School Holiday Watersports Courses in Southampton
Looking for an active, outdoor school holiday course for your child?
At Southampton Water Activities Centre, our school holiday watersports courses give children and teenagers the chance to get afloat, make friends, build confidence and learn new skills in a safe, professionally run environment.
Children can choose from sailing, paddlesports, windsurfing, multi-activity weeks and progression courses. Some courses are ideal for complete beginners, while others are designed for young people who already sail or paddle and want to develop further.
Not sure which course to choose? Start with the options below.
View Multi-Activity Week or View Youth Start Sailing Week or View Start Racing Week or Read on to help choose other school holiday courses.
Find the Right Holiday Course
For first-timers and children who want variety
Multi-Activity Week
A fun, flexible introduction to watersports. Children may try sailing, paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing, raft building and team challenges.
Best for: beginners, mixed interests, confidence building, active childcare.
View Multi-Activity Week
For children who want to learn to sail
Our Youth Sailing Weeks follow a clear progression from beginner to advanced. Children can start with Start Sailing Week and then move through Improve, Develop, Helm & Crew, Racing and Advanced Sailing.
Best for: children who want a structured course and recognised sailing skills.
View Youth Improve Sailing Week
View Youth Develop Sailing Week
View Youth Double Trouble Sailing Week
View Youth Advanced Sailing Week
For children who want to learn to race
Our Youth Racing Weeks are for children who can already sail and now want to progress onto racing.
View Youth Improve Racing Week
Best for: children who want to get on the race course and do well
For children who prefer paddlesports
Our paddlesports courses include kayaking, canoeing and stand up paddleboarding. They are ideal for children who want a fun, active course without committing to sailing.
View Start Paddlesports Course
Best for: water confidence, balance, teamwork and general outdoor adventure.
Why Parents Choose SWAC
Parents choose SWAC because we offer:
- A real waterfront activity centre in Southampton
- Professional instructors and safety boat cover
- Courses for beginners and progressing young sailors
- Flexible options from single days to full weeks
- All specialist watersports equipment provided
- Free parking on site
- A fun, active alternative to traditional holiday clubs
Use the guide below to choose the most suitable course. If your child is new to watersports, Multi-Activity Week or Start Sailing Week are usually the best starting points. If your child has already completed a course with us, use the “pre-requisite” column to find the next step.
School Holiday Watersports Courses In Southampton
SAILING
| Course | Age (yrs) | Schedule | Pre requisite | Working towards which award? | Likely craft | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start Sailing Week | 8-15 | 5 days | Water confident | RYA Stage 1 | Zest, Tera, Quba, Pico | ✅ | ||
| Improve Sailing Week | 8-15 | 5 days | Stage 1 | RYA Stage 2 | Zest, Tera, Quba, Pico | ✅ | ||
| Develop Sailing Week | 9-15 | 5 days | Stage 2 | RYA Stage 3 | Zest, Tera, Quba, Pico | ✅ | ||
| Double Trouble | 9-15 | 5 days | Stage 3 | RYA Stage 4 | Quest, Feva, Vision | ✅ | ||
| Cats & Kites Week | 10-15 | 5 days | Stage 4 | RYA Dinghy & Multihull Spinnakers | RS 14, Dart 16, 3000, Vision, Vego | ✅ | ||
| Advanced Sailing Week | 10-15 | 5 days | Stage 4 | RYA Dinghy Performance | Vago, 3000, Feva, ILCA | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Start Racing Week | 10-15 | 5 days | Stage 3 | RYA Start Racing | Zest, Tera, Quba, Pico | ✅ | ||
| Improve Racing Week | 10-15 | 5 days | Start Racing | RYA Club Racing | Zest, Quba, Pico | ✅ | ||
| Develop Racing Week | 10-15 | 5 days | Regular club racer | RYA Regional Racing | Zest, Quba, Pico | ✅ | ||
| RYA Stage 1 | 8-15 | 2 days | none | RYA Stage 1 | Zest, Tera, Quba, Pico | ✅ | ||
| RYA Stage 2 | 8-15 | 2 days | Stage 1 | RYA Stage 2 | Zest, Tera, Quba, Pico | ✅ | ||
| RYA Stage 3 | 9-15 | 2 days | Stage 2 | RYA Stage 3 | Zest, Quba, Pico | ✅ | ||
| RYA Stage 4 | 9-15 | 2 days | Stage 3 | RYA Stage 4 | Quest, Feva, Vision | ✅ | ||
| RYA Seamanship | 10+ | 2 days | Stage 4 | RYA Dinghy Seamanship | Quest, Feva, Vision | ✅ | ||
| RYA Assistant Instructor | 14-17 | 4 days | 1 of; RYA Seamanship, Spinnakers, Performance, Start Racing, |
