It’s only natural for children to want to learn all the big kid tricks that they see at the skatepark, but you need to keep them safe by starting them off with beginner-friendly tricks so they can strengthen their skill and confidence. Once they’ve mastered the beginners, they can move on to the more hotshot tricks!
Keep reading for our four favorite beginner scooter tricks that kids can try, and get yourselves down to the nearest skatepark.
- The tail grab
One of the easiest tricks to teach your child is the tail grab, which is where they hold the tail end of their scooter for a second while jumping in the air.
The best way to start with this trick is to perfect your jumps. You need plenty of space underneath the scooter to perform the trick, so skate uphill at a relatively quick pace, and when you get to the top, jump with your knees bent and lean back slightly. Once you can do this and stick the landing, you can move on to the actual trick.
Once you’re happy with that, when you’re in the air at the top of your jump, release one hand from the handlebars and grab the back of the deck. Let go before you land and practice getting your feet back on the deck so you can finish the trick with a glide.
- The tail whip
The tail whip is another jumping trick where the deck will spin beneath you all the way around before you stick the landing. Most kids love this one because it looks a lot harder than it is, so it’s a great trick for beginners!
Again, you’ll need to be able to jump as high as you can, so practise this until you’re confident with your height. Once you’re happy, jump really high and kick the deck with the back of your foot so the deck spins 360 degrees beneath you. Most scooters will spin really fast, so make sure your ankles don’t get in the way! Wait until the deck comes underneath your feet and try to land on it while bending your knees before riding off.
The land will be much more difficult to perfect than the whip, so don’t be discouraged if it takes you a while to get the finish. Some beginners find it best to start with small bunny hops to work up to the tail whip, so take your time with this one.
- The bunny hop
The bunny hop is actually one of the easiest moves for beginners to learn, but it can give kids a great sense of self confidence and satisfaction. Simply ride your scooter at a comfortable speed and attempt to jump while holding the handlebars steady so both you and the scooter get off the ground. Your feet might not even need to leave the deck!
On landing, make sure you bend your knees slightly so you don’t buckle them and injure yourself. Keep practising until you’re confident with your bunny hops, as you can use them in a lot of other scooter tricks in the future!
- The wheelie
The wheelie is another classic trick that many children love because of how cool it looks. And the great news is that the wheelie actually looks harder than it is, so mastering it often doesn’t take too long at all.
To practice a wheelie, you’ll need a slope or ramp that you can ride uphill confidently on. Once you’ve got your speed up as much as you can, slide back on the deck as far as you can go while keeping your feet on the pegs of your scooter. Now pull on the handlebars while leaning back until the front of the scooter gently lifts. Once you’re ready to finish the wheelie, lean forward to replace both wheels back on the ground.
Wheelies are simple to perform, but they require perfect balance to make sure you don’t fall. Some children might experience a hit to their confidence when trying to learn this trick, so it’s important to remind them that accidents are always going to happen and that practice often means progress.
Final thoughts
Scooter tricks often look difficult and almost impossible to complete for the average rider, but we all have to start somewhere! Children learning from an early age are more likely to be able to complete more advanced tricks as they grow up, so we’re big advocates for learning while you’re young! Start off with the bunny hop and graduate to the wheelie, tail grab, and more. Good luck and have fun!
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