Two young children wearing homemade robot costumes made from cardboard boxes stand smiling in a decorated room with balloons and a red "XOXO" balloon display in the background.

Tips for Lake Powell With Kids

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We have been going to Lake Powell as a family for a long time — since we were little. As we all grew up and had families of our own, we wanted to continue sharing this wonderful place with our kids. We have continued to go to Lake Powell every year. Most of our kids have gone since they were only a few months old. You might say that we are an expert at Lake Powell with kids.

We are going to share some tips and tricks that we use to keep our kids safe and still have a great time at Lake Powell with kids. (And a few functional tips too.) you can find our basic packing list as a free printable at the end of this blog post.

After all, having 30+ people on a houseboat for a week is a lot! Here are some great tips we have learned in our favorite place full of family time.

A large group of people, including adults and children wearing life jackets, stand on the deck of a boat on a sunny day. The background features a blue sky and distant rocky landscape, likely near a lake or river. Everyone appears cheerful and relaxed.

Kid Safety and Rules

The safety of our kids is our first priority on this trip. Communication is key to safety on a trip like this. Be sure all adults are on the same page when it comes to safety and rules. If a child is going on a boat, a hike, or swimming with an adult other than their parents; be sure the parent knows where they are. Take time at the beginning of the trip to have a quick meeting about rules and safety.

Lake Powell is always a fun time, but we have so much more fun knowing our families are safe.

Here are some of our most important safety tips for our trip to Lake Powell.

A group of nine children smiling and posing together in front of a scenic canyon backdrop with water and rocky cliffs. The children are dressed in summer clothing, and the atmosphere appears joyful and playful.

Life Jacket Rule

This one is our most important rule. It is a rule that our kids have until they are 12. The rule is: if a child is outside of the main area of the houseboat (ie. on either deck or upstairs on the houseboat) they must be wearing a life jacket! Our kids learn this rule very quickly and EVERY adult knows and enforces it. This is an expectation and if the rule is broken, consequences immediately follow.

Two young girls in bright colored life jackets smile at the camera while sitting on a boat. Behind them, a man gazes out at the rocky shoreline and blue waters under a clear, sunny sky. The boat has a covered upper deck offering shade.

Three children, two boys and one girl, sit side by side wearing brightly colored life jackets, smiling at the camera. They are on a boat with a rocky, sunlit landscape in the background. The boys wear green and blue life jackets, while the girl’s is pink.

Baby Gates

We always have made or taken baby gates for the houseboat top. It keeps the kids safe and away from the stairs. We typically take our baby gates from home, but we have made some from PVC pipe and bungee cords before. We also bring a baby gate that blocks the back door of the houseboat. This is an extra precaution to keep our kids safe! It may be a pain, but keeping the baby gates closed all of the time is important.

Three young children stand behind a white safety gate inside a room, looking through the bars. They are wearing swimwear, and a window reveals a rocky outdoor landscape. The scene has a playful and adventurous vibe.

Door Alarm

Both outside doors have an alarm that alerts people on the houseboat when the doors are opened. As the week goes on, you get used to the ring of the door and may start to tune it out. That is why we add the extra baby gate to the back door.

Bracelet Pass-Off

If you are worried about remembering which kids you are in charge of, this trick is for you! You can assign each kid a color and do a bracelet pass-off to the in-charge adult. When you are wearing a bracelet, you are in charge of the child assigned that color.

Tips for Sleeping at Lake Powell with Kids

We typically have 3-4 full families sleeping on top of the houseboat. Sometimes, more than that! With our kids being varying ages, we have come up with a few ideas to keep our kids safe. Especially those preschool-age kids who are too big for a pack-n-play, but still really young.

Parent Sandwich

Sometimes, when sleeping up top, we sleep with our kids in a "parent sandwich." That means the parents sleep on the edge with the kids in the middle. This almost guarantees that if a kid wakes up in the middle of the night a parent will too. And most times the kids will have to crawl over their parents to get out of bed.

Three people sleeping outdoors on a boat deck with blankets and pillows. Two of them are on large mattresses, while one is curled up next to them. Various items like storage bins, suitcases, and a barrel are scattered around the deck.

Pack-n-Play

We use pack-n-plays often on the houseboat! From babies to toddlers, if they can fit in a pack-n-play, we use it. It is the easiest to ensure they stay put.

