Five Benefits of Teaching Sailing to Our Fifth-Grade (CM2) Students

Sailing is more than a sport—it’s a learning journey that challenges and inspires. FISW has proudly partnered with The Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle, a living museum dedicated to preserving maritime heritage through hands-on education, for several years.

Our CM2 (fifth-grade) students experience sailing in an authentic, safe, and enriching environment thanks to their expert instructors and traditional wooden sailboats. This long-standing collaboration has allowed us to integrate sailing into our curriculum as a powerful tool for learning and personal growth.

Here are five key reasons why sailing remains an invaluable part of our students' education:

1. Builds Responsibility and Safety Awareness 

Safety on the water is non-negotiable. Students learn how to prepare their boat, handle emergencies (like righting a capsized dinghy), and adapt when conditions change. These lessons foster independence and responsibility.

As Voiles et Voiliers sailing magazine points out, sailing teaches “a culture of anticipation and risk management” (2022). Rowing when there is no wind further emphasizes resilience and preparation.

2. Develops Teamwork and Communication

A boat cannot sail without collaboration. Whether hoisting sails or tacking, students must coordinate and communicate effectively. Sailing uses a global vocabulary—gestures, knots, and terms—that help young sailors connect and work as a team.

The Royal Yachting Association notes that teamwork is central to youth sailing programs, helping develop empathy and listening skills.

3. Sharpens Decision-Making and Leadership

On the water, decisions matter. Students must interpret instructions, evaluate wind and current, and react quickly. These real-time choices enhance critical thinking and leadership. A 2019 study in the Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning found that experiential learning, like sailing, significantly improves students’ decision-making abilities.

4. Strengthens Spatial Awareness and Language

Sailing enhances students’ ability to interpret space, motion, and directional changes. Land drills and navigation exercises build mental mapping skills while reinforcing terms like “port,” “starboard,” and “jibe.” As US Sailing notes, simulated practice develops “a spatial/physical understanding of the skill” (ussailing.org). The American Sailing Association also provides vocabulary-rich programs that expand students’ technical language and communication skills (asa.com).

5. Inspires Curiosity and a Spirit of Adventure

Sailing sparks imagination. Students discover how weather and environment shape their experience, encouraging them to observe, ask questions, and explore. As seen at places like The Center for Wooden Boats, sailing promotes environmental literacy and a deep respect for natural forces.

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A Natural Fit for Our Character Education Program

At the French Immersion School of Washington, character education is an integral part of our mission. We nurture values such as respect, responsibility, perseverance, and cooperation.

"I am proud because we capsized the boat, I thought it would be harder, and I would be more scared, but we did it and we were able to recover the boat!" -Serenity, 5th Grader

Sailing beautifully reinforces these core principles—students must work together, take initiative, stay calm under pressure, and show respect for both teammates and the natural world. In this way, time on the water becomes an extension of the classroom, offering real-world experiences that support the growth of well-rounded, thoughtful, and resilient young individuals. 

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To try it at home: Practice 3 essential knots in English and French (reef knot, bowline, clove hitch): 3 essential knots,

Explore more:

• The Center for Wooden Boats: https://www.cwb.org

• Royal Yachting Association: https://www.rya.org.uk

• Voiles et Voiliers – Article on safety and responsibility in youth sailing (2022): https://voilesetvoiliers.ouest-france.fr

• Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 2019 study: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/raol20/current

• US Sailing Teaching Fundamentals (PDF): https://www.ussailing.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/e-TF_2014.pdf

• American Sailing Association – Vocabulary Guide: https://asa.com/news/2022/03/28/asa-103-vocabulary/