Canoe Games

Introduction

Canoe games are a fantastic, fun way for participants to build comfort, confidence, and skills by practicing foundational techniques like torso rotation and efficient strokes. These offer a low-pressure and engaging environment, turning learning into play through activities like racing and obstacle courses.

Safety Considerations

Instructors need to ensure the following, but not limited to:

• When to go and when not to go (for example, weather conditions or water temperature).

• What activities will work well in certain weather conditions and which ones won’t.

• Aware of changing weather conditions (for example, wind, storms, lightning, etc.).

• Safety briefing:

  • All participants are wearing their life jacket/PFD while on the water.

  • Clear boundaries to limit injuries and exposure to hazards.

  • Sunscreen, glass straps, hats and water bottles

• Activities and games are clear of hazards.

• Spacing between participants is adequate for the activity.

• Activities match the participants comfort level.

• The location of the first aid kit/room/camp protocol. Instructors should carry a small “ouch kit”: wipes, bandages (small and large).

• If the water temperature is below 15℃, ensure that equipment is immediately available or that procedures are established to protect the participants from the effects of hypothermia or cold shock resulting from swamping, capsizing or falling overboard.

• Ensure shore personnel (camp staff) know when and who will be engaged in waterfront activities.

List of Canoe Games

Aye Aye Captain or Whistle While You Work

On shore, the instructor will describe what each whistle means and what participants must do when they hear the signal.

• One blast: “Attention” - stop, look at me and salute/listen
• Two blasts: “Raft Up” - stop and group together, stand side
• Three blasts: “Emergency” - stop and head to a designated area/shore

The instructor will then get everyone to move around one another as if they are paddling a canoe, repeating: “paddle, paddle, paddle, - whistle blast(s)”. The instructor will alternate blasts to ensure everyone knows what each means.

Ensure ground is void of hazards.

Barrel Bonk

Half fill two or three barrels or buckets (with lids) with water and place them in the play area. Paddlers get one point for touching a barrel with the bow stem of their canoe and two points for touching a barrel with the stern stem of their canoe. They lose three points for touching another boat (both boats involved lose the points). Boats cannot gain points by touching the same barrel twice in a row. Start the play with a whistle blast and end it with another whistle blast about five minutes later.

Blind Canoe Race

Three paddlers per canoe. Bow and stern paddlers are blindfolded. Middle paddler must direct bow and stern paddlers along the course. Canoes line up on the starting line. Ahead place two buoys close together with enough room for only one canoe width. Obstacles such as buoys can be positioned along the course for the paddlers to manoeuvre around. On ‘go’ canoes race to the buoys and the first team to get through wins. This can be done with just the two paddlers, blindfolding the stern person with the bow person giving directions.

Bus Stop

Create a course using buoys as “bus stops”. Two paddlers start the race, and the rest of the team members are positioned at various ‘stops’ along the course; perhaps in the water if the weather is warm, or in other canoes. Each team goes through the course picking up another team member at each stop. If using canoes, only one person from the canoe can be picked up. The other must remain in the canoe. The first team that returns wins. It is a great activity for a hot day. Teams can get as large as 8 per canoe.

Canoe Rescue Race

In groups of four: 2 canoes/team, the fastest team to perform a canoe rescue, with or without swimmers (depending on location, weather, and cold water), wins.

Canoe Polo

Canoes are arranged into two teams. Set up a boundary with one buoy at either end. Each team passes the ball (using hands or paddles) among themselves to try to score by hitting their buoy (net) with the ball.

Check Stop

Canoes line up facing the instructor. The instructor is facing the group and calls out “GO” and places the paddle in-front of their face. The paddlers move forward slowly. The instructor yells “CHECK” and waits 3 seconds and then moves the paddle away from their face. Any canoes that are still moving forward must skip the next round. The instructor continues with GO and CHECK until a winner passes the instructor.

Cinnamon Roll

This shore based activity highlights how to conserve/reduce body heat when the canoe has capsized in the water.

The instructor will demo on the ground what the HELP (Heat Escape Lessening Posture) position looks like. The participants will demo the same HELP position. The instructor will ask why this is important and what heat loss areas are protected.

The instructor will ask what to do if there are more than two people in the water? HUDDLE position. If the participants are comfortable or know each other well, try the ‘HUDDLE’ position or a ‘cinnamon roll’ style. Ask who might be in the centre of this position and why?

