Give the Kids Their Own Onboard Space Helpful pontooning hints from the staff of Pontoon Boat Guide.

Just as younger children should have their own special Pontoon Toy Box, all pontooning kids should have a space on board that is set aside for them. They’ll appreciate it if they do need to take a break in the shade, if they have quiet time during a pontoon-camping trip or if they need to keep themselves occupied at the dock while the adults are visiting.

To create a dedicated Kid Space, consider the ages of your children and what they enjoy doing most when they’re on board. Do they like reading books, coloring, drawing or playing games? Then you might want to set aside part or all of the cockpit table, allow the kids to pile into the L-shaped lounge and let them spread out. If your kids are a bit younger, do they prefer to play with toys on the deck? In that case, mark off a deck section that they can call their own. Teens often choose to sunbathe while listening to their iPods or MP3 players — you can give them their own lounge area so they can relax, talk and enjoy snacks and beverages separately from the adults.

Perhaps you can set aside one storage locker for the children’s own pontooning gear, toys and activities. The locker will be theirs, as long as they make sure its contents are stowed properly and that everyone shares the space fairly. This will be much appreciated if the kids are into fishing or watersports, as they will have a personal space in which to keep their treasured water toys.

Compared to other types of boats in the same size range, pontoon boats feature incredible amounts of storage space. Every fixed seat has a storage compartment underneath, there’s large bulk storage under the sundeck, and some models even have storage under the driver’s console. Literally everyone on board can have his or her own storage area, which will be of particular concern for teens.

However you choose to establish the onboard Kid Space, the end result will be the same. Your children will develop a sense of ownership, a feeling that the boat belongs to them as well.

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