Reasons To Take Your Kids To The Skatepark

Kids at skateparks. Just saying the word “skatepark” might give some of you anxiety. Skateboarding hasn’t exactly done a great job of marketing itself over the years as a family-friendly sport.  It is easy to imagine that your local skateparks resemble scenes from Dogtown and Z-Boys with menacing counterculture teens straight out of backyard swimming pools. Well, let’s set the record straight. 

What are skateparks really like?

Today, skateparks across the country are full of people of all ages. From 40-year-old dads and moms to young kids and everyone in between. Skateboards aren’t the only thing being ridden either, people are having fun on balance bikes, scooters, bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades, and more. These skateparks are a great place for kids and adults to get out and play.

How we got involved

I started taking both of my boys to skateparks before they were two years old. Both of them started on a Strider balance bike. They would cruise the perimeter with dad skating behind throwing out the occasional woohoo! As time has passed their confidence has grown and now they ride all kinds of things. They’ve slowly started getting more and more aggressive in what they’re willing to try. With toddlers, you see progression every single time out. They are such sponges and pick it up so fast. At five and two years old, both of my boys are dropping into everything but the big bowl at our local skatepark. 

I think the biggest trick for me has been trying to avoid pressuring them into anything. Without a word from me, every time we go to the skatepark we get to see someone there who is shredding. The kids get excited and begin to see what is possible. I keep my mouth shut and trust they will try something new when they are ready. When they do decide to try new things, watching them succeed is next-level as a parent. And for them, the thrill sensation of pulling off a new trick is exhilarating and something they won’t soon forget.  

The art of dropping in

Teaching kids how to drop in from the top of ramps starts with them being mentally and physically ready. It is a progression that requires them to start small and build. This is because the only way to pull it off is to be fully committed, and if you aren’t, you end up on the ground. It takes guts, determination, and resilience to be successful. 

The scariest part of dropping in is getting off the coping. You physically have to move your weight forward and position it over your skateboard/bike, etc. so that when you hit the transition at the bottom you can ride out of it. Regardless of what you are riding the idea is the same. Not fully committing means you end up with your weight too far back and likely falling on your backside. Conversely, if your weight is too far forward, when you compress into the transition your momentum will take you forward and you will end up on your head, shoulders, or best case scenario, rolling out of the crash. Once the kids master this it becomes second nature and easier to replicate.

This experience teaches kids to pay attention to their bodies in space, to feel how their weight and motion affect their ride and gives them a chance to learn to trust themselves.

Why do we do it?

Aside from it being fun and a great way to burn off some extra energy, let’s take a look at some other reasons you might want to encourage your kiddos to play at the local skatepark.

A study conducted by the Pullias Center for Higher Education at USC’s Rossier School of Education and USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism says skating culture has some really attractive side effects. Let’s take a look at some key benefits they highlight in this excerpt from the article:

Skateboarding improves mental health – The vast majority of skaters surveyed indicated they skateboard for fun and/or to relieve stress. This finding takes on great significance in light of teen suicide rates and the prevalence of depression.

Skateboarding and skateparks facilitate a sense of community among skaters – Skateboarders reported the value of connecting with people who share similar passions in skateparks, skate shops, and skating events. Those encounters often facilitate intercultural communication and offer skaters the opportunity to interact with, and gain an increased understanding of, skaters of diverse racial, age, and gender backgrounds.

Skateboarding encourages resilience – The nature of skateboarding requires skaters to learn on their own and develop their own strategies to succeed. Skaters frequently perform a trick hundreds of times over long periods before developing proficiency or experiencing rewards for their efforts. Skaters in the study reported that they apply these lessons of resilience to their lives outside of skateboarding.

Gender and race matter – The study also showed that skaters of color felt a greater degree of safety from judgment within the skateboarding community than in non-skate contexts. Female skaters indicated they believe they are judged by their gender both in and out of skateboarding contexts.

This research shows that skateboarding provides many positive social outcomes that may provide a valuable context for promoting healthy behaviors and improving youth well-being.

Setting the Record Straight on Kids at Skateparks

Skateparks today are not the danger zones that Tony Alva used to fraternize during the early days of skateboarding. In fact, you will find people of all ages there riding anything with wheels. The easiest way to get involved is to just get out there and start small. No pressure. As you and your kids spend more time on small ramps you may start thinking about dropping into ramps from the top. It only gets better from there. The best part is that you are contributing to the mental and physical health of you and your children. 

So if you have been wanting to find fun ways to get more involved with your kids and connect with them in ways they enjoy, go spend 20 minutes at your local skatepark. Who knows, some of you adventurous moms and dads may want to go shred a little yourself.

If you are interested in helping underserved communities create safe and inclusive public skateparks for youth consider donating to The Skatepark Project. ThisDaddyDoes.com has no affiliation with The Skatepark Project they just do great work and I want everyone to know about them.

One last thing, ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET. I also make sure my little ones are fully padded for the inevitable crash landing. Here are some pads we used that worked well for toddlers.

PRO TIP: Get there early and avoid the crowds.

I hope you found some useful tips here. I’d love to hear from you about ways that you experience life with your little ones.

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Here are some future topics that will drop shortly.

• The Perfect Short Hike with Kids
• Catalina Getaway: Family Fun on the Island
• Being Star of the Week: A Rainy Day Adventure
• Exploring Shoreline Village with Kids
• Why Every Parent Should Take Their Kids on Morro Bay’s Little Miss Magic Harbor Cruise

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