Summer’s coming and that means one thing: your kids will have a lot more time on their hands.
Although many parents strive for more physical activity and less screen time, it’s not always easy to inspire our kids to live a healthier, more active lifestyle. Experts recommend that children get at least one hour of physical exercise every day¹, so we are here to give you some creative ways to encourage your kids to get outside. You may even want to join them.
Skateboarding is a fantastic way to keep your kids active, and help them build athleticism, confidence, social skills, and other key developmental benefits. Based on our own experience as active kids, plus valuable feedback from thousands of our customers, we can confirm that skateboarding truly is one of the best summer activities for kids.
7 Reasons to Get Your Kids Into Skateboarding
1. Prevent Obesity in Children, Teens and Young Adults
One study by researchers at Johns Hopkins² found that kids who skateboard more than four times per week are 48% less likely to become overweight in adulthood. This finding makes perfect sense, because adolescence is when we tend to develop lifelong habits around our physical activity and overall wellness.
2. Skateboarding Makes Exercise Fun
Let’s be real. What kids love more than anything is having fun… and plenty of it. Yet a common challenge is turning something that appears to be a lot of hard work (exercise) into a thrilling experience. Skateboarding is a fantastic solution because it’s fun, exciting, and also serves as an opportunity for your child to accomplish goals they set.
For example, if your child is a beginner they will feel great satisfaction from their first long push, inspiring them to master more complex skateboard tricks and maneuvers as their skills progress. If your child already has some experience, a new skateboard can inspire them to YouTube search things like “new skateboarding tricks for beginners,” and “easy skateboard tricks.” These are activities that keep kids active all summer long.
3. Kids Mental Health
Physical exercise is great for the brain, too. The increase in these activities for kids stimulates endorphins and other neurotransmitters that make them feel happier. In addition, skateboarding provides kids with the opportunity to socialize and build confidence… culminating in fantastic benefits for children’s mental health.
4. Magneto Boards Are Low in Cost
Our Micro Cruisers start at just $44.99, while our Kid’s Skateboards start at just $49.99. You can even score 10% off your first purchase by signing up for our newsletter.
5. Skateboarding Means Exploration and Learning
The sport promotes kids’ interaction with their neighborhoods and friends, while exploring ways for them to express themselves. Skateboarding also has its own index of terminology to learn–from pintail longboards and trucks, to wheelbases and kingpins–giving kids their own built-in subculture to have fun with.
6. It’s the Perfect Summer Activity for All Skill Levels
You don’t need to be a pro to enjoy skateboarding, and you can just start with balance. From there, tricks and turns can be learned and ultimately mastered with practice.
Quick Tip: It’s worth getting familiar with a few tips so that you don’t give your kids a blank look when they tell you they’ve done a Chinese nollie or a hippie jump!
7. Improving Fitness and Athleticism Without The League
Traditional summer sports for kids are not for everyone. Skateboarding offers a unique opportunity to improve fitness levels and muscle growth without having to participate in official sports leagues or summer camps.
It helps build up cardio and core strength in kids of all ages. It burns off some serious calories, so it’s good for weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight. It helps develop key muscles such as the quads, lower back, hamstrings, glutes and even abdominal muscles.
Skateboarding also improves flexibility, balance and coordination.
Get Set for Skateboarding With Magneto
Magneto offers the best skateboards for beginners. They’re affordable skateboards, and are a solution for how to get kids more active.
Take a look at our best skateboards for kids. Start this summer with an exciting new hobby for your kids through the thrill of skateboarding.
References:
1. “How Much Physical Activity Do Children Need?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 7 Apr. 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/children/index.htm.
2. Menschik D, Ahmed S, Alexander MH, Blum RW. Adolescent Physical Activities as Predictors of Young Adult Weight. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008;162(1):29–33.