We used this canoe hire company last year when my partner and I decided to try our hand at canoeing, and we had such a good time that we brought our two boys Tom (8) and James (10) along with us this time so we could all have a go. We hired two two-man canoes - so a parent and child in each - after a helpful discussion with the people who run it about the best ways to introduce the kids to canoeing. The family who run the place and their staff are very friendly and informal and were great with putting the boys at ease, and letting them play with their dog! You get kitted out with bouyancy aides and barrels to put your stuff in, then the owner gives everybody a briefing which lets you know what to expect and which way to go through bridges. You then get taken upstream to the drop off point and let loose on the water.  
The canoeing itself could not be easier. There are a few stretches of quicker water but at no point would you ever descibe this as rapids! It was the perfect start for the boys who ended up doing most of the work and apart from bumping into the banks a couple of times we ambled along quite nicely. There are some lovely places to stop for lunch as you are going along, and it seemed like no time at all before we back at the canoe hire place where a member of staff was on hand to haul the boats out for us.  
I can see that somebody has left an iffy review of the same place and I have to say that our experience in no way fits with theirs. We had a fantastic day out and the staff couldn't have been more friendly and helpful.

We (wife, stepson, my 3 daughters and my son) had a brilliant time. We arrived and the team were really friendly, especially fitting life jackets to the younger kids. The company ask you to leave car keys as a deposit, which is a lot easier than bringing extra cash, and does mean that if you take an unintentional swim you can get home at the end of the day. 
The briefing was good and gave us all the relevant information regarding the river. The trip to the lauch point was quick and the guys helped my stepson and I bring the canoes down as my kids were too little. The river itself is fantastic and I had forgotten how quiet it can be on the water. We stopped at the recommended point for lunch, where there were public toilets and good seating. The rest of the trip was even better as there were a couple of faster currents which the kids loved. On arrival at Symonds Yat the guys helped us out of the boat and de - kitted us without fuss. All in all it was one of the best family days out we've done and we're already planning a further trip in the summer holidays. 

Brilliant Day and the staff exceeded our expectations. We were late, very late, but this was overcome with ease by the staff. They brought all the kit that we should have tried on and picked up at their base and met us at the departure point. We had good clear briefing and everyone was more than helpful. A fantastic row down the river. Highly recommended. When finally at journeys end the courteous staff offered us a lift back to the car straight away but when we asked if we could have a look round the area first this was no problem. On our return they promptly took us back to where (due to our lateness) we had left the car. Will certainly book again.