HELP: curling into a fetal-like ball (knees to chest, arms held closed to the front of the lifejacket) to protect heat-loss areas.

HUDDLE: form a circle, wrap arms around each other’s backs, pull close so lifejackets touch, and intertwine legs. Place children or the coldest person in the middle and keep movements to a minimum.

Clowning Around

This activity is for those hot days. Have an empty canoe in deep enough water where the participants can not touch the bottom of the lake. The participants are swimming or hanging onto the canoe. The goal is to see how many people can get into the canoe.

Crows And Cranes

Create two lines with the canoes, facing the same direction, one following the next, with about two feet from the canoe in front. The two lines of canoes will be approximately one canoe length away from the other line (approximately 16 ft between the lines). One line is called “crows” and the other is “cranes”. When the leader calls “crows", that group moves sideways, with the “crows” trying to catch the “cranes”. The leader may call crows or cranes at any time, changing who is chasing and who is trying to escape. The leader can call the other group’s name at any time to reverse direction.

Dead Fish Polo

Gear: Sponges (your ‘dead fish’) “expect to get wet”

Gather the group together (raft up or spread out). The leader disperses (spreads out on the water) the sponges/fish prior to the introduction of the game, or after one introduces it. The object of the game is to get the fish out of the water and into a canoe, that is, someone else’s canoe! You can only touch the fish with your paddle blade. You can’t go beyond the marked boundaries or put a fish in your own canoe. When all the fish have been collected (or a designated time is given) the game will be over.

Demo TIP: The best way to pick up the fish is to slice the fish in half with the edge of the paddle blade, scoop down into the water, around, and up out of the water for that awesome toss.

The winner has the fewest fish in their canoe.

How to Create Your “Fish”

• Large sponges work best.
• Cut the sponge lengthwise.
• Rotate the sponge on its edge and cut it in half lengthwise again.
• One large sponge produces 4 fish.
• Have at least 4 fish per canoe.
• Store sponges in a laundry bag for optimal drying (airflow).

Draw What!

This can be done on shore or in the canoes rafted up. White boards are needed for every pair of paddlers. This also could be done on the sand or with water based markers on the bottom of canoes or on paddles.

This activity will show that communicating with one’s partner may sound easy, but it can also be quite harder.

First round: In groups of 2 decide who will draw and who will communicate the image. The person drawing must close their eyes, look away, or turn around. The communicator will look at picture # 1 (circle). The communicator must return to their partner and tell them what to draw, without saying the word, circle for example. Should be relatively easy. After everyone has completed the drawing, the drawings will be shared with the whole group and instructor.

Second round: After wiping off the illustration the board is passed to their partner and now, they must look at the next picture #2 (two half circles). They now must describe what to draw without saying the word circle plus only give them 15 seconds to draw the picture. This one is a little harder. Still the box but split in two and rearranged. Everyone will share what they drew.

Question: Communicating can be easy and it can also be stressful. When do you think canoeing might become stressful between partners?

Possible answers: approaching a shore too fast, hitting/bumping another canoe or dock, changing directions in a hurry, windy where it might be hard to hear, etc.

Summary: Stay calm, slow down when speaking and realize others may not understand what you are trying to tell them at first.

Enter/Exit Challenge

An empty plastic bowl/container is filled with water and placed on the centre thwart of the canoe. The paddlers are challenged to enter or exit without tipping the tub or spilling any water. The race could also be completed by having the canoes race without spilling a drop.

Foam Floats

Canoes line up at the start. Each canoe receives a plastic card with a number or symbol on it. Depending on the number of canoes there can be up to 4 cards per canoe. That number/symbol corresponds with the number/symbol on the underside of a small foam float, floating on the water (within a boundary). On the whistle, canoes paddle out to find their foam floats. Floats that do not match must be thrown away for another canoe to find. The first canoe to find all their floats is the winner.

Follow the Leader

Canoes line up, bow to stern. The lead canoe starts with a manoeuvre. With one move at a time, each canoe must repeat the move correctly. Each canoe in succession takes a turn at adding a move to the previous moves until a sequence or short routine has developed. As each new move is added, all participants must successfully complete the routine in proper order. Errors of any kind result in elimination from the game. The game continues until one person (solo) or canoe team (tandem) is left who can do the entire sequence. For example: paddle forward, 360 pivot turn, paddle forward, paddle backwards, 180 pivot turn, etc.