A baby sleeps in a gray Baby Trend playpen. The baby is covered with a white blanket featuring footballs, basketballs, and baseballs. The playpen is positioned outdoors on a sunny day, and a railing is visible in the background.

A small child with short blonde hair is standing in a playpen. The child is wearing a blue t-shirt and dark shorts, looking off to the side with a curious expression. The background shows a clear blue sky and part of a building structure.

Bells

Another safety thing for sleeping with your children up top is to attach a bell bracelet to the child’s wrist or ankle. This way they make noise as they walk around.

Ankle or Wrist Leash

Wrist Leash

When the kids are too big for a pack-n-play, but not quite old enough to sleep on their own up top—this is one thing we have done. This is especially helpful if the parents are deep sleepers or if you have a sleepwalking child. Simply tie a small rope or short dog leash to your ankle and the other end to your child’s ankle. You want it to be long enough to be comfortable, yet short enough that it doesn’t become a safety hazard.

Dog Gate

We have also used this dog gate to “trap” our family before. We put the opening right by the parents. Therefore, the kids have to walk over the parents to get through. It’s not stable enough to climb which also keeps the climbers down.

Other Tips for Lake Powell with Kids

Napping Rooms

During the day, all bedrooms are dedicated to napping rooms. This way, we can make the most of our space. We use the beds or pack-n-plays in the rooms, so we can optimize napping space. Our kids also nap on boat rides. If a kid needs a nap, we have a space set up!

A young child wearing a white tank top and blue checkered shorts is sleeping on a bed with colorful striped sheets. The child's arms are stretched out, and they appear to be sleeping peacefully. The background shows part of a wooden headboard.

A baby wearing a diaper sleeps on a bed with wrinkled gray sheets and two white pillows. The bed is surrounded by light wood-paneled walls and a large mirror above the bed's headboard. A partially open door is visible in the background.

Babytopia

Babytopia is our little kid's favorite part of Lake Powell. We bring a blow-up pool for the top of the houseboat. This allows those littles to enjoy some water time without having to be scrunched into a life jacket. We all hang out up top for a few hours and play in the water. This is also a great time to use reusable water balloons without worrying about them floating away in the lake.

A young child with blond hair sits on a green and white inflatable pool toy, wearing an orange shirt. The child is smiling and reaching out with both arms, with water droplets scattered in the air. Background shows part of a deck and people in blurred focus.

Four young children are standing in a small, shallow inflatable pool, each holding colorful water toys. The children appear to be having fun, with one splashing water. In the background, there is an adult sitting on a chair and a scenic view of rocky cliffs.

A group of young children play in a small inflatable kiddie pool surrounded by inflatable palm trees. A large unicorn-shaped inflatable with colorful mane and tail stands beside the pool. The scene is set against a backdrop of rocky desert cliffs under a clear blue sky.

A smiling woman in a black swimsuit holds a baby dressed in a light brown outfit while sitting in a yellow inflatable pool. The background shows a red rocky landscape partially visible, with an adult's arm and a chair's leg to the right.

A toddler with light hair, wearing a black and white checkered swimsuit, stands in a small inflatable pool with blue and yellow elements. The child is holding onto the edge, looking up, while a person in the background appears to watch over them.

Baby Highchairs

We have found these highchairs to be the best thing for babies at Lake Powell! They work as chairs, highchairs when eating, and they fold up pretty small. We love that we can use them on the ground, table, or on a chair. Also, they can be used upstairs or downstairs! So versatile!

A portable green high chair with a black tray and safety belt. The high chair has a lightweight, foldable design and sturdy black legs, making it suitable for travel and outdoor use. The chair is displayed against a white background.

Portable Booster Chair

Three babies in high chairs are seated on a blue blanket. Each high chair has a tray with some food on it. A plate with scattered food is placed in front of them on the blanket. The background shows part of a wooden cabinet and other people partially visible.

Toys

We like to bring minimal toys to Lake Powell, but with lots of kids, toys are necessary. Each family typically brings a few favorites. We coordinate so we don’t all bring the same toys. Then, after we have unpacked onto the houseboat, we dedicate one bin to toys. The bin stays in the main area and so do the toys. This way, we keep track of the toys, know where to find them, and it’s easy to clean up! Our favorite houseboat toys are: coloring stuff, little people sets, Barbie’s, train or car tracks, magnatiles, and our Tonie boxes.

