Sailing, rowing, paddling and diving for kids in Oslo

7 options are listed under sailing, rowing, paddling and diving for children in Oslo, across 4 districts, for ages 7 to 18. Below is the full overview with age, district and a link to sign-up.

Districts with an offering: Frogner, Nordstrand, Ullern, Østensjø.

The Oslo fjord is the city's largest sports facility, and a handful of clubs make it accessible to children. Sailors usually start in an Optimist dinghy from around eight, rowing clubs take slightly older children, paddling happens both in the fjord and on the Akerselva, and diving belongs in the swimming hall.

The season is shorter than for indoor sports, with much of the activity concentrated in spring, summer and early autumn. In return the summer courses and week-long camps are a good way in: many children start there and continue in the club afterwards.

Worth knowing about the water sports

The child needs to be confident in water first. Most clubs require the child to swim a distance with clothes on, and that is a reasonable requirement: all other equipment can be borrowed, but the swimming ability has to be there.

The clubs lend out boats and equipment, so starting costs less than people assume. What costs is membership and possibly a berth later, once a teenager wants to sail more than the club has kit for.

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7 activities

Bundefjorden Seilforening

Seiling

Bundefjorden, Nordstrand

A sailing club by the Bundefjord with its own dinghy programme for children and youth, and beginner courses for those who want to start sailing. The club has its own dinghies, so the family does not need to own a boat - you show up, get a dinghy assigned and learn to sail on the inner Oslofjord. One of few sailing clubs in the south of the city.

ages 8-18

Christiania Roklub

Roing

Kongen, Frognerkilen, Frogner

One of the country's oldest rowing clubs (from 1878), with the Kongen clubhouse in Frognerkilen and training water at Bogstadvannet. The rowing school takes in youth with no prior experience, including a dedicated U15 group for ages 12-14. Rowing is a technical endurance sport few get to try - here children learn it from the ground up.

ages 12-18

Kongelig Norsk Seilforening

Seiling

Dronningen, Frognerkilen, Frogner

KNS runs sailing courses for children and youth from its sailing centre on Bygdøy, in the Dronningen clubhouse by Frognerkilen. The youngest (from age 7) start in the little Optimist dinghy and learn to rig, steer and stay safe on the water, while older children move on to two-person boats and boards. A true sea niche in the middle of the city.

ages 7-18

Norske Studenters Roklub

Roing

Huk aveny 2B, Bygdøy, Frogner

One of Norway's largest rowing clubs, founded in 1897, with a boathouse on Bygdøy and activity across all age groups. The club has its own youth programme and runs summer activities for children and young people with rowing on the schedule. Rowing gives full-body training in calm strokes, and on the fjord in the morning there are few finer places in the city.

ages 12-18

Oslo Kajakklubb

Padling

Bestumkilen, Ullern

The country's largest sea-kayak club, by Bestumkilen outside Skøyen, with its own kayak school for children and youth. Through 'Sammen på vannet' schoolchildren from around fourth grade get to try kayaking, SUP and bathing in a safe setting, with paddling as a way onward. A water-sports niche with the fjord as the training arena.

ages 9-16

Oslo Seilforening

Seiling

Lille Herbern, Herbernveien 1, Frogner

A sailing club with its clubhouse on the island of Lille Herbern off Bygdøynes, which the club has owned since 1926. The children's and youth programme is dinghy-based: Optimist for the youngest and RS Feva for the older ones, and in summer there is a sailing camp with sailing and water sports for children aged seven to thirteen. Having its own island as a base makes this one of the city's most distinctive sports offerings.

ages 7-18

Oslo Stupeklubb

Stuping

Manglerud Bad og Tøyenbadet, Østensjø

The city's diving club, founded in autumn 1993 and affiliated with the Norwegian Swimming Federation, with training at both Manglerud Bad and Tøyenbadet. The club has around 120 members, most of them active divers, and welcomes children who can swim and want to learn to dive properly - from the springboard and the lowest edges upwards. A genuine niche sport with Olympic ancestry.

ages 8-18