Grip/Shaft Race

The same as any paddle forward race except that paddles are turned upside down.

Hand Race

Start with 2 per canoe, then increase by one after each race. Record times to see how they do.

Match It

Game cards are laid upside down near each paddle/canoe. The players are split into two teams. As a relay, the first person from each team runs up to the paddle/canoe, picks up a card and lays it on the proper part. As a beginner game, you might let other teammates help tell where the proper parts are if the runner doesn’t know. Play continues until all the parts of the paddle/canoe are labeled correctly. An option might be to have the instructor call out the part names instead of cards.

Mirror Mirror on the Water

The instructor informs one pair of paddlers to do exactly what they do (for example, how to safely enter a canoe at the shoreline or dock). The instructor will inform the other paddlers to watch and see what they might have done differently. The instructor will not speak through their “demo”. At the end of the activity the paddlers will share what they saw. The instructor explains those key points for all to remember and then gets everyone to do the same.

Ping Pong

Canoes line up at the start and on the whistle, collect as many balls (for example, coloured pit balls, ping pong balls, etc.) as they can that are floating on the water. The most balls wins. An option could be to number the balls 1 to 4: at the end the winner is the team with the highest totalled number.

Raft and Rotate

Two canoes per team. Each team has a designated buoy. At ‘go’, teams paddle their canoes to their buoy. At the buoy, teams raft up and switch ends in their canoe. Once ends are switched, they race back to the finish line.

Option: Once rafted up (switching not required), they stay rafted together and paddle back to the finish line.

Rock the Boat

While one person rocks the canoe, from the bow or stern end (not the sides), the two paddlers try different positions to keep the canoe stable. The paddlers will start with sitting on the seat with knees up (knees together vs knees against gunwales), then kneeling (if possible) while resting on the seat, and finally sitting on the bottom of the canoe.

Rock the Boat Race

Great activity for a hot day. Ensure everyone is comfortable swimming. This could be the last game of a session. Partner up and decide who will be in the stern and who will be in the bow. The bow person will be the “disrupter”. The “disrupters” will exchange places, so that they are paddling with the stern from another team. The teams will race to the finish line, however the disrupter in the bow will not be paddling, they will be rocking the boat.

Saboteur Race

Teams of three people per canoe. Teams decide who will be the paddlers (2) and who will be the “Saboteur” (1). The Saboteur will be switched into the opponent’s canoe and sit in the middle of the canoe with a bailer in hand. Teams race to the finish line (shore) while the Saboteur bails water into the canoe they are in. The team with the least amount of water in the canoe wins.

The padders will empty the water along the shoreline. Run three races, with the same team members (ensuring the Saboteur is rotated into an opposition’s canoe), rotating the positions so each paddler gets to experience the bow, stern and saboteur position.

This game can be reversed: Hero Race

Swamp the canoe half full of water. On the signal, the paddlers paddle to the finish line as the “Hero” bails water out of the canoe. The winning team is the canoe that has the least amount of water in it. Could be the first canoe that arrives on shore or last.

Shape Shifter Challenge

In groups of three canoes or more, canoes will form different shapes or letters. The instructor will call out the shapes, and the paddlers will create them. For example, the canoe groups may be asked to form a triangle, a square, or letters “L” or “N”, etc.

Simon Says Parts of the Canoe/Paddle

Simon says touch the specific parts of the canoe and/or paddle. “Simon says touch the bow seat… touch the stern seat. Those that touch the stern seat or go to touch the stern seat are eliminated.

Stand By Me

While on shore the instructor will ask the paddlers to seek out and stand by what they feel might be a shoreline hazard. The instructor will then go around the group asking each person to identify the hazard, inform the group why it is a hazard and finally how they could avoid the hazard to keep safe.

Tug of War

Two canoes face each other (3 or 4 people per canoe) with a loose canoe-length painter rope between them. The bow paddlers hold the rope, without changing where they hold the rope, while the other paddlers try to paddle backwards. The canoe that pulls the other canoe past the starting midpoint is the winner.

What Time is it Mister Wolf?

Canoes are spread apart with enough room to pivot without hitting another canoe. The group will be facing the instructor, who is at the 12 o’clock position, with 6 o’clock behind the group. The group will call out, “What time is it Mister Wolf?” and the instructor will reply with a time (for example, 3 o’clock or 9 o’clock). The fastest into position wins. After a short period of time the instructor would call out 2:30 and see what the group does.