RYA Dinghy Performance | Zest, Quba, Pico | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Keelboat Conversion | 12-17 | 2-5 days | Stage 4 or above | RYA Keelboat | Sonar | ✅ | ||
| Cat Conversion | 12-17 | 2-5 days | Stage 4 or above | RYA Multi-hull | RS14 & Dart 16 | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Course | Age | Schedule | Pre requisite | Working towards which award? | Likely Craft | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced |
| MULTI ACTIVITY | ||||||||
| Multi Activity | 8-15 | 1-5 days | None | Taster | Canoes, kayaks, SUPs, dinghies, keelboats, rafts, boards & mega SUP | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Course | Age | Schedule | Pre requisite | Working towards which award? | Likely Craft | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced |
| PADDLING | ||||||||
| Start Paddlesports – Level 1 | 8-15 | 2 days or 5 half days | None | Canoe, Kayak, SUP | ✅ | |||
| Improve Paddling | 8-15 | 2 days or 5 half days | Taster | Discover SUP, Kayak & Canoe | Canoe, Kayak, SUP | ✅ | ||
| Develop Canoeing – Level 2 | 9-15 | 2 days or 5 half days | Discover Canoeing | Explore Canoeing | Open Canoes | ✅ | ||
| Develop SUPing | 9-15 | 2 days or 5 half days | Discover SUP | Explore SUP | SUPs | ✅ | ||
| Course | Age | Schedule | Pre requisite | Working towards which award? | Likely Craft | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced |
| WINDSURFING | ||||||||
| Start Windsurfing or Youth Stage 1 | 8-15 | 2 days or 5 mornings | None | RYA Windsurf Stage 1 | Boards | ✅ | ||
| Improve Windsurfing | 9-15 | 2 days or 5 afternoons | Start Windsurfing | RYA Windsurf Stage 2 | Boards | ✅ |
Why Choose SWAC for School Holiday Activities?
If you are searching for things for kids to do in Southampton during the school holidays, SWAC offers a unique experience that combines adventure, learning and fun.
Parents choose SWAC because we provide:
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Professional and experienced instructors
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A safe and well managed environment
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Excellent waterfront facilities in Southampton
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High quality boats and equipment
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A wide range of watersports activities
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Courses designed to build confidence and teamwork
Our location on Southampton Water gives us access to one of the best sailing and watersports environments on the South Coast.
Outdoor Activities That Build Confidence
Our holiday watersports camps are not just about sport. Time on the water helps young people develop valuable life skills including:
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Confidence and independence
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Communication and teamwork
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Problem solving
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Resilience
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Water safety awareness
Many parents tell us their children return from a week at SWAC more confident, more independent and eager to get back on the water.
School Holiday Dates
We run children’s watersports holiday courses in Southampton during:
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Easter school holidays
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May half term
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Summer school holidays
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October half term
Summer courses are particularly popular and often book up well in advance.
What Children Need to Bring
Participants should bring:
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Clothes suitable for getting wet
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A towel and change of clothes
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Packed lunch and drink
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Sun cream and hat in warm weather
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Warm layers in cooler weather
- Wetsuit (or more ours for £5/day or £20 for 5 days)
All specialist watersports equipment is provided.
Ready to Book?
School holiday places are limited, especially during the summer holidays.
Southampton Water Activities Centre
SWAC is a leading watersports and sailing centre in Southampton, offering training and activity programmes for children, adults, schools and groups.
Our mission is to help more people enjoy the water safely while developing skills, confidence and a lifelong love of boating and watersports.