This year if you are a member and have registered your child as an additional member, Kids Club is free.

If you don't have kit, you can hire direct from SBHQ or ZU for $25 for the session.

What is the ideal age to start kids?

Do you have a flyer for non members?happy to place in our school newsletter. Possibly you will be full without extra advertising though?

Hi Bill,

In previous years there were heaps of people using Kids Clubas a baby sitting service, or had no interest in continuing windsurfing beyond the holiday program. What we want is to provide assistance and a social atmosphere for windsurfing families to get their kids into the sport.

The reality is that non-windsurfing parents will not put in the necessary effort required to breed a windsurfing child. There may be the odd exceptions, but given the limited resource we have available we are concentrating our effort on those that are already invested in windsurfing in some way or other. Its all about community building.

The commitment of getting a membership for $40 and signing up your child for an additional $20, is tiny when compared to the cost of Tackers or Nippers programs.

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Yuppy said..

What is the ideal age to start kids?

As early as possible.

My Youngest son was handing off the rails of his bunk bed since he was 2 years old shouting "look daddy, I'm windsurfing".

Take your family with your when you go on the water. Let them see what you do. Don't force it on them.

The kids will think you are a super hero and want to do it all on their own accord.

Its good to have kids windsurfing gear at home, rigged up to a board in the back yard along with other toys they may have out there. They will play with it and pretend that they are windsurfing from ages 2 and up.

So it starts well before you are even on the water.

When they are 3-4 you can strap life-jacket to them and take them on a paddle on the bay. Small distances and not too deep so they don't get scared. This will get them used to the water and the feeling of rolling over small chop.

Finally when they are around 4-5 they should be ready to try getting on the water. Big board and small sail. You would have practised up-hauling and gybing with them on dry land dozens of times. Then its just muscle memory.

At the kids club we go though some simple techniques on how to communicate with your kids on the water, so they understand the instructions you give them. Its both for the parent and child to learn these together.

The next most important thing is the social aspect of it. Kids want to be around other kids doing the same thing. When kids do it together, its fun. When its dad barking orders at me, its not.

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jermaldan said..

Hi Bill,

In previous years there were heaps of people using Kids Clubas a baby sitting service, or had no interest in continuing windsurfing beyond the holiday program. What we want is to provide assistance and a social atmosphere for windsurfing families to get their kids into the sport.

The reality is that non-windsurfing parents will not put in the necessary effort required to breed a windsurfing child. There may be the odd exceptions, but given the limited resource we have available we are concentrating our effort on those that are already invested in windsurfing in some way or other. Its all about community building.

The commitment of getting a membership for $40 and signing up your child for an additional $20, is tiny when compared to the cost of Tackers or Nippers programs.

To Whom it May concern: Instead of anonymously red-thumbing the post, can you please tell me what you disapprove of? Your red thumb tells me nothing... Maybe there is a question that I have not answered. If something is a problem I might be able to fix it or find another way in which we can address it.

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jermaldan said..

Yuppy said..

What is the ideal age to start kids?

As early as possible.

My Youngest son was handing off the rails of his bunk bed since he was 2 years old shouting "look daddy, I'm windsurfing".

Take your family with your when you go on the water. Let them see what you do. Don't force it on them.

The kids will think you are a super hero and want to do it all on their own accord.

Its good to have kids windsurfing gear at home, rigged up to a board in the back yard along with other toys they may have out there. They will play with it and pretend that they are windsurfing from ages 2 and up.

So it starts well before you are even on the water.

When they are 3-4 you can strap life-jacket to them and take them on a paddle on the bay. Small distances and not too deep so they don't get scared. This will get them used to the water and the feeling of rolling over small chop.

Finally when they are around 4-5 they should be ready to try getting on the water. Big board and small sail. You would have practised up-hauling and gybing with them on dry land dozens of times. Then its just muscle memory.

At the kids club we go though some simple techniques on how to communicate with your kids on the water, so they understand the instructions you give them. Its both for the parent and child to learn these together.

The next most important thing is the social aspect of it. Kids want to be around other kids doing the same thing. When kids do it together, its fun. When its dad barking orders at me, its not.

Good advice. Thanks

Good point Jez, I agree. Like the poster design as well

What will be the instructor to student ratio?

Are the partents just to be present or required to participate?

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echunda said..

What will be the instructor to student ratio?

Are the partents just to be present or required to participate?

I am not sure about the partents, but I would expect the parents to be actively involved. The Kids Club is a supposed to not only teach the kids, but also help the parents by giving them some clear methods to communicate with their kids on the water in a way that they will understand.

We are constantly evolving the techniques for the kids based on what works and what doesn't.

Hi there,

Thanks for the information, however I'd still like to know what the student to teacher (not parent) ratio will be.

Is there an upper limit, say 3 students per teacher?

How many teachers are there going to be?

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echunda said..

Hi there,

Thanks for the information, however I'd still like to know what the student to teacher (not parent) ratio will be.

Is there an upper limit, say 3 students per teacher?

How many teachers are there going to be?

We will have several people there providing instruction, however the ratio will depend on the skill level the kids are at.

Some kids have been doing it for the past 3 years, so the ratio will be less. Others are starting for the first time, so there will be an element of 1-2-1 coaching. It also depends on their age. Generally 3:1 is more or less what we are aiming for, but with all the parents in the water with their children it can be stretched a bit more.

How old are your kids?

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echunda said...

How many teachers are there going to be?

Good question chunda.

It depends how many volunteers turn up. As someone who volunteers to teach other people's kids on my Sunday mornings (and has done for the last three years)...whether I turn up depends on a range of variables

How sunny it is
Whether it was anyone's birthday the night before
How well behaved and grateful the kids were the week before (usually very good)
How well behaved and grateful the parents are (usually good)
Whether I have anything else on.

Usually I go, because I enjoy it.

In general, it's kit we've been short of, along with kids who'll never take up the sport because their parents aren't into it. Jerzy has got it right with the changes this year. Wow. I said it. Jerzy was right.

If you want instruction with guaranteed 3:1 ratios then the pieces of plastic in your wallet will get you there. Paul or Mike will happily take them. It's not really something that as volunteers we can commit to.
If you want your kids to sail with other kids in a fun and safe environment with some occasional instruction, then this is a free way to do that.

I'd suggest that everyone is a little more positive about stuff like this or it'll just all fizzle out.

Hi all!

Just a reminder that kids club is in 2 weeks and it's free for wv members. Also we are encouraging your kids to bring a friend in the first couple if sessions as it's always fun to do it with a mate. No need for them to register the additional friend the first week.

Because of the unfortunate weather forecast for Sunday, kids club will be cancelled. See you all on the 12th.

Only just saw this

I noticed your post in another thread: lack of registrations...
Have son, kids rig, one of my boards. Where do I sign up?

Hi Robmitch, You can register at www.wv.org.au. If you are a WV member you just need to register your kid for an extra $20. We only need 2 more kids and we should be able to make this work.

Also another note to everyone, your child can bring along ONE friend, but they will have to share the equipment.

Just a note that in part due to the strong wind forecast there will be no kids club this Sunday.

Kids Club this Sunday 10- 12 @ Sandringam at the end of Jetty Road!

Kids club cancelled. Far too dangerous today.

Anything happening kids club tommorrow?
Cheers, rob

There are not enough kids registered for this weekend.

It's unfortunate but bit doesn't seem that we will have a kids club this year.