Kids benefit from boating, receive free admission to boat expo
CLEVELAND – (LEMTA) Introducing youngsters to water sports is one of the Cleveland Boat & Waterfront Lifestyle Expo’s main objectives. Accordingly, all children ages 12 and under will be allowed into the show for free when accompanied by an adult. It is one of the biggest indoor boat shows in the country and drops anchor January 11-20 at the I-X Center.
“We’ve known for years,” said former Show Manager Norm Schultz, President Emeritus of the Lake Erie Marine Trades Association, “that more than 80 percent of all current boaters were introduced to the lifestyle by age 12 by either a friend or relative. What we also believed, but couldn’t verify with any statistical data until now, was that children who boat are healthier physically and psychologically than their non-boating counterparts.”
Schultz’s data comes from a survey that was conducted by the Impulse Research Corporation (conducted online with a random sample of 1,004 parents, half of whom had children who boat regularly, and half that did not).
Survey findings showed that children who boat: are healthier than those who don’t (71% of boaters said their children’s health was excellent, as opposed to 61% of non-boaters); learn to be more outgoing and are better team players (63% compared to 53%); tend to be more optimistic (52% to 43%); have more self-confidence; and tend to be the leader more often than their peers (75% to 65%).
The survey also found that children involved in boating spend more quality time with parents year-round, even in the colder months.
“We believe that by learning about the benefits of the boating lifestyle, parents are more likely to take their families onboard,” said Schultz, “and a great way to get an introduction to boating is to attend a hands-on boating event like a boat show.”
For complete information about the show, visit www.clevelandboatshow.com.