After putting your favorite summer pastime on hold for the past few years, it’s time to get back into water sports. Not only is it time for you to get back on the wakeboard, but it’s time to introduce your kids to the wonderful world of water sports as well.
Now that it’s time to introduce your kids to your favorite water sports, you’re probably wondering, “How do I introduce them to these sports?” Lucky for you, we have the answers to that question.
We’re here to help you introduce your kids to all of our favorite water sports. We want them to enjoy these sports just as much as the rest of us so we must be strategic. Keep reading to see our recommended strategy to introduce kids to water sports.
Start with a tube
When I say “start with a tube” I’m not saying take your kid on the craziest tube ride possible. I’m saying go with them on a slow and fun tube ride. A great tube to start out with is a couch-style tube. These are comfortable and typically less intimidating for young ones on the water
In the beginning, the slower the speed the better. This will ensure that you don’t scare any kids and ruin their desire to learn. As they get more comfortable on the tube, you can add more speed and make it a little harder. When they're ready, you can move them to a deck-style tube to make it more fun.
Tubing is your first step to introducing children to water sports. Though, they may end up loving tubing more than the others in the end.
Now try trainer skis
After mastering the tubes, it’s time to try trainer skis. These skis are meant to give kids the feel of getting up with two skis while having them connected to make it easier. This way kids don’t have to worry about trying to hold their feet together until they are comfortable.
When your kids are ready, you can remove the attachment that is placed between the skis and have two separate skis. This will teach kids how to ski and will give them a challenge when they’re ready for it. This is a great second step for getting your kids into water sports
test out the kneeboard
This step could be swapped for the second step. However, I think it fits better as a third step. Kneeboarding is a simple and easy way to get kids to enjoy water sports. It’s not too difficult to get up on a kneeboard, yet it offers some challenges.
Kids can challenge themselves to go outside of the wake or stay inside the wake. Kneeboarding is a fun way to get kids behind the boat and in the water.
it's time for wakeboarding
With tubing, trainer skis, and kneeboarding all mastered, it’s time to get your little one on a wakeboard. The great thing about wakeboarding is that once they figure out how to turn the board, it’s fairly easy to pop up out of the water.
The difficult part about wakeboarding is not catching an edge because this never feels great. Wakeboarding offers more of a challenge for thrill-seeking kids who need more than just a tube. Wakeboarding can be a simple sport or they can begin to challenge themselves with tricks.
Kids have their own lineup of boards so they can pick the one that they love the most. These board come in different styles as well to give kids the best opportunity to succeed based on their skill level.
Wakesurfing...why so late?
You may be wondering why wakesurfing is showing up so late to the game. There are a few reasons that make wakesurfing intimidating for young kids. The first thing being how close you are to the boat. Though towboats are built for safe wakesurfing, this can be an intimidating thing for a young kid.
The next possible struggle is popping the board out of the water. This can be very difficult for a smaller kid. These are the reasons that make wakesurfing move towards the bottom of the list. It’s important to remember that not every child is the same and some might find wakesurfing easier than wakeboarding.
The great part about wakesurfing is that it’s low impact. You won’t have to worry too much about injuries and painful falls. This is a fun sport to teach kids after they have an understanding of how to get up on a board or trainer skis.
Slalom skis
And finally, slalom skiing. This takes a lot of balance and skill to do, which is why I’d recommend trying this last with your kids. It’s fun once someone figures it out. However, the learning curve isn’t quite as fun.
Slalom skiing will take a lot of practice to perfect the difficult sport. For kids who have the desire to learn this fun watersport, this is a fun and unique sport. Maybe one day this will lead to barefooting as well.
We hope your kids enjoy water sports
Following this strategy to get your kids into water sports is a great way to introduce them to any and all water sports. A good rule of thumb to follow to keep kids enjoying water sports is to start slowly and only add speed once they are comfortable.
Also, make sure your kids have the correct gear to fit them. If a board or vest is too big, it can do more damage than good which isn’t something you want to happen. For help with sizing and gear options, visit our website or give us a call. We’re here to help you and your kids enjoy time on the water.