Smallest child is 4 in a couple of weeks. She is insistent that she wants a skateboard and has been asking for one since last year. She’s never been near one but has seen videos online. She has no fear, been to the top of the 10 metre wall at the local climbing place and didn’t bat an eyelid.

I haven’t the first clue of what to look for when buying a skateboard. All I know is that they have wheels and a bit to stand on. Can someone give me some pointers of what I need to look at. I don’t want to spend insane amounts of money just in case she then decides that she doesn’t actually like it after all.

Also, is there anyone in the North East that knows of somewhere that does lessons? Either as a group or one on one, not too fussed.

Got this for my 5 year old recently, decent enough for the money. Chose it as the trucks are mounted at the tips so will be a bit more stable underfoot with no kicktail to worry about

Decathlon link

I’m sure I saw that coast to coast surf in Dunbar do lessons, but that might be a trek for you

I’d say you are looking at a 7.25″ size setup. That’s what I got my lad at 6. I was in the US for got a good priced Santa Cruz 7.25 x 29 in a design he loves. Graphics will be the biggest thing for the kid, but something with half decent trucks and bearings will be more fun. Good bearings will roll better on flat land and mean more skating less pushing.

Decathlon one is a really interesting concept to move the trucks as they progress.

Not a particular recommendation but this kind of thing – you can use that spec to look up more options.

https://www.skatehut.co.uk/enuff-skully-mini-complete-skateboard-green-7-25.htm?gclid=Cj0KCQjw-fmZBhDtARIsAH6H8qjuqwgmzW_5vkU_–8JXtWGmCHr1KIDp8SJwHU45btFesqrSjwCCcsaAmCgEALw_wcB

For lessons find a local indoor skate park. Google Maps shows one in Jarrow that looks decent.

Cheap one and a Scooter

What did Sky Brown (bronze medallist in Tokyo) start on? Maybe that’s on Google somewhere.

Cheap one and a Scooter

She has one of those 3 wheel lean-to-turn scooters. Whizzes along on that at some speed.

Thanks @diggery and @mtnboarder – some good pointers there.

I’d say you are looking at a 7.25″ size setup

This and also

Google Maps shows one in Jarrow that looks decent.

The jarrow one is by far the best in the NE for beginners. They run youngun sessions too IIRC.

Agree with the enuff mini set up it’s what my boy started on at 5.

You might have to tweek it a bit out of the box slacken off the bolts on the trucks a little which will help her learn to tik tac and carve the board and a back off 1/4 turn on the wheels helps with speed on the wheels.

Skateboard bolts are still in imperial so buy a skate tool if you haven’t got an imperial socket set.

The one thing I can say about skating is all the other kids are normally really supportive of each other at the local skate park and help each other learn but look up skate park etiquette if you are not a skater helps to know the rules when your learning.

The jarrow one is by far the best in the NE for beginners. They run youngun sessions too IIRC.

Down to 6yo, they are starting a toddlers session but it’s aimed at balance bikes and scooters. No confirmed dates on that yet either. I’ve found skateboardgb.org which has pointed me to a place in Darlington but waiting to see what they do in the way of lessons.

Thanks for the heads up on the tool @doublezero. I’ll order one of those when I order the board.

Been through this with mine recently, now 6 and 4. At 4 it is really young for skateboarding. Yes there are some YouTube heros out there, but for most kids skateboarding is something they will struggle with when really young, 6 is normally the earliest starting age. Even then, my 6 year old likes the idea of it much more than the reality.

First thing, obviously get helmet and pads for her. My eldest has a Rio Roller helmet and a HangUp Kids pad set – all fit her at 5 and are decent enough without spending big bucks.

If she just wants a toy to play with, sit on and slide etc, then get her what she wants board-wise. I think it being a sit-on toy is quite a likely outcome based on my experience. If you want her to learn to skate, as in push herself along and stop etc, then that Decathlon board up above is the best I have come across. Kids are surprised when they stand/sit on a kick tail and the whole thing tips, plus on most boards you can never get bushings loose enough to let a 4 year old actually turn.

Locations – skate parks are intimidating and a kid who can’t push, turn, stop or even jump off is not going to do themselves any favours, unless there are extensive flat open areas. Locally to us we have a smooth paved multi-use games area – just a big flat rectangle. That’s where my kids go to practice. They get more from that than ramps at a Skatepark.

On the positives, get yourself a board and pads etc and join in. There’s a skateboard thread on here somewhere for older non-experts. I love tearing around with my kids, board of choice for that is my surfskate, but get stuck in yourself and it’ll help with understanding the challenges – loads of “how to” videos on YouTube.

On the positives, get yourself a board and pads etc and join in.

Thread title – ‘Skateboard for a 40yo?’ 😁

Thread title – ‘Skateboard for an overweight 40yo?’ 😁

FTFY. Doubtful to be honest, I tried once many moons ago and I just could not get the hang of it.

we’ve already got one thanks…

Getting into skateboarding at 45

Down to 6yo, they are starting a toddlers session but it’s aimed at balance bikes and scooters. No confirmed dates on that yet either. I’ve found skateboardgb.org which has pointed me to a place in Darlington but waiting to see what they do in the way of lessons.

The jarrow one is way less intimidating. Honestly the darlo park (4 motion), while excellent and the people who run it are great, it is well beyond the skills of a beginner unless its just scooting around on smooth concrete… Which is of course an excellent place to start, but you can do that with a 4yo as well as anyone.

Override on the other hand has a long section with a reasonable rise and fall thats easy for a beginner to master.

If it was me though i would get a board and a helmet, and head out to wherever you can find the smoothest surface and get them give it a go. I taught my lad outside the gala in Durham early on Sunday mornings. Yes we may have skated past a few ‘No Skateboarding’ signs, but whos going to stop a young kid on a board at 9am Sunday? Being able to just push along and make basic leaning turns is Youtube territory and will help enormously for the first skatepark visit.

So Christmas rolled round and Santa brought the 4yo a skateboard (and pads and helmet and tool thingy). Took her out for the first time today to a local car park. She loves it.

Awesome!

Both of mine started around then, they stalled a bit when our local park was closed because of the the pandemic but we’ve had many happy hours there.

Good character building stuff, they soon learn to dust themselves off and get back up again.

Nice. Looks like you got it sorted. I was going to suggest something on the cheaper side and spend the money on safety gear, which it looks like you did. Hell hath no fury like that of gravity when a board slides out from under you.

She’s doing great already!
I think I remember from teaching my eldest that holding their hand or fingers was more stable and stopped them slumping against me so not balancing properly.
If you’re near Darlington South Park must be a good spot to learn with miles of flat smooth paths

But anything cheap off marketplace or the likes, all kids want skateboards, not many want to actually use them after a week, I have 2 in the garage, next to the scooters, hoverboards and bikes!

The board, pads, and helmet were all Decathlon so I think it all came in around £60.

I have no idea when it comes to boarding so I think it’ll be car park duty for now to get her used to it and starting to get turns nailed. Hopefully then the local indoor place will be doing lessons for her age group.

Awesome, buy some extra soft rubbers for the trucks, from a proper make, Independent.
Independent Truck Bushings – Standard CYLINDER – Soft 88a – Red