My Essential Items for Boating with Kids

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Taking the boat out is something our family loves to do! My kids all went on the boat for the first time when they were under a month old so they have grown up boating and fishing. Our boat is a 21 foot Key West center console. And these are items that have made our boat days with kids a little easier.

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Bean Bag

If you have little kids and nap time is a consideration for you, having a place for them to nap is essential. Yes, they can nap on you, and mine certainly have, but when you have multiples that is not always easy. So this bean bag has been a staple in our family boat days for years. We have two of them. And the boys have had many naps on them.

Shade on the Boat

With or without kids, having shade on your boat in the Florida sun is critical. Our boat has a t-top, which is great, but our kids spend so much time at the front of our boat, we wanted to get a shade option to use up there as well. Especially during nap time, we would set the bean bag up front, put the shade up, and it was perfect. This also folds up very compact, which is important as space is precious on our boat.  It is actually a shade tent for the beach but we use it for the boat. My husband sets the poles up in the front of the boat and then ties the end with the sand bags to our t-top.

Life Jackets

We have owned multiple life jackets and these Bote brand ones are hands down my favorite. They are not the most affordable you will find but I think they are worth the price. The material is soft and comfortable for my kids. They have a youth size (55-88 lbs), child size (30-50 lbs), and an infant size. We have used both the child and infant sizes so far.

A Bag for All Your Things

As a parent, you know that you will be bringing a bunch of items onto the boat for the kids and yourself, so you will want a bag to hold it all. I prefer to have a bag that is at least water proof on the bottom. There are so many options out there! I have had a bogg bag for the past couple of years and it works great because it is completely water proof and holds so much stuff. I also like the SCOUT bag, it is large enough to hold everything and is soft sided but the bottom is firm. I bring a cross body with me as well that fits in the bigger bag so if we stop at a restaurant or get out somewhere and I want my phone with me, I don’t have to bring the big bag.

Water & Snacks

Water is very important while you are out on the boat. I recommend bringing a stainless steel water bottle for your kids. Plastic will get warm if it sits out and glass could break and that would be a nightmare. We have the Yeti Rambler Jr and the Thermos Funtainer.

For snacks, I like to put together a “snackle box” using this snack tray. The kids love it. I also pack snacks in these mesh bags.

Baby Swing

SearocK is a marine-grade baby swing and we loved using it. When my youngest was an infant, it was a safe spot to be able to put him down once we stopped somewhere so I could help the other kids, get lunch ready, etc. As he got a little older, he was also able to sit in there to eat as it has the tray. He loved being in it! It is not cheap, it is $184.95 but with it being marine grade, it will last. We gave ours to a friend after we no longer needed it.

Bote Float

We have the 10’ Bote Water Hammock and absolutely love it. I cannot recommend it enough. It is an investment but we have had ours since 2023 when they came out with it and it is still going strong. We have brought it on the ocean, the lake, and even float around our pool with it. Bote also has a 7’ and 15’ option as well. If you are a couple, the 7’ would work great. But if you have kids, I recommend the 10’ (or even 15’). When we bought ours, the 15’ was not an option.

Our 3 kids go on the float with friends and they have room to run around and play. Our youngest is 3 and it has been nice to have a place for him to play in the water where I feel safe with him. Of course he wears his life jacket but even with that, this is a place for him to be in the water and feel he is with everyone without being in open water.

The outside border of this is very strong and durable. Adults can sit on the outside (and it truly holds you) while the kids are playing in the middle. The middle is a mesh bed that is strong enough to hold everyone but provides just enough give to bounce around and safely enjoy the water.

They have the magnepods around the outside so we bring our Bote cups and Bote speaker that also have the magnepod technology. That magnet is strong and holds everything perfect, even with kids playing.

My husband and I brought this on our anniversary trip to Anna Maria Island in 2024. And let me tell you, I loved it just as much when it was just the two of us relaxing on it as when the kids get to play on it. We also had so many people ask us about it.

Sandbar Items

We go to Disappearing Island a lot so if we are heading there or another sandbar, we like to be able to pack a set up but still be mindful of space on the boat. These are the items we bring while keeping that in mind.

Other Essentials