Why oh Why? Or What’s in the Bag? Or Dress for Success!

This can be done on shore or in the canoes rafted up.

This activity is to identify why certain items are or are not important when one goes out for a paddle. The instructor will have a set of flash cards (or the real items) to show the group. Revealing one at a time, the instructor asks individuals or the group why certain items are important?

Flash Cards: raincoat, sunscreen, bug repellent, hat, water jug, sunglasses, throw bag, life jacket, bailer, sweater, mobile phone, whistle, compass, waterproof flashlight, dry bag, first aid kit, book, deck of cards, rubber ducky, etc.

Being prepared means a safer and more enjoyable paddling experience.

Member Submitted Resource: Canoe Games

This resource was created by Wendy Lahey and Emily Smith, Paddle Canada Instructor Trainers living and working in the Northwest Territories. The resource emerged from a Professional Development Course (PDC) that they designed and facilitated together.

The purpose of this resource is to share some of their learnings from creating and facilitating the PDC with other instructors and instructor trainers. The resource contains a variety of on- and off-water canoe games, making the connection between the games and canoe skills development.

It also provides instructor trainers with some tools to explore the importance of risky play and play based learning in canoe instruction.

Shore Based Games

These games are played off the water and can be adapted based on the equipment that you have available.

Throw Bag Name Game

Materials Needed

Several throw-bags.

How to Play

Before the game begins, introduce players to a throw-bag and demonstrate how to use it and repack it. Be sure to tell players to toss the throw-bag underhand, not overhand.

Gather players in a circle. To start the game, make eye contact and say the name of another player and then toss the throw-bag to them.

Continue to toss the throw-bag across the circle in this way. As players grow more comfortable with the game, you can introduce more throw-bags.

Safety Considerations

It’s important to tell players to make eye contact with the person they are tossing the throw bag to, to avoid hitting anyone in the face.

There is a risk of tangled rope. Make sure that throw bags are closed and not deployed during the game. Remove and repack any deployed throw bags.

Adaptations

You can also play this game with a bailer or sponge. Instead of demonstrating how to use a throw- bag, you can talk about the importance of having a bailing device in your canoe.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Throw bag practice, communication, Transport Canada regulations.

Tarp Name Game

Materials Needed

Tarp

How to Play

Choose two people to hold the tarp and divide the rest of your group into two teams.

Hold the tarp between the two teams, making sure that they can’t see each other.

Ask each team to silently choose one person to sit right in front of the tarp, facing the other team.

Once the players are in place, drop the tarp. The first person to correctly name the person on the other side of the tarp wins!

Put the tarp back in place and continue to play in this way. To try and stump the other team, you can prompt one team to send multiple people to sit in front of the tarp, the person could lay down or you could simply choose nobody for one side!

Safety Considerations

None.

Adaptations

If you don’t have a tarp, this game can be played with teams facing opposite directions. Then, they can select a person to turn around to face the other team and guess their opponent’s name.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Teamwork, communication.

Add-on Paddle Moves Game

Materials Needed

A paddle for each player

How to Play

Gather players in a circle, holding their paddles. If necessary, demonstrate a proper paddling grip.

Choose a player to start. They will act out a paddle move.

The next player in the circle will act out the previous players move, and then add a paddle move to the sequence.

Continue around the circle in this way, with each player acting out the previous paddle moves and then adding a move to the sequence.

The game is over when every player has had a chance to participate.

Safety Considerations

Make sure you space out your circle so that players have enough room to moving their paddles without hitting each other.

Adaptations

Depending on the skill level and number of players, participants can use real canoeing strokes, or you can incorporate silly or made-up paddle moves as well.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

How to hold a paddle, strokes.

Portage Relay

Materials Needed

• 2 Life jackets
• 4 Paddles
• 2 Throw ropes
• 2 Bailers
• Canoe (optional)

How to Play

Divide players into equal teams and make two equal piles of equipment at the starting point of the portage. Select an end point for your portage and make sure everyone knows where it is.

When you say go, one member of each team can carry an item to the end point of the portage. Then, they can run back to the start of the portage and tag the next team member to continue the relay.

The game finishes when one team gets all their items to the end of the portage.

Safety Considerations

If using canoes, ensure participants know how to do the appropriate lift/carry for their skills and strength level. If using tandem lifts/carries, allow two team members to move the canoe.

Look out for tripping hazards in game area.

