (with smaller distances and lakes). We use a 20'or 23' canoe. This is the only piece of gear we rent, as its ever changing. The kids take turns paddling with the extra paddle.

I think a key point to BWCA with kids is allowing them to participate in everything you can.

-Setting up tent, sleeping bags.
-Guided fire-starting for the older ones.
-Trying their hand at bushcraft; knot tying, navigation, etc.
-Before they trip they help with food choices and at camp help with preparation.
-Our eldest has proven himself a careful photographer. He takes many pictures and we come home with some great images.
-Everyone helps gather wood.
-They all enjoy filtering water (we use a steri-pen, but also have a hand pump for back up).
-We bring along a small unlined journal and small set of colored pencils for recording what we see.
-They identify birds, animals, flowers, trees.
-We bring along binoculars.

I am continually amazed at how little it takes to capture their attention.

Do you base camp? Do loops? Have a favorite time of year to go?

Yep - fairly close in age: girl (almost 12), son (11 just after daughter turns 12), girl (not quite 8.5). So we're going into 3rd, 5th, and 6th grades.

We go around Mother's Day each year and my late September birthday (see a theme here?). You'll read in other posts that our family tradition is to do a summer trip with kiddo alone (one parent, no sibs) before they change schools. So each got a pre-K trip and now we're starting pre-middle school trips - eek, where did time go?

Until this year, they all used waterproof EVO dry packs and loved them (as did I). I have been using 2 different CampTrails adult portage packs for 14 years... but recently added to my "stable" this past spring. So this year, kids have carried GG Immersion (love that pack) and Cabela's Boundary Waters II MEDIUM pack (love that pack too, nice harness and waterproof), and also the GG Superior One short torso pack (definitely not full, and definitely compressed). Also have a plastic pack a friend got for free at Canoecopia - it's a crap pack, but starting to substitute for the smaller kid packs when there's overflow of soft stuff.

I bet your family has some stories!! Are you in the Cities area?? I love you getting kids involved... mine scatter the minute we hit camp and begin making their "pretend" home in the woods.

Yes, I usually base camp with them. I've done nothing really "hard" with them at all, but I have taken them by myself without another adult (in as far as Kawasachong). If they are just riding in the canoe with adults paddling, they get as cranky as a car ride "are we there yet?". Hence the second canoe so they can whine to each other instead of to me, ha. But they don't whine so much if they are actively paddling. And they've never really complained about a portage, except teasing after the fact or telling me how WRONG I was about how long it was - ha. They enjoy fishing and playing in the woods near camp. Just now beginning to move in a bit farther with them, so we will see. Yes, they do things like gather firewood, arrange the sleeping bags, inflate the pads, and filter/Steri-pen water. They pack their own clothing beforehand and I have final say to ensure the "safe" clothing makes it along (for the cold trips anyway).

Good ideas on journal and binocs. When mine are pestering in the canoe, I start offering to pay for eagle sightings and such - what they won't do for a quarter! Eldest just got back and she took her sketch book along... and she's turning into quite a photographer too.

Here's some packs/paddlers in action.


age 11 with GG Superior One


age 8 with free cheapo pack


age 10 with GG Superior One









EVO dry packs rock!

Oldest kids on their first trip paddling own canoe - Isabella

mom and kids trip 2007







sometimes they paddle strangely... but it works

11yo with GG Immersion AND Seattle Sports day pack

Kept the Cabelas bag second from right - perfect size/harness for my tweens and holds a lot too.

Wow. Great photos and helpful info. Funny, I've gone during Mother's Day too (what could be a better gift?!), but with a couple of other girlfriends.

As I mentioned before, we usually do fall trips with kids. This time it will be 2nd week of October.

I am inspired by you taking them alone. I had never really thought of it, but now the gears are churning for next year. I really like the trips that mark a milestone. We've thought about doing something similar.

Your pack info is very helpful. Gives me some helpful ways to make our trips more efficient.

We have a few GG packs and now have excuses to get more. So far the kids have used either our Camelbacks or their Kelty backpacks. They are not waterproof and I'm wondering if we should get at least one of those EVO. The eldest two probably can graduate to adult packs now.

We are originally from the cities, however 8 years ago we moved across the St Croix to that charming little town. :) You?

Thank you again for all the interesting information...I've been scouting the other forums.

I noticed you mentioned the windy trip on Snowbank. We have our own nightmare version of that one as well. Of course it was with the kids in 40 mph winds; big waves, my husband thought 3-4' rollers. I thought we were gonners. We ended up having to get towed off the lake. It was sleeting, turning colder than expected with trees falling along the portage path-and us on it!

The girls thought it was great fun and asked if we do that again sometime. No thanks...it makes my stomach flop to this day.

I look forward to sharing more...

Yeah paddlefamily, maybe we should meet up at the St Croix some day. I used to paddle rivers long ago out East, but only a couple in MN - Zumbro once and St Croix a few times but not since kids.

Snowbank and windy sleet would be scary! How did you flag down a tow? As we were taking OUT of those Snowbank rollers, a family with kids was headed IN... I thought they were absolutely NUTS to even attempt it. Not sure what became of them. Anyway, on the way back OUT, we were up so early trying to avoid the waves and wind... and it worked - a perfectly beautiful paddle back out that erased most of the yucky feeling going in.

Yes, if we do our job right, the kids will not be traumatized, but will respect the lessons we've learned and survived and apply them in their own adventures.

It is a bit risky to go with kids on the shoulder seasons, but summertime is stressful in a different way. This year my Mother's Day trip was a Memorial Day trip and the stress of getting a campsite before they were all gone just STUNK. Getting that way in May and Sept/Oct too I'm afraid.

I just sold a new EVO pack (I had been giving them as gifts and I had one left)... you can usually find them online for $25 plus shipping. They will now become day packs or packs for when we hike in 2 miles to a cabin each year and don't need anything but clothes and bedding and food.

In general, I'm transitioning from everything in two overloaded packs for adults and small packs for kids, to sprinkling items out among one pack per person, with larger packs for the oldest two. More big bags, hopefully same amount of stuff, spread over more people. Should make it easier for me! We'll see, need a few more trips to figure it out.

Another friend from here is paddling MEA weekend with her daughter. I bet you find some others up there then. I'm going to consider it IF I end up with vacation time for that - which I won't know until they select chaperones for Wolf Ridge this year. If I'm not on the list, I'll try to squeeze in one more paddle - weather permitting.

Night for now, fun to hear your stories!

Thanks to your helpful pack suggestions, I think we now have a better plan.

Wonder if we were that nutty family headed in on Snowbank? How crazy would that be?! :)

We ended up finding a resort to one side, and located a dear man who was willing to tow us out with his motorized boat. Easy going out. Rest of the trip went really well, mixed with sun and snow.
* * *
I agree that tripping during cooler weather seasons means that we take extra care in planning so that we provide safety and comfort for all involved.

We've slowly built up to this, doing fall excursions locally, even winter camping locally; with kids. Those are good opportunities to tweek your cooler weather skills/experience within the short distance of civilization.

We've also taken Wilderness First Aid and Orienteering classes (some with the kids) to help with these wilderness trips. We're always trying to expand our knowledge and its usually pretty fun.

Like you we're not doing lots of portages/lakes. Even a couple lakes in will do. Kids don't seem to register that we're not far in. For most kids, just being in the BW beyond a stone's throw to the next campsite is quite an experience itself.

Sure, we'd be happy to meed up for a paddle. Let me when you want to.