Kids Table

For eating, we love using this Lifetime kids' table. They fold up nicely so it doesn’t have to take up tons of space all the time. It also fits perfectly in between our counter and the wall on our houseboat! For easier cleanup where the kids sit, we also put this mat under the kids' table (and our line of baby highchairs). We have also used these tablecloths underneath the table.

Six children are seated around a small table inside a cozy room, smiling and enjoying a meal. Plates with food such as pasta, salad, and bread rolls are visible. The background has a window showing an outdoor view, and various snacks and drinks are on the counter.

Clean Feet Bucket

Playing on the beach and hiking on the rocks around the campsite are some favorite activities in Lake Powell. How do we keep sand off of the houseboat? We have a bucket of water at the entrance of the deck by the land. Before you get on the boat after being in the sand, you dip your feet (or shoes) in the water to rinse the sand away. We replace the water at least daily. This helps us tackle the sand issue.

Plan Activities

Break up your long, hot days with a couple of extra planned activities. Sure, you are going to spend time swimming, boating, kayaking, and hiking. But you may need to plan some “quiet time” or “inside time” to give your body a break from the water or heat! Or even just to provide entertainment for family bonding.

Some of our favorite activities at Lake Powell with kids to plan are:

Swim Party: Break out the pool toys and spend some time dedicated just to swimming with everyone.
Frisbee: Get out the floaties and a frisbee. Enjoy a nice game of frisbee with each other.
Water Baseball: Set up a base or two to swim to. Then hit the ball off the deck. It’s great fun racing to swim to the base and back “home.” We like to use the tube from the boat or the lily pad as our base.
Make Friendship Bracelets: Bring some embroidery thread and start a project that you can dedicate some time to and leave your vacation with a souvenir!
Read Books: Have a dedicated story time for the kids. Gather around and read a book. You could even do a small book club with an activity that connects with the book! We read Over and Under the Canyon one year and did this fun activity.
Watch a Movie: Pick a new movie or a series to watch as a group throughout the week.
Cork Boats: Craft yourselves some boats and have a race on the water. You can find the tutorial here.
Sand Art: With only a few supplies, the kids can create endless pictures. Check out this tutorial.
Pirate Scavenger Hunt: Create your own Pirate Scavenger Hunt looking for treasure. Lindzi usually sets this up for the kids. It has become a favorite activity! We have some ideas on how to put this together here.

A group of people wearing party hats are floating in a lake surrounded by rocky cliffs. They appear to be enjoying the water, utilizing floatation devices like noodles and pool floats. The scene is bright and cheerful, suggesting a celebratory gathering.

A young boy with light brown hair and wearing a navy and white shirt smiles at the camera while holding a homemade sailboat made of corks, rubber bands, and a yellow piece of foam for the sail. The background is a light-colored, indoor floor.

A group of four children and two adults sit closely together on a couch, watching a laptop screen. The children seem engrossed while the adults look attentive. The setting appears to be a cozy, dimly lit room with warm-toned decor.

A young boy stands on the edge of a dock, holding a plastic baseball bat, poised to swing at a ball. Several people are swimming and kayaking in the clear blue water of a lake with rocky cliffs in the background under a bright, sunny sky.

A woman is sitting on a bed surrounded by children, reading a book to them. The children are closely gathered around her, some leaning on her and others lying next to her. Two adults are visible in a mirror in the background, taking a picture of the scene.

A group of young children dressed in pirate hats and bandanas gather outdoors on a sandy terrain. One child in a large pirate hat holds a small treasure chest, while others look on curiously or talk among themselves, some holding snacks. Vegetation and rocks are visible in the background.

Three young children wearing life jackets are smiling and sitting on a boat. The boat is on a serene body of water with reddish rock formations and a clear blue sky in the background.

Extra Tips and Tricks

Storage Bins

We pack in storage bins. After we unpack into the houseboat, we use the bins for other things.

Some uses for bins are:

Store bedding and clothing bags in the bins. This keeps the top of the houseboat tidy and open for play during the day. It also keeps the stuff safe from blowing away or getting rained on if there is a storm.
We keep all of the toys brought on the houseboat in one toy bin. This helps contain the toys and gives the kids a place to put the toys away.
We stack bins on their sides in the closets to make a closet organizer. This helps when it comes to sharing space.

Clothes Lines

We make clotheslines out of ropes and these clips and use them for everything. We hang up wet towels, clean swim diapers, and swimsuits. It is perfect for keeping the space clean. The clothesline also keeps the towels dry near the deck where people are swimming.