Adaptations

Incorporate whatever items you have on hand into this game. You can use more or less items depending on how long you want the relay to last. You could add items like painters, daypacks, water bottles, etc.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Transport Canada Regulations, personal preparation, lift and carries.

Knot or Not

Materials Needed

A piece of long rope.

How to Play

Out of sight of the players, tie a loose knot in a length of rope and place it on the ground. Pile the remaining rope over and around the knot.

Gather the players in a circle around the rope and ask them to decide if it is a knot or not.

The players cannot touch the rope, but they can ask you to pull on the rope a little bit in one or two stages.

The goal is to make a decision as a group if there is a knot or not. The goal is to make their decision as quickly as possible. After pulling the rope a little bit, does the group want to change their mind? The group must come to a consensus each time.

Safety Considerations

Be sure to teach players how to care for their rope, use it safely, and store it properly to prevent entanglement.

Adaptations

You can set a penalty for asking for pulls on the rope. For every pull, you add one minute to the total time.

You can remove the goal of coming to a decision as quickly as possible and just give the group as much time as they need to come to a consensus. Then pull the rope a little bit and see if the group wants to change their mind.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Basic knots, communication and teamwork.

Knot Race

Materials Needed

A small length of rope for each player.

How to Play

Teach players how to tie a knot (for example, bowline, butterfly, figure eight, etc.).

Be sure to teach players how to care for their rope, use it safely, and store it properly.

Once the players know how to tie the knot, have a competition to see who can tie the knot the fastest!

Safety Considerations

Be sure to teach players how to care for their rope, use it safely, and store it properly to prevent entanglement.

Adaptations

You can also have players race themselves. Use a timer to see how long it takes them to tie the knot the first time. Challenge them to set a new personal best by reduce the time that it takes them to tie the knot.

Challenge the player to tie the knot blindfolded.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Basic knots

The Paddle Game

Materials Needed

One paddle for each player

How to Play

Gather players in a circle, holding their paddles by the grip with the tip on the ground. If necessary, review the parts of the paddle. Reminder players to treat their paddles with care. Choose one person to be the game’s caller.

Explain the three game commands – left, right and spin. When left is called, the player must let go of their paddle, step to the left and grab the paddle to the left of them. When right is called, they must let go of their paddle, step to the right and grab the paddle to the right of them. When spin is called, they must let go of their paddle, spin around in a circle, and then grab their paddle before it falls to the ground.

If a player’s paddle falls to the ground, they are out. They must pick up their paddle and step back from the circle. The remaining players can make the circle smaller.

Safety Considerations

Make sure to leave enough time between commands for players to clear fallen paddles and adjust the circle as necessary.

This game is best played on a flat surface. Avoid tripping hazards like rocks and roots.

Adaptations

To involve the players who are ‘out’, get them to take turns calling the game.

You can also be creative and add new commands to the game!

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Paddle terminology, paddle care.

On Water Games

These games are played on the water and assume that all players are in a canoe and have the required safety equipment.

Blindfolded Paddle

Materials Needed

1 Blindfold (scarves, buffs, etc.) for each canoe.

How to Play

Use buoys or landmarks to create a course for your paddlers. Explain the course to all the paddlers. Then ask the stern paddlers to put on their blindfolds.

The stern paddlers must complete the course with their blindfolds on. The bow paddlers will guide them with verbal cues. The bow paddler can do forward strokes for momentum, but they can’t do any steering strokes.

Safety Considerations

Have one non-blindfolded canoe to watch for collisions and provided assistance if needed.

Adaptations

You can send all the canoes out at once and make this a race, or you can space out the start time of each canoe to make this a partner challenge.

To make this harder, you can instruct bow paddlers to only use ‘left’ and ‘right’ or to only use names of paddling strokes.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Communication, strokes, manoeuvres (wide turns, forward paddling, left and right turns, etc.).

Check Yourself!

Materials Needed

None.

How to Play

Introduce paddlers to the check stroke.

Instruct paddlers to follow the lead boat, and listen for the command, ‘check!’ When you yell check, the paddlers must use their check stroke to bring their canoe to a stop as quickly as possible.

Once all the canoes have come to a stop, say, “go!” to get them moving again.

Do this as many times as you want, or until you reach your destination.

Safety Considerations

Ensure paddlers are aware of the proper technique for a check stroke to avoid injury.

Adaptations

You can play this game without the verbal commands. Instead, paddlers must watch the lead boat and stop when it stops.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Momentum and check stroke.

