How to Teach Kids to Bodyboard

When I started teaching my kids to bodyboard last year it seemed to me that it should be fairly easy.

1. Start out by launching them into whitewash and letting them ride it into shore.
2. Once they're comfortable with you launching them into waves let them try it on their own in small waves (positioning themselves just in front of where the waves are breaking).
3. Gradually progress to larger waves and give them tips and encouragement along the way until they're trimming down a wave like a pro.

Those are basic steps that everyone knows.... so what's so hard about that?

Well first off I have 2 kids that are completely different. My son is cautious until he gets comfortable with something new but from that moment on theirs no holding him back. My daughter on the other hand charges head first into everything but is easily discouraged by failure.

My daughter is a year and a half younger than my son and about 15 pounds lighter... what this meant in practical terms was that my son had a lot more success and had success more easily than my daughter. Ideally I would have been able wait one more year to teach her but once you teach one you pretty much have to teach the other or can seem like favoritism in your kids (and your wife's) eyes.

You need to gear everything to each kids abilities and temperament. Keeping that in mind here are some tips that should help teaching your kids to bodyboard go more smoothly.

When it stops being fun you're doing something wrong.

This is one of the most important rules in bodyboarding. You bodyboard because you love it. You love it because it's fun. If it was a miserable experience you wouldn't want to do it and neither will your kids.

Remember, these are memories that will last a lifetime... make sure they're good ones.

Your board is not the right board for them

Once they start progressing from riding whitewash to riding waves they definitely need a board of their own, sized to their body -- feel free to do this as early as you'd like. They should be able to hold onto the front of the board with their hands, elbows propped up on the board with their hips on the board and their legs dangling off of the back. On boards smaller than this they will have trouble riding waves at all. On bigger boards they'll be easily turned sideways and flipped and also be likely to pearl (though hanging their legs off of the back of a larger board adds stability and directional control).

Bigger is not Better

Just because bigger waves are more fun for you doesn't mean they're fun for them. Riding white wash all the way in till they hit sand is an absolute blast for younger kids. As they get a little bigger they can learn to position themselves on their own and take off just in front of a breaking wave.

Remember even knee high peelers can give smaller kids a really good tumble. Unless your kid is an aggressive natural talent I recommend letting them stay at the whitewash stage until age 6 or 7 unless they're pushing you for more.

Confidence is Crucial

Some kids are discouraged by even the smallest tumble. Others can get plowed over and jump up smiling ready for more. If you have a child that is easily discouraged build them up with lots of small successes and praise. You know your child. Just be careful not to push them too far too fast or they could be turned off to body boarding or worse yet develop an unhealthy fear of the ocean.

Safety is Everything

The first thing you need to do is lay down some rules with your kids. The ocean demands respect and it's when you forget that that tragedy strikes.

Our family rules:

• Daddy goes in first and decides if the water is safe before anyone else goes in the water. Here are somethings I consider:
• Are there rip currents.
• Is there a strong side shore current.
• Is there a sucking current pulling under the breaking waves (happens sometimes when waves dump right on shore).
• Are the waves too big or conditions too choppy.
• Is there a drop off where the water goes from very shallow to very deep very quickly (One of our beaches has this at low tide another at high tide... know your beach).
• Is there a lifeguard on duty.
• If I'm teaching one then the other plays on shore (or in shallow water if things are calm) with my wife watching. The one in the water gets my 100% attention. It only takes a moment distraction for a kid to be out of reach and in trouble. The "one in the water at a time rule" also has the added benefit of guaranteeing that by the time the one in the water is tired the other one is dying to get in and learn.
• Orders given in the water are to be followed immediately; argue and you're out of the water immediately. I make sure my kids know that the ocean can be dangerous and that I'm responsible for their safety and that if they don't listen they can get hurt or drowned. They know that if I tell them to do something in the water I'm always serious. I will take an angry, pouting kid over a dead or hurt kid any day.

Don't rush it

Your kids have years and years ahead of them for you to coach them to pro bodyboarding status. Take your time. Enjoys your kids, especially when they're young... these days don't come back again. Remember if you're not having fun you're doing something wrong.

I'd love to hear about your experience teaching your kids and if theirs anything that you found helped.

Please drop a comment.

Thanks, Stay Stoked,
D.H.