Certified canoeing instructors, and parents, give expert guidance on children and wilderness camping with a focus on ensuring safety. A wide range of topics are covered as well as campsite activities to keep young campers occupied and entertained.

Bark, Skin and Cedar is an intelligent and grand exploration of that great Canadian icon -- the canoe. From the graceful birch bark vessels of the Micmac Indians to the wide and sturdy Haida dugouts, from the canvas-covered Chestnut Prospector to the sleek dragon racing boats, the fragile but powerful craft defines our history and our culture in a myriad of ways. James Raffan takes us on a canoe tripping journey: we are transported back in time to the notion of the canoe as a luminal vehicle, bearing the human spirit from one world to another; we are there at the Lachine Rapids, where Jacques Cartier and Samuel de Champlain learned to paddle canoes, so different from their sea-faring vessels; we explore the canoe trip as a reflection of a heroic quest and the craft as a cradle or womb out of which love and new life will grow; and we investigate the canoe as a rich muse for our artists and profitable inspiration for our advertisers. Along the way we meet some of the canoe’s most ardent and colorful paddlers: Governor George Simpson, Frances Ann Hopkins, Edwin Tappan Adney, Eric Morse, Pierre Trudeau, Bill Mason and Kirk Wipper. With its fresh and unique blend of canoe history, legend, insight and imagination presented in an attractive gift book format, Bark, Skin and Cedar will capture a large and enthusiastic reading audience.

A small canoe carved by an Indian boy makes a journey from Lake Superior all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

Paddling Basics: canoeing presents a guided tour to the fundamental equipment and techniques necessary to start out in this timeless sport.

CLICK HERE to download the sample chapter "Child Carriers" from Babes In The Woods * Offers a fresh, modern approach to hiking and camping with kids * Tips to make family outdoor trips less work and worry * Addresses concern about "nature deficit disorder" in children There's a lot of information out there about introducing school-age kids to the outdoors, but what about babies and toddlers? Author Jennifer Aist bridges that gap and shares her tried and tested advice for active new parents. Babes in the Woods introduces outdoorsy moms and dads to the joy and vigor of taking babies and toddlers into the woods at a very early age. Well-organized chapters offer functional solutions for appropriate gear, clothing, and food, nature games to play, and tips on potty breaks and sleeping outdoors-but most importantly, Aist explores all the reasons why introducing even the youngest of children to wilderness experiences is healthy, rewarding, and fun. Whether planning a short day hike, a car camping trip, a base camp adventure, or a backpacking excursion, Aist covers every season and climate, while confirming that babies are well-suited for the mountains, the water, and the adventures that lie beyond.

When restoring a wood-canvas canoe, you don't work on it, you work with it. In This Old Canoe: How To Restore Your Wood-Canvas Canoe, Mike Elliott guides you through the process of bringing your classic heirloom back to life. He takes you step-by-step through all aspects of a canoe restoration from assessment to the finishing touches. Concise instructions clearly illustrated, provide the passport you need to embark on this unique adventure.

Back in print: A revised second edition of a classic how-to book on canoe building. The new edition is updated to include advances in glues and techniques since the original was published, as well as five new canoe plans, builder tips and paddle carving.

A step-by-illustrated-step guide through the entire construction cycle of building a plywood kayak from a stitch and glue kit. Includes a history of kayaks, choosing a kayak, setting up a work area, tools, tricks, safety and troubleshooting.

Imagine taking on the challenge of a cross-Canada canoe adventure: to live outdoors for months at a time, to embark on your destination knowing you have 8,515 kilometres ahead of you to paddle. Canoe for Change is the story of husband-and-wife team Glenn Green and Carol VandenEngel who took on this gift and privilege to see Canada from thousand-year-old water trails and form connections to nature that many have lost. Traversing through oceans, rivers, lakes and creeks, the couple completed a three-year paddle across Canada from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. Manoeuvring tidal currents, high winds and waves, pulling their canoe over the Rocky Mountains, paddling through badlands, seeing wolves and bears on remote shorelines, they experienced Canada's natural beauty from the water's edge. Along the way, they found perseverance, companionship and self-discovery. In exploring this great land full of amazing diversity, one of their most remarkable memories is of the friendliness, kindness and generosity bestowed upon them by their fellow Canadians. Listen to the sound the paddle makes as it dips into the water and taste true freedom...after all, it is not a race but a retirement cruise. Outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers will find fascination and inspiration in Canoe for Change, while travellers and paddlers looking for a new way to see Canada will find helpful information about routes, equipment and logistics.

An insightful and powerful look at the magic of summer camp—and why it is so important for children to be away from home . . . if only for a little while. In an age when it’s the rare child who walks to school on his own, the thought of sending your “little ones” off to sleep-away camp can be overwhelming—for you and for them. But parents’ first instinct—to shelter their offspring above all else—is actually depriving kids of the major developmental milestones that occur through letting them go—and watching them come back transformed. In Homesick and Happy, renowned child psychologist Michael Thompson, PhD, shares a strong argument for, and a vital guide to, this brief loosening of ties. A great champion of summer camp, he explains how camp ushers your children into a thrilling world offering an environment that most of us at home cannot: an electronics-free zone, a multigenerational community, meaningful daily rituals like group meals and cabin clean-up, and a place where time simply slows down. In the buggy woods, icy swims, campfire sing-alongs, and daring adventures, children have emotionally significant and character-building experiences; they often grow in ways that surprise even themselves; they make lifelong memories and cherished friends. Thompson shows how children who are away from their parents can be both homesick and happy, scared and successful, anxious and exuberant. When kids go to camp—for a week, a month, or the whole summer—they can experience some of the greatest maturation of their lives, and return more independent, strong, and healthy.