Capture the Flag

Materials Needed

1 pool noodle per canoe

How to Play

Give each canoe a pool noodle and instruct them to place it behind their stern seat, sticking out the back of the canoe.

Identify the play area using buoys or existing landmarks. During the game, players must stay in this area.

When the game starts, players try to grab the pool noodles from the back of the other canoes without losing their own.

If a player successfully gets a pool noodle, they must add it to the back of their canoe.

At the end of the designated time, the canoe with the most pool noodles is the winner.

Safety Considerations

To avoid ramming, players are not allowed to touch their opponents’ canoe. If they run into a canoe while trying to grab a pool noodle, they must stop, give them back their pool noodle, and give them a 5 second head start.

Adaptations

You can give each canoe several pool noodles, and if they run out of noodles, they are out.

If you don’t have pool noodles, you can try playing this game with spare paddles.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Momentum, check stroke, manoeuvers (for example, forward paddling, reverse paddling, pivots, etc.).

Musical Canoes

Materials Needed

A music player.

How to Play

Use buoys or existing landmark to identify a play area.

Start the game by having players paddle around in the play area while the music plays.

When the music stops, the players must make a raft as quickly as possible.

You can play this cooperatively or competitively. If playing cooperatively, the goal is for players to raft up more quickly each time. If playing competitively, the last player to join the raft is eliminated.

Safety Considerations

Reminder players to keep their fingers on the inside of the canoes to avoid pinching.

Tell players to use their paddle stroke to raft up, rather than leaning out over the water or grabbing their neighbour’s paddle.

Adaptations

If you don’t have music, you could sing or you could have players paddling around and then cue them to raft up by yelling ‘raft up’.

You can also select a canoe to start the raft.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Rafting up, manoeuvers (for example, side slip, docking turns, forward and reverse paddling).

Don’t Spill It!

Materials Needed

A small bucket.

How to Play

Give each canoe a small bucket and instruct them to fill it with water and place in on their thwart.

Use buoys or existing landmarks to identify a paddling course.

Paddlers must complete the course without spilling their bucket of water.

The canoe with the most water in their bucket by the end of the game wins.

Safety Considerations

Make sure paddlers are prepared to get wet and have dry clothes available if necessary.

Adaptations

This game can be played competitively as a race, or cooperatively as a partner challenge.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Canoe trim, paddling in cadence and balance.

Canoe Tag

Materials Needed

Small floating item (extra throw rope, ball, etc.)

How to Play

Identify the game play area. Players cannot leave this area once the game begins.

Choose one canoe to be ‘it’ to start. They will start with the ball.

When the game beings, they can tag another canoe by throwing the ball at another canoe. If the ball lands in the canoe, this canoe is now ‘it’ and the game continues. If they miss, they must retrieve the ball from the water and try again.

Safety Considerations

Choose a soft item to throw, so that if it accidentally hits a paddler it will not injure them.

Adaptations

This game can be played during a paddling trip throughout the day. The goal is to avoid ending up with the ball in your canoe at the end of the day. Paddlers can be creative and try and sneak the ball into opponent’s canoes throughout the day.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Manoeuvers (for example, forward paddling, reverse paddling, side slips, left and right turns, etc.)

Follow the Leader

Materials Needed

None.

How to Play

Choose one canoe to be the leader.

The other canoes will follow the leader on a paddle, copying any maneuvers they make.

Maneuvers can include sideslips, pivots, forward paddling, reverse paddling, switching bow and stern seat etc.

Safety Considerations

Leave space between canoes to avoid running into one another.

Adaptations

You can rotate the role of leaders between canoes at regular time intervals.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Manoeuvers (sideslips, pivots, forward paddling, reverse paddling, etc.), communication

Upside-down Paddle Race

Materials Needed

None.

How to Play

Use buoys or existing landmarks to identify a racecourse.

For this race, paddler must use their paddle upside down – holding on to the tip of the paddle and putting the grip in the water.

Safety Considerations

Leave space beside canoes. It may be more difficult to steer, and collisions may be more likely.

Adaptations

After the race, talk to players about what worked and what didn’t work. Play again, seeing if better technique allows you to paddle faster.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Stroke phases, forward stroke and j-stroke.

Backwards/Forwards

Materials Needed

None.

How to Play

Choose a racecourse, identifying a starting/ending point, and a middle point.

