A couple of ideas Mike. Both CLC and Pygmy offer plans for a triple. I believe I read that one of them can easily take two lightweight kids in the middle(theoretically possible but from my experience most kids have a tough enough time in the back seat of a car). The advantage here would be that as your kids move into singles, the triple becomes a double for you and your wife(and dog?), and allegedly can be paddled as a single from the middle.

I am planning to build a kayak for my 10 year-old son. If you go this route, check out Eric Schade's Rising Star...looks like a great choice for younger kids. I am looking at the CLC Chesapeake 14 and a Pygmy model as well.

If you end up going the route of building a double for you and your wife and decide to go plastic for the kids....this may be heresy but...check out the Perception Umiak....a kayak truly designed for kids. My son paddled in one and loved it...stable, tracks well...confidence-building.

Here are a few sites I have found helpful. Best of luck...
Bob

http://www.shearwater-boats.com/ (Eric Schade...call him..a very helpful guy)
http://www.qsl.net/wa1urb/1.html (some interesting possibilities)
http://www.clcboats.com/
http://www.pygmyboats.com/

My family - myself, wife, and 7 yr old twin daughters-would like to get into
: kayaking as a family activity. My initial plan was to build (or buy) a
: pair of S&G touring style doubles (CLC or Pygmy)and pair one child and one
: adult in each. Most of the folks in the local kayak shops discouage this
: approach, due to the limited paddling ability and attention span of 7 yr
: olds and have steered us toward recreational style boats (or else tried to
: sell us singles for myself and my wife) - not what we really want. I'm
: still leaning toward building a pair of doubles even though I know we'd be
: accepting some compromises. Wonder if anyone out there has tried this
: style of family boating and has any suggestions on this approach or a good
: alternative?