What Is The Best Age To Start Skateboarding?

5 – 10 years old is the best age to start skateboarding. Kids under the age of 5 will most likely have issues pushing and balancing on a skateboard, especially with an adult-sized board.

Make sure to look for youth boards and make sure that your children always have appropriate protective gear. They should also stay away from the roads. 

If your child is interested in learning how to skateboard, you should take them to an empty parking lot, an indoor or outdoor skatepark, or even skateboarding lessons. 

Best Age For Children To Start Skateboarding (Recommended By Doctors)

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children aged five and younger should never ride a skateboard. They also recommend that children between the ages of 6 and 10 should have close supervision from parents or guardians whenever they ride a skateboard.

When young children get into accidents on skateboards, they can often get serious injuries.

There are many additional risks to young children that skateboard because they have:

• A higher center of gravity, less development, and poor balance. These factors make children more likely to fall, hurting their heads.
• Less coordination and slower reaction time than adults. Children are less likely to break their own falls.
• Less skill and ability. Children often overestimate their skills and abilities. They are less experienced in judging speed, traffic, and other risks that they might run into.

Skateboarding can be dangerous for anyone at any age. That being said, there are many additional risks and dangers that younger children need to worry about when taking up skateboarding.

When Is It Safe For Younger Kids Ride Skateboards?

The AAP’s data is accurate, but not all children are the same. There is no danger in it when you exercise careful adult supervision and use caution. Skaters frequently argue that if you teach a child properly and stay close to them at all times, there is very little risk involved.

Here are a tips to make skateboarding more safe for your children:

• Kneepads, elbow pads, and wrist guards should always be used by children.
• Make sure to get a reliable skateboard made from quality components.
• Avoid busy areas and traffic.
• Make sure the surface your child uses a board on is smooth.
• Check for pebbles, glass, twigs, or anything that might prevent the wheels from turning and cause a youngster to fall.

The right protective gear is a big deal. It should fit correctly and be of good quality. Knee pads or helmets that aren’t properly fitted give less protection.

Learning To Ride A Skateboard

First thing’s first, when learning how to skateboard, it would be best to learn how to get on the board. We’ve previously covered goofy vs. regular stance, but we’ll briefly go over it here.

Regular stance means you feel more comfortable with your left foot in front, and a goofy stance means you feel more comfortable with your right foot in front. Whichever foot you kick a ball with will likely be your back foot. However, you can go to my article on goofy vs. regular to learn more ways to determine your stance.

When learning to skateboard, I suggest either learning with parents or friends in an empty parking lot. There’s a lot more room than trying in your driveway, and you really shouldn’t go into the street as a brand new skater. There are two other places to learn how to skateboard, your local outdoor skatepark and usually, indoor skateparks teach lessons. So you should see if there are lessons for you or your child at the nearest skatepark to you.

How To Push On A Skateboard

Pushing your skateboard is the first skill (and possibly the most important) to learn on your skateboard.

1. Put your front foot at a 30-degree angle above the front truck, near the hardware bolts.
2. Bend your knee so that your back leg can reach the ground.
3. Balance all of your weight onto your front foot, reach down, and push with your back foot.
4. Bring your back foot back onto the skateboard at a slight angle above the rear truck.

TIP – It helps if you practice balancing only on your front foot. Once you are confident doing this, you should feel confident to push continuously whenever you need.

Beginner Skateboarding Tips

1. Bend Your Knees

A low, relaxed stance helps all skateboarding tricks because it gives you the ability to adjust your balance in any situation immediately.

2. Stay Determined

Practice and dedication are two of the best traits to have when learning how to skateboard. Skateboarding is a challenging sport. You shouldn’t expect to be great immediately. Its difficulty is part of what makes the sport so gratifying and keeps people skateboarding day after day.

3. Prepare To Fall

Everyone will fall when they first start skateboarding, and it will continue as long as you keep skateboarding. I suggest that you invest in a good helmet and protective gear. This will help keep you healthy and injury-free so you can keep skateboarding for life.

4. Use Quality Skateboards And Protective Gear

Skateboards from department stores tend to have inferior components (such as bearings, trucks, and wheels) and won’t perform as well as professional-grade skateboards.

5. Remain Confident

It would help if you weren’t too concerned with how you look or how good you are at skateboarding. If you’re practicing, attempting new tricks, and being mindful of others, you will earn respect from every skater you meet. No matter how basic the trick, all skaters love to see each other push their limits and progress their skills.

Best Skateboards For Youth

The standard width of a skateboard is 8 inches wide. The width will usually be detailed in either the skateboard’s name or in the specifications. 

If your child is eager to learn tricks, including flip tricks, then try finding them a board between 7 and 7.75 inches. If they are more interested in skateparks and bowl riding, then look for a board that is between 7.75 and 8 inches.

Personally, I suggest getting your child a 7.5 or 7.75-inch skateboard. These are perfect sizes for children and beginners alike, but not too small that they would be grown out of. 

Best 7.5 Inch Skateboard For Kids

The Toy Machine 7.5 Vice Dead Monster is a great starter skateboard. It is pro-quality, made with 7-ply North American maple, and includes the following pro skateboard components:

• Core trucks are lightweight and feature heavy-duty aluminum with grade 8 steel kingpins and axles, as well as USA-made bushings and pivot cups. 
• 52mm TGM Skateboards wheels with 99A durometer. These are the perfect wheels for both street and skatepark skateboarding.
• Amphetamine bearings with ABEC 5 rating.

NOTE – this board does not come assembled.

Best 7.75 Inch Skateboard For Kids

The Element Skateboards 7.75 Section Complete is going to be the best 7.75 for your child. It is another professional skateboard made from premium 7-ply maple and includes the following components:

• Element 52mm wheels
• Element Hex bolts
• Element ABEC 5 bearings
• Element Trucks

This board comes assembled and has some great features like thinner, stronger veneers that make the skateboard lighter without compromising strength and performance concave that adds extra flick when performing flip tricks.

Conclusion

The best age to start skateboarding is in between 5 and 10 years old. This is when most children are big enough to safely ride a skateboard but still small enough to maneuver the board easily.

When looking for a board for your child, the best skateboard width for kids is between 7.5 and 7.75 inches. These boards are lightweight, durable, and perfect for children who want to learn tricks or skate in the park. 

Picking the best skateboard for your child is essential to their success and enjoyment while skateboarding. Remember to also get them a helmet and protective gear so they can stay safe while skating.