3 Reasons Why Kids are Awesome Surfers
“He’s at that age where he’s good at anything athletic that he tries. Are all kids such effortless surfers?” his father asked in awe.
I laughed. I was teaching a surf lesson for a couple and their 13-year-old son and the father’s comment was quite accurate. While he and his wife hesitantly caught waves boogie-board-style, the son looked as if he had been born to surf. He wiped out on his first wave and then rode every other wave like a pro.
This is a consistent theme in many of the lessons we teach – kids are absolute naturals in the water! They hardly need instruction, pick it up quickly, and are ready to charge even when bigger sets come through. The parents, on the other hand, are often more unsure about the experience and are much slower to nail the pop-up. 
So why are kids so successful at surfing? Here are the top 4 reasons why learning to surf as a kid is ideal:
1. Kids are fast learners.
Studies show that as our ability to learn new skills declines as we age. According to researcher Scott H. Young, our mental processing speeds slow down and it takes longer to absorb new information. Additionally, older bodies are often less flexible and strong. Kids are prime candidates for learning new sports – agile, lean and muscular with quick mental processing. Get them in the water and they’ll be hangin’ ten before you know it! 😁
2. Kids are time millionaires.
Outdoor hobbies are great for kids! It gets them off the screens, away from technology and also out experiencing nature. Most children have extra time on their hands, especially in the summer! This provides the perfect opportunity for them to master a hobby. The saying goes, “it takes 10,000 hours to master something” and since kids have so much free time, they could be very experienced surfers by the time they are young adults! Just ask two-time winner of the World Title, John John Florence. He learned to surf at age 2 and was competing at Pipeline by 13!
3. Kids have unlimited energy.
How many times a day do you look at your child and say, “go get some wiggles out”, “bring the energy level down”, or “sit still”? Since surfing is a very physically active sport, kids get a great full-body workout! So next time your child needs to expend some energy, give them a foamie and bring them to the beach. I can almost guarantee they will sleep on the ride home!
Surf Camps
Our goal isn’t necessarily to raise world champs here at Encinitas Surf Lessons, but we do want your child to have fun, enjoy nature, and stay active. Surfing is truly the best hobby your child can get into (not that we’re biased or anything 😅). We love to share the stoke and get as many little groms out in the lineup as possible!
Our Summer Surf Camps are an awesome way for your child to learn to surf! We offer full, half-day and drop-in options to work with your busy schedule. Our energetic and experienced staff will also teach your child fun beach games and ocean conservation methods between waves!
Want to get the whole family out there instead?
Book a lesson for you and the kids at one of our 5 beaches across San Diego County. Our instructors will meet you at the beach with boards and wetsuits. We’ll have your kids (and hopefully you 😉) shredding in no time!
