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Have you ever looked back with nostalgia on when you got your first skateboard? The thought probably brings back very fond memories.
Now that you have a child, you are probably thinking about how you can get your child into skateboarding.
Unfortunately, not all kids are the same as their parents. Your interests when you were younger might be different from yours. However, you can still influence them by introducing them to new toys and experiences.
One of the reasons they may be terrified is the idea of trying to balance on that skinny little board while it’s moving. Luckily, there are a lot of activities you can do to improve balance.
So what can you do to get them into skateboarding?
We will help you out by giving you a guide on how to encourage your kids to try skateboarding and use it as a bonding time.
Start Them Young
You’re probably wondering how young it is for children to learn to skateboard. There’s no ideal age for skateboarding. If your child has the interest and you encourage them, they will eventually learn.
One thing to remember is that toddlers (ages one to three) might not enjoy it or can’t ride the skateboard well. On the other hand, children from four years old can enjoy riding one, since they are learning more coordination..
You can introduce a skateboard in different ways. You can let them see children riding skateboards on videos or take them to parks to see real ones. Try to keep them from seeing professionals doing tricks early on.
You can use whatever quality of board you can afford. Remember, the goal is for them to ride the board. As they use the board and get comfortable, you should always be there to supervise.
Let them wear protective gear, such as helmets and headgear, to prevent injuries.
Take it Slowly
Remember that you are dealing with a child, so don’t rush everything. Take it slowly. Besides, their interests might be different from yours at first. At the same time, their attention span is quite low. They tend to change focus instantly.
You can start the practice by letting them ride the skateboard and pushing the board itself. Keep in mind that it is far safer to push the board rather than push your child. The most important thing is that they enjoy riding the board.
You can think of this activity as swimming. They can’t just dive into the pool without knowing the basics.
Set a Schedule
When children love something, they want to do it as often as possible. This means they would ask you to go to the skatepark many times. There are positive and negative sides to this.
Since they’d ask you to go to the park with them, it means they are more than willing to ride the board. However, remember that they are kids. They can easily get tired of doing the same things repetitively. Besides, if you go there without any plans, your schedule will be affected.
The best thing about setting a schedule is that you are making it a regular habit for them. At the same time, you can teach them about scheduling time for things they enjoy.
For instance, you can set Saturday afternoon as your skateboard day. However, you might want to consider the location. We recommend indoor skateparks as there’s shade in case of rain. On the other hand, you can always find local skateparks as many groups are building community skate parks for kids.
Ride Ramps
Since you’re going to skateparks, it’s a perfect way to practice your child’s balance and have more fun. Letting them ride the ramp will also help build their confidence as they get used to the speed and pressure.
When riding ramps, try the smallest one possible. The bigger or steeper the ramp is, the faster it will go.
Remember that you should be there to support them until one day they can do it themselves without your hands ready to catch them.
Take Videos
Sometimes it’s too challenging to say the same thing repetitively, especially to a child. You don’t want to explain the same thing repeatedly, so the best thing is to take a video of your child while riding the skateboard.
Let them watch the video and see how fun it was. As a parent, you must check if something is off or what other areas can be improved.
For instance, you can check whether their stance is the right way. By watching the videos, you and your child will easily spot which area needs to be improved.
Conclusion
Your child might not be able to ride a skateboard properly sooner, but they’d surely learn how to over time. So make sure to introduce it early, and it’s important not to rush things. You should also set a schedule to make it into a routine.
Take videos and let them ride the ramps for more fun. Don’t forget to show them that skateboarding is an exciting activity for everyone by showing them videos of people young and old enjoying the sport.