Skateboarding with your kid will be one of the most rewarding experiences but there’s always going to be safety factors to consider when you’re a parent. We also want to make sure our kid is having fun and doing so in a healthy way.
At GOSKATE we’ve taught thousands of kids how to skateboard. But sometimes this also has meant teaching their parents what it means to be a skate mom or dad. However, the best is when the parent wants to participate in the process (or even learn to skate themselves).
But what factors go into making this possible? And what questions have parent’s typically asked us about learning how to skateboard with your kid?
Factors and questions like: is it dangerous for my kid to skate? What kind of skateboard should they be riding? When should you skate with your kid at the skatepark? How do I know if my kid is having fun?
In addition to answering your questions above, in this article we’ll be going over:
- What Age We Teach Kids to Skate
- How to Skateboard with your Kid Safely
- Beginner Tips for Skateboarding with your Kid
- Best Skateboard for your Kid
As the number one supplier of skateboarding lessons, we invite you to book a 1-on-1 skate class with one of our skate instructors to learn exactly how to skateboard with your kid.
Call or click today to see what local GOSKATE skate instructors are in your area.
Now let’s GOSKATE!
How to Skateboard with your Kid Safely
Okay down to the nitty gritty – after all, this is probably why we’re all here. We want our kids to have fun but to do so in a way that doesn’t get them hurt. Well for starters, here is a list of the proper protective gear they will need to be as safe as possible:
- helmet
- knee pads
- elbow pads
- wrist guards
- proper shoes and attire
In addition to the correct safety gear, here are some proven ways to skateboard with your kid safely.
Learn to skate in an empty parking lot – many parents make the mistake of taking their kid to the skatepark before they have mastered the foundations of skateboarding. That is having the proper skill level for riding properly, turning, stopping and going, and other maneuvers that would keep you out of collisions with seasoned skaters at the local skatepark.
Additionally, many parents assume a skatepark is like a playground, but in reality they are not always kid friendly. That is precisely why we recommend having a skate instructor present for their first skatepark visit – but that’s another article.
Beginner Tips for Skateboarding with your Kid
Here are some proven beginner tips sourced from our thousands of skateboarding instructors to why certain beginners have success over others when skating with their parents.
Skate a flat surface – If your kid is anything like the young skaters we’ve taught over the years, they get extremely excited at the site of a ramp or half pipe. This is a great sign but many kids have absolutely zero idea of how to skate an incline let alone a flat surface. Master the flat surface before heading to your local skatepark ramp.
Know your child’s stance: goofy or regular – Many parents assume their child knows their stance based on instinct and many of them do. However, to be sure, gently nudge your child from behind while they are standing straight and whichever foot they step out with is their front foot. Let’s get them off on the right foot, shall we?
What skate tutorials on skateboard tricks together – Your kid probably has an iPad in their hand a couple hours out of the day – well, why not enjoy that time together watching skate tutorials on how to learn skateboard tricks. GOSKATE has our very own YouTube channel dedicated to helping young skaters and new skaters foster their love for skateboarding. Consider subscribing so you can GOSKATE with us!
React Positively When They Fall – It is not a question of if your child will fall but when. While this might seem scary for a parent, it’s actually one of the greatest lessons and gifts skating gives us. It teaches us how to get back up and try again and ultimately crave that conquering feeling. So when your child falls, always encourage them to try again (within common sense). Sometimes their first few falls are scary but once they realize the pads protect them, they start having all the fun in the world.
Skate with a Friend –We encourage you to find another kid around the same age and skill level to skate with your friend. For some reason, kids just seem to progress faster when they are together. It also eases the parent’s mind when at the skatepark knowing they are in a buddy system. It can also be great for brothers, sisters, etc to skate together or better yet, have them skate with a skate instructor.
Keep it About Fun – Listen, we would all love for our kids to become an Olympic skateboarder but that doesn’t mean you’re their Olympic coach. We’ve seen many parents unfortunately treat their kids like they’re their coach but in skateboarding there is no coach. Everyone has to learn at their own speed and on their own steam. However, those who have the most fun generally progress the fastest. So if your kid is feeling down for not landing a trick or maybe doesn’t want to skate that day, try and keep it in perspective – skateboarding is about having fun!
Be Careful of Potential Sponsors – If your child has a knack for skating, which we suspect many of you will, especially if you’re watching our YouTube videos to learn tricks, sponsors may be coming up to you to sponsor your child. However, be diligent and careful here. Many parents make the mistake of going with the first sponsor offer they get, not knowing they just pigeonholed their child and their potential. Remember, let your kid be their own skater.
What Age We Teach Kids to Skate
Teaching kids to skateboard is our greatest passion. As lifelong skaters ourselves, we know just how much skateboarding has given us an outlet for creativity, self expression, health and exercise, and even things like friendships, community, and sense of belonging.
However, a child might not be so sure of what they want to get out of skateboarding – and that’s okay. We teach kids no matter what their skill level is. It could be their first time or maybe they’ve been skating since they were 4 year-old. Hey, maybe your young child wants to skate for fun or maybe one day be in the skateboarding Olympics. Either way, the process is still the same.
We recommend kids to start skating around the age of 5 but we teach kids up to 14 years old. We’ve seen the majority of kids start skating around the ages of 8 or 9, which is a great age for fundamental development of many of the things we talked about above.
While the age of the skater can vary for when it’s the best time to start skating, it helps when they know their back foot from their front foot and can digest tips. See our website or contact us for more details.
The Best Skateboard for your Kid
It’s hard to know exactly which first skateboard is going to be the best skateboard for your kid. We’ve actually written several articles on the subject to help you out, but there are some long standing traditions and factors for picking out the best skateboard for your kid.
For starters, picking out a complete skateboard is usually the best course of action. Many pro skaters talk about the first time they stepped into a skate shop and their mother purchased their first skateboard made of good quality parts.
While there are many types of skateboards out there like a penny board and longboard you can buy on amazon, the right skateboard is going to be the kind of skateboard deck kids can perform tricks – that is, obtain the maneuverable Ollies, kick flips, and tricks a skater does on a quality skateboard.
However, instead of rolling the dice and hopefully getting the right skateboard for your kids first skateboard, we at GOSKATE have put together the GOSKATE Beginner Skateboard package. A fully assembled, complete skateboard, built for beginner skaters to hit the ground rolling.
Our skateboard decks and grip tape are made from the highest quality materials and are perfect for mastering the fundamentals of skateboarding and to eventually go on and learn skateboard tricks and stunts. Otherwise head into your local skateshop and ask a few questions. Just be conscious they are not trying to unload any unwanted boards they can brag to their coworkers that they finally sold.