Both a five-year-old child and an adult can learn to skate. The main thing is to choose the right size of the board, familiarize yourself with the basic riding technique and observe safety precautions. Consider how to choose a skateboard and what to look for.
Types and types of skateboards
All skateboards, depending on their size and structural elements, are divided into the following types:
- longboard - in translation means “long board”, which comes with a slightly raised rear part and a pointed front, and the design itself is equipped with softer and oversized wheels;
- cruiser - a board equipped with four wheels of medium hardness, suitable for riding on a flat roadway (the best choice for a preschool child, which must be considered before choosing a skateboard);
- snakeboard (streetboard) - has several platforms, which allows you to perform tricks while riding;
- freeboard - freestyle board, equipped with six wheels;
- flowboard - ideal for performing stunts, as 14 wheels are responsible for high maneuverability;
- stouboard - a folding structure consisting of a board and a basket for legs;
- mountainboard - wheels with a diameter of 20 cm allow you to ride on uneven countryside.
At what age can I start to ride?
Many parents are wondering how to choose a skateboard for a child of 10 years old, at what age can you even let your child go on such a traumatic vehicle? It all depends on the interests of the child himself and his ability to learn.
On average, experts do not recommend buying a skateboard for children under seven years of age, because until this age the child may not be able to control his body and not have good stability. But for kids aged 5-6 there are special skateboards that are equipped with a large number of wheels and are lighter, so even a small child, but under the supervision of an adult coach, is able to learn how to ride this type of transport. It is important at this age to hold the child’s hand in order to avoid falls, to teach him to properly keep the body and balance.
How to choose a skateboard for beginners?
Experts advise beginners to take precisely the cruiser, which is equipped with four wheels, and the length of the board is selected depending on the height and age of the child. It is also important to pay attention to the following criteria:
- the material is a wood board, most often it is Canadian maple, multi-layer - the most optimal option for strength and quality, there are also plastic models that are of a lower price, but less durable;
- type of construction - it can be a folding skate or one-piece (for beginners it is better to choose a folding option, but it costs more);
- price category - a high-quality and good skateboard cannot cost too cheap (this must be taken into account before choosing a skateboard for a child of 7 years old);
- wheels - are selected depending on their rigidity, diameter and number are responsible for stability, and the color scheme is optional;
- dimensions - the skateboard should not be too heavy, especially for young children.
When buying a vehicle, it is important to pay attention to the appearance, regardless of design and color scheme. The board should not contain cracks, dents or chips, since over time this will lead to the fact that the skate will simply crumble.
How to choose the size of the board by the age of the child?
When choosing a skate, it is important to consider not only the age of the child, but also his height. Before choosing the size of a skateboard, you should know that almost all boards have standard parameters. The width of the skateboard for adults varies from 19 to 21.5 cm, and the length is 78-83 cm.
For children up to a meter in length, the board should be no more than 70 cm. If the baby is 1.4 m (6-8 years old), the board should be up to 71 cm long. A skate up to 74 cm in length is chosen for children whose height is from 1.4 m to 1.5 m (9-12 years). After 13 years, the child will fit the adult size of a skateboard.
The board is selected in size for the convenience of riding and the comfortable maneuverability of the baby on it. The weight of the skate is also taken into account. For kids, they are lighter, while for adults it is not only more overall, but also a heavier design.
Will additional accessories be required?
Before choosing the right skateboard, you need to know that buying one board is not enough. Both the beginner and the professional need the following accessories for riding:
- shoes - only on a flat sole (there are even special shoes for skateboarders, it is comfortable and stable for riding on a skateboard);
- helmet - should be clearly fixed on the head with special straps (there are a lot of models for protecting the head from blows, in different colors and designs);
- Protective clothing - knee pads and elbow pieces, as well as protection for the wrists (a beginner cannot do without falls, therefore it is important to protect the most vulnerable parts of the body).
Choosing a place to ride
Before choosing a skateboard, you should evaluate the nearby territory and find a suitable place for skiing. Ideally, it is easiest for beginners to ride on a concrete roadway, on which there are no cracks, bumps, grooves or small pebbles. If there is no such place, then you can choose a parking lot without vehicles, since they can be accidentally damaged, or any large area with a flat roadway and away from the carriageway.
Going to specially designated places for skateboarders, you should ride not in the center of the territory, but aside so that no one gets in the way.
Skating technique: where to start?
Before choosing a skateboard for a child, given his age and height, you need to find a professional who can explain the riding technique to the kid. Where to start?
- Learning to stand and hold the body correctly. Skate should be placed on the grass or carpet so that it does not roll, choose a comfortable position of the legs, in which the person clearly maintains balance and does not feel discomfort (the leading leg, which is repelled, should be behind). The casing should be slightly forward.
- Repulsion. When a person has learned to stand and maintain balance, one can move to a flat surface and learns to push off. First, beginners make short shocks when pushing away, over time you need to switch to big shocks, in between which both legs are on a skateboard and the person rides smoothly and slowly.
- Stop. When a person has learned to ride smoothly on a flat surface, it is important to learn how to stop properly. The lead leg is placed with the entire sole on the floor. You can also put pressure on the back of the skateboard and it will stop slowly, but in this case, the board will wipe off after a while and become unusable.
- Trajectory of movement. As you master the repulsion process while riding, when both legs are on a skateboard, you should try to shift your weight in the direction you want to turn. In this case, the legs are bent slightly at the knees, and the body is in an upright position. More advanced users can learn the “kicker” technique, when the leading leg presses the back of the board a little, while the front part rises and the skate turns to the right direction. It is important here not to overdo it with the push, so as not to roll over.
As you master the basic elements of riding, you can gradually complicate the technique. This applies to the study of the rules of descent along the slope, where it is important to correctly redistribute the weight on the board and other more complex elements. There are many riding styles that a beginner will have to master. It can be flatland (stunts on a flat surface), street (riding stairs and railings), freestyle (jumping), vert and park (spectacular ramp stunts).
Where and how to ride?
Before choosing a good skateboard, you should find a suitable place for training. This should be a location away from the carriageway and places where there are prohibition signs. To ride, you need a lot of free space. The roadbed for beginners is better to choose a flat one. There are specially designated places for skateboarders, but it is better to choose a less busy area. Since even the most professional athlete can make a mistake and knock down the one who rides nearby.
Skating without a helmet and other protective clothing is not welcome, it does not matter whether a person is a beginner on a skateboard or is already a professional. The slightest improper movement or a failed stunt can result in injury of varying severity.
Manufacturers Overview
Before choosing a skateboard, you should familiarize yourself with the models that are the main manufacturers of this type of entertainment vehicle.
Manufacturers Overview:
- Alien Workshop - boards have a classic design, are durable, but not suitable for performing stunt elements.
- Black Label - the products of this brand are convenient, so skateboards are more suitable for beginners. Despite the fact that the boards are strong and stable, they break easily.
- Blind - skateboards are lightweight, and the models are presented in a wide variety of designs.
- Santa Cruz - boards are distinguished by their original design and high quality.
- Penny Board is the most popular brand chosen by parents for babies, as the brand pays attention to the details of the design and their high quality.
Remember that a skateboard is not only a board. They definitely buy protection elements on her knees, elbows and head.