Skateboarding for Kids

A parents guide to skateboarding for kids.

Kids need to move, to exercise, to experience fun things. I want to help.

Being a skateboarder since fifth grade, I can say without exception that skating has brought me nothing but balance and joy. Give that same gift to your child or a child you know.

A Sport For Everyone

Introducing anything new, let alone a new sport, to children can feel daunting. But the experience will be well worth it. Skateboarding is not limited to daring teens, kick-flipping down five flights of stairs, or older guys pulling off front-side ollies all over the park.

It is a sport for all ages, boys and girls, over five (my opinion only). If your child can stand and move their legs in synch, they can learn to skate.

3 Benefits of Learning to Skate

Here are three benefits to a child experiencing the thrill of skating. In brief, they will benefit from the following:

Physically: Learning to ride teaches children balance and coordination. It also allows them to move, expend energy, and calm overstimulated minds.
Emotionally: Engaging in and growing in a new sport causes joy and excitement, leading to a positive, confident attitude.
Mentally: Encountering new experiences stretch the imagination like nothing else. Skating offers unlimited opportunities to create, invent, and explore tricks.

Start Anytime

The next question is when to start.

As long as your child can balance and run, they can skate. I recommend waiting until they are five or maybe six to maximize the learning cost and effort, but that is up to you–you know your child, I don’t.

Any season during the year is good; just avoid wet, slippery conditions.

Any time of the day is great, but I recommend mornings after breakfast. Your child is alert, energetic, and generally in a good mood. Utilize this to start learning because it will take time and patience.

This might sound like common sense, but go with me momentarily. As a new father, I often tried to teach my sons things after a long day of work; when I was tired, they were tired, and things went south when one of us got frustrated. Many new ventures were aborted because I tried to teach at the wrong time of day.

Start Anywhere

Unlike other board sports, you don’t need to go anywhere to start skating. Use the driveway, the back patio, the sidewalk, the basketball court at the park–anywhere smooth with minimal cracks.

Pick a flat spot and make sure the area is well-swept. Rocks will end a skating session quicker than anything else.

Make sure you have access to water to drink and shade to cool down. Avoid busy areas and places with lots of rough surfaces.

Gear Up

First, a word about the cost. The investment to start is minimal compared to other sports. You are looking at $150 at most to start learning to skate. Baseball, on the other end, is around $180, with the equipment only last a year as they grow.

Skateboards last as long as you take care of them. So invest in a sound skateboard and good gear.

Now, here’s the list to start:

Shoes: You don’t need Vans or Etnies, good ole’ tennis shoes will do. Avoid sandals, flip-flops, boots, gellies, bare feet, etc. Make sure the soles are attached and non-slip, and you are good to go.
Safety gear: Shop Amazon for around $30 for age-appropriate safety gear. Here’s an excellent seller to choose from. They’ll need a helmet, wrist guard, elbow, and knee pads. This will ensure the skating is fun and the pain is limited because they will fall at some point. Here is video covering the five basic parts of the safety gear.

Skateboard Deck + Gear: We have you covered there. Check out our selection of kid’s mini boards. They come in just a deck or complete with trucks and wheels.
Broom + Medical Supplies: The broom will keep the medical supplies as a backup precaution, but it’s good to have bandaids on hand if they biff and scrape themselves.
Patience and Encouragement: It takes time to learn any sport unless you do it on a game or VR. In real life, skating is the process of standing, balancing, and pushing. Then repeating it until they don’t fall. So be patient and encourage them to not quit if and when they fall.

Safety Tips

Here are a few videos that show how to teach skating safely, without spoiling any fun.

Keep in Touch

That wraps up what I think you need to give your child the gift of skating. You will find that as they learn, balance and joy will grow in their lives.

Let me know if you have questions and happy skating.

– Chris

Discovering the Balance and Joy of Skateboarding with Red Panda Boards

Yes, we want you to enjoy exercising–especially on a skateboard. The beautiful thing is that you can jump into the sport for very little. At Red Panda Boards, we are bringing the sport to a newer, family friendly level. For over thirty years, we’ve enjoyed and celebrated the sport, discovering balance and joy in the process. We want to share that with everyone.