Sailing with Kids: Safety, Ages and Tips

Going out to sea with children can be one of the best family outings of an entire trip, or a small ordeal of tears and rushing. The difference is almost never in the children: it’s in how the trip is prepared. After years of welcoming families aboard, both local and from abroad, on a classic wooden sailboat moored at Puerto Marina de Benalmádena, we know that with the right expectations and a couple of precautions, a trip out to sea is a brilliant experience for the little ones.

In this guide, we tell you, without dramatising or overselling, what to bear in mind for sailing with kids: safety, from what age, how to prevent seasickness, what to bring and when it’s better to stay in the bay rather than head for the open sea.

Is it safe to go out on a boat with children?

It’s the first question every parent asks, and the short answer is yes, with the same care as with any activity in the water. On board, there are life jackets and the boat is handled by a professional skipper who knows the bay inside out and decides at all times where and at what pace to sail. With children, there’s no rush to get anywhere: you go slowly, inside the bay, where the sea is gentlest.

The key to safety isn’t just the equipment — it’s judgement. If the day brings wind and swell, with small children on board, we change the plan: we stay in the shelter of the bay or, quite simply, recommend another date. We’d rather have a short, good trip than a long, uncomfortable one. That’s the kind of decision only the person at the helm can make, someone in no rush to please at the expense of comfort.

From what age? What to expect at different ages

There’s no strict minimum age, but the experience changes a lot with the years. With babies and very young children, the trip is perfectly possible, but it calls for a short outing inside the bay, with all the shade and rest logistics planned. For children aged 4 to 9, this is the golden age: they enjoy a swim, keeping an eye out for dolphins and feeling like sailors for a while. And with preteens and teenagers, the appeal lies in swimming off the boat, the bow sundeck and the sense of freedom.

The important thing is to match the duration to the age of your children. For a first family outing, especially with little ones, a short trip along the coast and the bay is usually the best way to start: it’s short, it’s done in calm waters and it takes up to 12 people, plenty for a large family or two families together.

And what do children do on board? More than you’d think. They love keeping an eye on the horizon in case dolphins appear, feeling how the roll changes as you leave the harbour and, with the skipper’s permission, taking the helm for a while to feel like captains. The swim stop is usually the highlight: jumping off the boat, splashing about beside the hull under adult supervision and climbing back up the bathing ladder is an activity that tires out (in a good way) even the most restless child. There’s no need to fill the trip with activities: the sea itself and the novelty of being on a wooden boat are adventure enough.

Preventing seasickness in the little ones

Seasickness is the great enemy of a family outing, and with children it’s best to prevent it before it appears. The usual trick works: if your child is prone to it, give them a seasickness tablet about thirty minutes before boarding, not when they’re already pale. Have them eat a light breakfast (neither on an empty stomach nor overly full), look at the horizon and not at a screen, and get some fresh air. The morning, with its calmer sea, is your best ally.

We’ve gathered all the tips we give on board in a dedicated guide to how to prevent seasickness on a boat, which works just as well for adults and children alike. The good news is that inside the bay, with the boat going slowly, seasickness is far less common than people fear.

What to bring for them

A sailboat’s deck gives little shade, so with children, sun protection comes first: a hat, a T-shirt and plenty of sunscreen, and better still a garment with UV protection. Bring plenty of water and snacks for the trip, although soft drinks for a toast with the younger ones are included on board. Add a dry change of clothes (they’re going to get wet, it’s a law of nature), a towel each and, if your little one is the type who gets bored, a small toy that won’t roll away. You’ll find the full list in our guide to what to bring on a boat trip.

And a tip from the skipper: wear non-slip footwear or simply go barefoot on deck, and never wear hard flip-flops that slip. Slippery soles and wet teak don’t get along.

Calm bay or open sea: honesty first

Here’s the most honest advice of all: with children, the bay almost always beats the open sea. Benalmádena’s sheltered waters are calm, ideal for a swim stop and for the little ones to move around comfortably. Further out, the swell is more noticeable, and what for an adult is ‘a bit of movement’ can be too much for a child.

That said, if you’re after dolphins, it’s worth venturing a little further out: our dolphin-watching trip looks for them with the engine idling and without harassing them. Let’s be clear, though: there’s no swimming with dolphins here and no show. They’re watched in the wild from the boat, and that honesty is part of the appeal. If you’re a large group or want a longer private trip, a private route towards Fuengirola gives you room to adapt everything to the little ones’ pace.

Frequently asked questions

Are there life jackets for children?

Yes. On board, we have life jackets, including children’s sizes. Even so, if your child has a jacket they’re used to, you can bring it. The skipper will let you know when it’s best to wear it.

Does the pushchair fit on board?

It’s best to leave the pushchair on land, at the harbour, and bring the baby aboard in your arms or in a baby carrier. A deck is no place for wheels, and without the pushchair, you gain space and safety. There’s a safe place at the harbour to leave it.

And with very young babies?

It’s possible, but with common sense: short trips, inside the bay, choosing the right day and with all the shade and logistics prepared. If you have any doubts about your situation, write to us before booking and we’ll tell you frankly whether it’s a good idea for your date.

If you’re up for it, the short trip around the bay is the gentlest way to introduce the little ones to the sea. Here are the details and availability:

And to finish planning it, take a look at the best time of year to sail and how many people fit depending on your group.