Snowboarding and skiing are both considered high-velocity sports and vary in skill requirements for kids. Snowboarding incorporates a stance similar to skateboarding with a rider's feet strapped to the snowboard sideways and centered across the width of the board. Snowboarders primarily use their back foot to guide the snowboard down hill. Snowboarding does not require as much gear as skiing and has grown in popularity since it first became an event in the 1998 Olympics, according to ABC-of-snowboarding.com.
Differences
Skiing, considered easier to learn, demands more time to advance to a higher skill level. Snowboarding, harder to learn, does not take as much time to master difficult skills. Skiers use poles and hard-shell boots to remain upright and centered over their skis. Snowboard boots are softer than ski boots and snowboarders must rely on core strength to remain upright and balanced.
Effects of Child Development
Balance can be challenging for children because a child's head represents a greater proportion of weight to his overall body weight. Effects caused by this disproportion in development are tipping, or falling over, and leaning back. Because snowboard boots are softer than ski boots, a child can not rely on the same calf support offered by hard-shell boots. Depending on your child's development and balance, it is recommended children learn to snowboard after the age of 6. However, with private one-on-one instruction kids can learn to snowboard at an earlier age.
Hazards
Because snowboarders extend their hands when falling, common injuries associated with the sport include sprain or fracture to the wrist and strain or dislocation to the shoulder. Another common injury includes pain based on impact to the tailbone area from falling backward. Risk of concussion or head injury typically increases when a snowboarder advances in skill level and takes jumps or rides in the snowboard park.
Considerations
Recommended safety gear for snowboarding includes wearing a helmet, wrist guards and padded shorts to protect the base of the spine. Helmets reduce the effects of impact on the brain and wrist guards offer rigid support to hands and wrist.
Expert Insight
While children can learn to snowboard on their own, enrolling them in a snowboard school will teach the basics while they have fun. Most ski resorts offer group snowboard instruction to children starting at age 5. In the U.S. snowboard instructors are certified by the American Association of Snowboard Instructors. Formal snowboard instruction focuses on stopping, turning and falling safely to avoid injury. Developing stopping and turning skills allows your child to avoid collisions with fixed objects and other snowboarders and skiers while learning to fall correctly teaches your child how to avoid injury to the limbs.
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