When it comes to rafting Soča and canyoning (Bovec, Slovenia), we often consider them to be sports mainly oriented towards big muscular guys and brave fit girls. Rarely do we see them as activities which can be even remotely appropriate for children. Surely, both rafting Soča and canyoning (Bovec, Slovenia) do not come without risks and can even be dangerous at times. So, can children join in on the fun? The answer is yes, they can. This cannot happen without some precautions, but when it is certain that some preventative measures are taken care of, kids can safely be a part of these two thrilling activities. Nowadays, the trips are considered safe enough for schools, so classes often come for a sports day or their end-of-the-year excursion. Children generally love the experience and are eager to return when they have the chance.
Precautions with rafting and canyoning for children
As mentioned above, children can definitely try canyoning and rafting, but not without some necessary safety measures. Firstly, all kids must wear impeccable equipment. That means that their helmets are of the right size, that their life jackets are flawless and that their footwear is appropriate. Secondly, all children must always be accompanied by an adult. If there are larger groups of children in a single vessel, such as with rafting, there should be enough adults to handle said group. Thirdly, children are children, so they sometimes do silly things to keep themselves entertained. Adults should make sure they are properly educated about the dangers of irresponsible behavior on the river. Lastly, not all waters are appropriate for kids. Extremely fast river rapids are certainly not the place to be for a 10-year-old. Taking all of this in account, however, rafting and canyoning can be a wonderful experience for our youth.