Personal Fans

Lake Powell is HOT. We all have extra battery-powered personal fans that we use, especially when sleeping or having our kids nap. We have a few that we really like but any personal fan will do!

A portable, beige, battery-operated fan with a black frame is shown blowing mist. Water droplets are splashing around its base, and the word "MIST" is illustrated with ice-like letters and mint leaves, emphasizing the fan's misting feature.

Misting Fan

Boat Cool Off

To keep the houseboat extra cool (without using the AC), we hang tarps to block the sun and periodically spray the top of the houseboat with water. You can also spray the AC unit down to help it from overheating.

Sleeping Comfort

Again, it is typically really hot at night too. To help with comfort while sleeping, many of us will dampen our top sheet, or even take a quick dip in the lake before bed. Swaddle blankets and these damp towels are perfect for keeping cool. Another tip for keeping cool while sleeping is to freeze water bottles and sleep with them in your bed.

A young girl sleeps peacefully on a cushioned surface outdoors. She is covered with a colorful blanket featuring floral designs and characters. Folding chairs are stacked in the background, suggesting an outdoor setting like a patio or deck.

Stay Hydrated at Lake Powell with Kids

Staying hydrated is really important. Especially when you stay in the canyon where there is no phone service and you are far from the marinas. You do not want to get dehydrated at Lake Powell with kids or adults

We keep LOTS of liquids on the houseboat. In fact, each family brings enough drinks for their family for the week, plus some. We all share the drinks but we make sure that we also each have reusable water bottles. We drink (and refill) those constantly as well as drink Gatorade, fruit juices, milk, soda, and other beverages that we bring along.

A small child wearing a pink-and-white checkered onesie sits on a brown couch, drinking from a green bottle. The child is holding the bottle with both hands and leaning back slightly while drinking. The background features beige curtains and a large window.

A toddler in a checkered pink and white swimsuit stands indoors holding a white plastic bottle. There is a vintage fan and various household items in the background. Sunlight streams in from a nearby window, casting a soft glow on the child.

Meal/Job Chart

We have heard people say that they are on vacation and they don’t want to do chores. The reality is, that no one wants to do jobs on vacation. We create a meal plan each year that pairs with a few jobs to keep the houseboat area tidy. We all help out where we see the need as well.

Each family is in charge of a dinner (or two) and cleanup. Then each family has breakfast and lunch duty too. Each meal has a few extra jobs to do with it, to be sure those jobs get done and it’s not always the same 2 people helping out.

A woman with long hair is sitting in a kitchen, breading pieces of chicken. She is wearing a white t-shirt with a colorful graphic design. Various kitchen items, including a fan, paper towels, and spices, are on the counter beside her.

Some of those extra jobs may seem little but they really help out! A few of them are: vacuuming the main area, rotating the drink cooler with frozen and non-frozen drinks, getting out bread from the freezer for the following lunch, replacing the water jug, and replacing the trash bag with a new one.

Our Favorite Food at Lake Powell with Kids

With each family making dinner, we like to have a variety of easy meals. Here are a few of our favorite meals at Lake Powell.

Meals

Tacos/Taco Salad/Nachos
Sloppy joes
Teriyaki Chicken Pitas
Hawaiian Haystacks
Hamburgers and Hot Dogs
Pulled pork (make ahead)
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Grilled or smoked meat with simple sides
Foil Packets
Pasta Bake (premade, can be cooked on a smoker)
Kabobs

We also like simple sides that take little cooking. We like to heat up the houseboat as little as possible. A few of our favorite sides include:

Pasta Salad (we typically double and eat as a refreshing snack)
Yogurt Fruit Salad
Grilled Veggies
Chips
Chips and Salsa
Watermelon
Salad Kits

Snacks

Muddy Buddies
Homemade Salsa
Peanut Butter M&Ms
Peanut M&Ms
Frozen Gogurts
Oreos
Fruit Snacks
Pub Mix
Trail Mix
Pretzels
Apple Sauce Packets
Pasta Salad

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These are just a few tips and tricks to help your houseboat trip a bit easier and stress-free. We hope this helps ease the trouble of what to take and what to plan. Have a wonderful trip to Lake Powell, or wherever you stay on a houseboat!

We love the time spent together and unplugged from the world. Our week in Lake Powell is our favorite week of family time.

We can’t wait to hear all about your trip! Be sure to tag us @DIYFamilyTime when you share any of these activities.

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