Players must paddle backwards from the starting point to the middle point, and then forwards for the rest of the way.

The race starts when you say, ‘go!’. The first person to return to the starting/ending point wins.

Safety Considerations

Remind players to look where they are going when they are paddling backwards, and to actively avoid collisions.

Adaptations

This game can be played competitively as a race, or cooperatively with canoes following each other in a line through the course.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Forward and reserve paddling.

Tipping Games

These games all involve tipping your canoe and spending time in the water. Make sure paddlers are prepared to do this safely before you play these games. You also want to make sure that you play these games in water that is deep enough to tip safely.

Loose Hips Save Ships

Materials Needed

None.

How to Play

Start by rafting up. Once all the canoes have joined the raft, instruct the paddlers on the left-hand side of the raft to make their way across the raft and sit in the canoe on the right-hand side of the raft.

Keep removing canoes from the left-hand side of the raft and adding people to the canoe on the right-hand side of the raft.

See how many people you can get into the canoe on the right before it flips or sinks.

Safety Considerations

Make sure that the paddlers are holding on to the raft properly, especially when players are moving from one side of the raft to the other. Keep fingers inside canoe to avoid pinching.

Play in a safe, contained area where abandoned canoes will not float or blow away. You can also have a person in the water holding on to the abandoned canoes.

Adaptations

To make this harder, you can have the left-hand canoe flip and the paddlers be rescued by the raft.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

R afting up, rafting rescues, assisting swimmers into rescuers canoe and balance.

Sink or Swim

Materials Needed

None

How to Play

This game is played with a partner in a tandem canoe. To set up for the game, the bow paddler turns around and sits backwards on their seat, facing the stern paddler.

To play, partners take turns bracing. On their turn, they must let the canoe scoop a bit of water before righting it with a brace.

The game ends when paddlers flip, or they fill their canoe with water and sink.

Safety Considerations

Make sure paddlers know proper bracing technique to avoid injury.

Adaptations

Make this a race by playing with several canoes and seeing who can sink their canoe first.

To complete the game, paddlers must sink their canoe and then perform a self rescue.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

High and low braces, canoe trim, balance and self rescues.

Bailer Race

Materials Needed

2 bailers per canoe

How to Play

Identify a paddling course and place four people in each canoe – two paddlers and two bailers.

The bailers sit in the middle of the canoe and each get one bailer. Their job is to use the bailers to try and sink the canoe before the paddlers reach the end of the course.

The paddlers must try and complete the course, without slipping, before the bailers sink their canoe!

Safety Considerations

Make sure players are prepared to get wet and have dry clothes available.

Players should know how to self-rescue.

Adaptations

You can adjust the number of paddlers and bailers depending on the size of your canoe and your group.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Emptying a swamped canoe, braces, canoe trim, balance, and self-rescues.

Rescue Race

Materials Needed

none

How to Play

Teach paddlers how to complete a canoe over canoe rescue.

Divide your group into teams of two canoes – one rescue boat and one tipping boat.

Yell, ‘go’ to begin the race. The first team to complete the rescue wins!

Safety Considerations

Leave space between groups to avoid collisions.

Have an instructor boat observing the game and ready to help if needed, for example if a paddler gets stuck under a canoe.

Adaptations

This game can be played with other kinds of rescues, like self-rescues or parallel rescues.

Rescue the boat with or without paddlers.

Embedded Canoeing Skills

Communication and canoeing rescues.

Making Connections to the Importance of Play

The following section helps instructor trainers communicate the importance of play, the benefits of play and specifically the importance of risky play.

Materials Needed

3 ropes.

Bridge In(a way to hook the participants)

Ask participants why we do the work we do as Paddle Canada Instructors.

As the facilitator, notice how many people mention that it is fun, it connects them to the land and nature, it’s an opportunity to play.

Share the UN Convention on the Rights of the child. Is there one here that resonates for you? Share your thoughts with a partner, then ask the partners to share one or two key ideas with the rest of the group.

Resource (child friendly version)

The Convention of the Rights of a Child (pdf)

Pre-Assessment(what do the participants already know)

Ask participants how they incorporate play into their instruction? What works best for them? What are the benefits? Do you consider leaving time for unstructured self-directed play in your setting?

