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Skateboarding may often be associated with ‘rebellious street’ teenagers who love adrenaline. But you may be surprised to know that skateboarding is not just for youth looking for a cool lifestyle.

Allowing kids to learn skateboarding has significant benefits for their development. Yes, it can be a dangerous sport. But don’t most sports carry some level of risk? Below you will find some of the ways your kids may benefit from skateboarding. There’s a chance your negative view on skateboarding may fade away.

Kids learning to skateboard get a full workout

According to healthfitnessrevolution.com, when your children skateboard they need to use their entire body to get that skateboard moving (unless they are going downhill). They need to exercise their feet, legs, arms for balance, and torso for turning. Of course, at the beginning, kids learning how to skateboard will get less of a workout. But once kids learn the basics, the amount of muscle work and physical movement needed to skateboard will greatly benefit their overall physical health.

Falling and getting back up teaches endurance and perseverance

Skateboarding is all about falling down and getting back on the skateboard. With the right coaching and encouragement, kids learning to skateboard will be motivated to learn how to fall. They will then learn how to keep going and become better no matter how many falls it takes. Thus a great lesson on endurance and perseverance can come with skateboarding.

Learning to skateboard can give confidence to children with special needs

The CJ Skateboard camp is a great example of an organization that has proven how beneficial skateboarding can be for autistic children and other special needs kids. Its founder, Jay Mandarino says that they’ve had autistic kids “who were never supposed to speak end up speaking.”

There is another non-profit organization called Get on Board that focuses on teaching kids with Autism and special needs to skate, at no cost. They have seen first hand, through thousands of students, how “suddenly, a kid who never looked up is looking up.” Kids with special needs are empowered by learning how to skateboard..

Skateboarding can teach your children about inclusion

Eva Glettner is a mom of three boys who are into skateboarding. She describes how going to a skatepark taught her and her boys to be non-judgemental.

It’s happened to most of us. We judge people based on their looks, their fashion, how tattooed they are. Yet, according to Glettner, no matter how you look, you are welcomed. What’s more, she says there’s always someone to help you get back on your skateboard. So now her boys have become part of the “camaraderie that skaters have with one another.”

Perhaps it’s time for us to forget about the skateboarding lifestyle that’s often associated with this sport. And maybe to put less focus on the dangerous physical risks that skateboarding can have, in exchange for some of these benefits. Even if you are not intending your kid to become the next Tony Hawk, you might want to give your child a chance to learn how to skateboard!

See a similar articles from our blog!

• 3 reasons why children should learn to swim
• Kid’s health: the importance of kids staying hydrated for academic performance and activity
• How to teach kids to try, try again
• Teaching pedestrian safety to kids

When it comes to educating our children, does it make a difference if you raise kids in the city or the suburbs? Does one place offer better educational resources than the other? Here are some points to consider if you have come across these questions:

City life: Educate kids about culture and diversity

Cities are hubs for educating children about culture and diversity as they are filled with people from all over the world and all walks of life. Kids raised in cities will grow up hearing different languages and seeing different races. They might even be exposed to food from other countries considering the array of restaurants cities can offer.

They also see rich, poor, disabled and privileged people using the same public spaces. For example, a simple ride on the subway, skytrain, or bus may be a great world lesson on its own as it will show the diversity mentioned above. Inner city schools will most likely also be quite culturally and economically diverse.  Due to the offshoot issues that poverty and assimilation can create for a school’s entire student base, this can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the viewpoint of each individual.

By exposing children to such an environment, children can grow up knowing that everyone is different and yet we can all coexist in one place. With proper education, they can be raised to respect the diverse world we live in.

According to the article linked to above, cities are also filled with museums, public galleries, educational centres and often have cultural events that are easily accessed by those living in the city. These public places will teach children the importance of art, culture and history both inside and outside the classroom.

According to some, a drawback may be that a large percentage of kids who attend inner city schools come from poor families who may not be able to afford extra curricular activities. This may force kids to misuse their free time in illegal activities, for instance drug dealing and stealing. Kids growing up in such a way may have a negative effect on the school experience as a whole.

Suburban life: Space, nature, better schools

Life in the suburbs will typically offer much more space for children to spend time outdoors, which will enable them to explore and learn more about nature. In addition, they may get more physical exercise in a cleaner environment. The Waldorf theory of education, which encourages spending time outdoor as part of a child’s learning development, is a great example of how beneficial this may be for children. Check out our blog post on the topic.

Suburbs may also offer tighter communities with families of similar backgrounds, which can offer children a sense of safety and familiarity. Instead of having to stay at an urban playground watching your kids like a hawk, children can safely spend time in your own spacious backyard. You could also let your children play in the cul-de-sac with the neighbourhood children.  Allowing your children more freedom to play unsupervised in the suburbs doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be safer there than in the city. However, if you have become acquainted with your neighbours, it may be possible to have more peace of mind to do the above.

In some metropolis areas, suburban schools may have better resources overall; newer buildings, better classrooms, and more qualified teachers, as these communities can allocate more of their funding (some of which may come from wealthy patrons) for educational needs.

A drawback may be less time spent with children if you have to commute to the city for work purposes. Also, you may spend more time driving if you want to take your children to experience some of the educational activities found in the city.

How to choose between education in the city vs. the suburbs

Public schools in both the city and the suburbs are supposed to offer the same basic education all children deserve. However, each of these options offer different ways to enhance a child’s overall development and educational experience. It really comes down to what kind of experiences you want your children to grow up with and the importance you place on academic education as opposed to overall world education.

Swimming lessons for kids are quite commonplace in any urban area. A lot of parents would want their child to participate merely because it’s a known safety benefit to successfully handle oneself in a body of water. Some parents kickstart their kid’s water affair earlier than others (there has been some debate on an ideal starting age), but the benefits of getting your child in the pool are overall, quite substantial.

Here is why a child should be in swimming lessons:

They can ensure their own safety and self-reliance

Swimming, beach-going, watersports, etc., are hugely popular activities for people of all ages. Being able to safely handle yourself in water is imperative if you are to find yourself in such a situation. Drowning is unfortunately the 3rd leading cause of death by unintentional injury. Furthermore, it is often hugely underestimated how quickly and fatally an accident can occur. If a child is effectively taught how to a) stay calm and b) practice the correct maneuvers, the likelihood of them ever being at risk for losing control is significantly reduced.

2. They can boost their physical and mental health

In our modern tech-fueled world, there are more reasons than ever to keep a child physically moving. Low impact sports like swimming can be done by children of any size or athletic ability (grab the lifejackets and water wings if needed!). It is a universal skill that once learned, can even be a remedy for anxiety and depression– things undoubtedly important to keep in check for a child’s mental well being.

3. They can learn to conquer their fears

It’s not to be overlooked that being afraid of water is a real fear for some. Kids especially can be exponentially overwhelmed if they feel pressured by their peers. Afterall, adolescent birthday parties or summer activities typically include swimming at one point or another. Starting swimming lessons early on can help a child rationalize their relationship with water. This helps them prepare for water-situations instead of feeling frightened because they’ve had no viable experience. If your child is afraid of the water, here is a great resource on helping them overcome that fear.

Make swimming part of your child’s extracurricular activities

When it comes to extracurricular activities, swimming lessons are relatively inexpensive at the community center level. This is when you compare it to costs associated with other sports like minor hockey or dance classes. So, think of it as a worthwhile investment directly into your child’s safety and health. Not to mention, they won’t feel left out on the next swimming-related adventure!