What age, what role
There is no minimum age. What changes with age is the child’s place in the trip:
- Toddlers: passengers, seated in the middle of a double kayak or between their parents. Under 6, they travel free if seated in the middle of a double kayak.
- From about 7: paddlers. A light paddle sized to them lets them join in.
- From about 12: independence. The child steers their own single kayak, under an adult’s supervision.
A life jacket is compulsory for everyone, in all sizes, including strong swimmers. Walloon recommendations treat it as essential for under-12s.
Canoe or kayak?
The two-seater canoe, wider and more stable, often reassures families. The kayak is more manoeuvrable. The kayak is a sit-on-top model, unsinkable and self-draining. On the Lesse, a three-seater canoe is booked with at least one child under 12 on board, for €102.30 per boat. Walloon regulations limit each boat to three people: with four or five, plan on two boats, with an adult in each.
Which route to choose
Under-10s: Alle – Vresse
Seven kilometres of calm stretches, a gentle current, pebble beaches for swimming and a passage under the wattle bridge at Laforêt. Allow 1 h 30 to 2 h. The Semois is often no more than 40 to 80 cm deep along much of its routes: if the bottom scrapes, everyone gets out and walks beside the kayak.
Families with teenagers: Alle – Membre
Eleven kilometres in the heart of the National Park, 2 to 3 hours, with no technical difficulty. Teenagers can steer their own single kayak.
The Lesse, with children who are comfortable in water
Twelve kilometres and about 3 hours, with small grade I-II rapids. Children must swim confidently and be accompanied. After heavy rain, choose the Semois instead. See which river to choose.
The Amblève is not recommended for young children.
A trip in six steps
- Arrive about thirty minutes before your slot: time to park, put on sun cream and let the children get to know the boats.
- Adjust each life jacket before boarding. Pulled up by the shoulders, it should not ride up to the ears.
- Paddle as a group. The slowest sets the pace, and nobody goes ahead alone.
- Alternate effort and breaks: drinking, snacking, swimming at marked spots.
- At weirs and in shallow water, carry the kayak. Never drag it.
- End with a quiet finish to the day. A sleeping child is the sign of a good trip.
Safety rules that are not up for negotiation
- Board and land only at the areas provided for it.
- No alcohol before or during the trip: the adult stays fully alert.
- Life jacket fastened from start to finish, even when stopped on the water.
- No bare feet: closed shoes that can get wet.
- Pass anglers at a distance, calmly and quietly.
When to go with children
Aim for June to September: the air and water are milder, and a capsize is easier to take. In spring and late autumn, the water is still too cold for little ones. Details in the best time to go guide.
What to pack
- 1.5 L of water per person; remind the children to drink at every break;
- SPF 50 sun cream for children, reapplied every 2 hours;
- quick-drying clothes, a UV-protective t-shirt, no jeans;
- spare clothes, to leave in the car;
- a waterproof pouch for the phone, and a snack.
The hire company already provides the life jacket, the paddle and a waterproof barrel. Prices are on the prices page, routes on the Semois page. Bringing the dog too? Read kayaking with a dog.