Benefits of play, specifically unstructured child/youth-led play include:

• improves musculoskeletal fitness, cardiovascular health and gross motor skills,
• positive self-concept and self esteem
• decrease in anxiety and depressive symptoms
• improves social competence, emotional intelligence and empathy
• promotes cognitive skill development (ex. staying on task)
• improved ability to manage risk safely

Resources

Child and Nature Alliance of Canada. (2014) Forest and nature school in Canada: A head, heart, hands approach to outdoor learning. Ottawa: au.

Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA). Children’s Unstructured Play Position Statement. March 2019.

As the facilitator, make connections to the different types of play that you are hearing. Make special note of risky play. Types of play may include:

• Cooperative play
• Independent play
• Observation play
• Construction play
• Parallel play
• Socio-dramatic play
• Creative play
• Games with rules
• Risky play

Resources

BC Ministry of Education (2019). Play today handbook. Vancouver: Province of BC.

Child and Nature Alliance of Canada. (2014) Forest and nature school in Canada: A head, heart, hands approach to outdoor learning. Ottawa: au.

Objective(Share the following objective of this activity):

Participants will be able to discuss the benefits of play and more specifically, risky play in a nature setting.

Activity: Risky Play

Lay out three circles (one inside the other) using rope on the ground. The inner circle is the comfort zone (where you feel comfortable and safe), the next circle is the learning/growth zone (where it’s a bit scary but learning can happen), the next circle is the panic zone (you are frozen with fear, no learning happens here). Ask participants to stand in the zone that best represents how they feel participating in the following activities and then ask they feel leading some of the activities.

Example: Facilitator reads “rock climbing outdoors” or “paddling a Class I rapid”. Participants will stand in the circle that represents the level of risk they feel they are taking (are they in their comfort zone, growth zone or panic zone)? What about facilitating kids cliff jumping or gunwhale bobbing?

Here are other examples of risky play you could read:

• cliff jumping into the lake
• road biking down a hill without brakes
• whittling with kids at a camp
• having a firepit at a camp with kids
• hiking along a cliff with no fence
• canoeing for the day alone

Ask participants, “what are some different types of risky play?”

6 Types of risky play are used in this activity:

1. play at speed
2. play at height
3. play with tools
4. sense of disappearing or getting lost
5. rough and tumble play
6. dangerous elements (rapids, weather, frozen lake).

Risky play is play that is thrilling and exciting where there is a possibility of physical injury but participants can recognize the risk and assess it using their own experience and abilities. It is usually outside. The challenge can help the participant overcome their fear.

Resource

Brussoni M, Gibbons R, Gray C, Takuro I, Sandseter EBH, Bienenstock A, et al. What is the relationship between risky outdoor play and health in children? A systematic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2014;12(6):6423–54.

Risk vs hazard

A hazard is something that needs to be removed from the play setting because it’s not obvious to the participant and is a source of danger (ice on the ground around a firepit). The potential for injury is hidden and no learning will come from it. A risk is something that can be managed and assessed by the participant safely with support and guidance (paddling a rapid that is appropriate to a participant’s ability).

How tolerant of risk are you?

In our activity with the circles, notice how some participants are more tolerant of different types of risky play while others are more averse. We have to meet our participants where they are at. Notice how our level of risk tolerance can sometimes be unfairly imposed on our participants?

Share the Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play from Participaction 2018.

“Access to active play in nature and outdoors—with its risks—is essential for healthy child development. We recommend increasing children’s opportunities for self-directed play outdoors in all settings—at home, at school, in child care, the community and nature.”

Resource

Tremblay MS, Gray C, Babcock S, Barnes J, Bradstreet CC, Carr D, et al. (2015). Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play. Ottawa:ParticipACTION.

Share some benefits of risky play:

• risky play is needed for normal development (both physical and mental),
• it is a rehearsal for real life risk (when watchful parents aren’t looking),
• children are more fearful without those experiences, and
• as age increases, risk taking increases, experience managing risk increases, judgement improves, the perception of risk decreases, an accurate sense of risk improves and general fear decreases

Resource

Sandsetter, E. and Kennair, L. Children’s risky play from an evolutionary perspective: the anti-phobic effects of thrilling experiences. Evolutionary Psychology. 2011; 9(2).

Conclusion

Reflect on the group’s discussions on the benefits of taking risks, challenging ourselves outside of

our comfort zone so that we are in our learning/growth zone. How can you support some unstructured, child/youth led play in your programming? How can/do you support risky play?

Self-directed play is effective when it is freely chosen, when the process is valued over the product, when participants are free to stop playing and when participants have repeated visits to the same nature space.