Skateboards for 5-Year-Old Kids That Are Safe (2024)

At the age of 5, kids are old enough to start skateboarding but an adult-sized skateboard might be too challenging.

Even though kids can adjust their stance, it’s recommended to get a smaller skateboard at this age. I bought a dozen of skateboards for 5-year-olds and selected a few that are safe and reliable.

Smaller skateboards have benefits and at such a young age I recommend getting a quality skateboard for many reasons which I will address shortly.

So let’s dive into what you need, I’ll recommend a couple of boards and added a few safety tips. All the skateboards here are great choices and tested by me and my son.

Skip directly to the recommended skateboards or learn more about what makes a good skateboard for 5 year old kids.

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What Size Skateboard for 5-Year-Old?

The best skateboard size for a 5-year-old is between 6.5″ and 7.00″. If your kid is a bit taller than average go with a 7.25″. It will make it easier to learn how to skateboard at such a young age.

Note that in skateboard sizes we always talk about the width of a skateboard, length varies but kids skateboards are shorter and narrower in general.

At the age a 5 a kids-sized skateboard is recommended and they do have a couple of benefits. My kid started out on a regular-sized 8.0″ deck but mainly just sitting on one knee and pushing with his other leg.

For this purpose a regular skateboard is fine and to be honest, this is how most skateboarders started out at a young age.

What Are The Benefits Of A Smaller Skateboard?

The benefits of shorter and narrower skateboards are often overlooked. Kids don’t have to adjust their stance on smaller boards and benefit from the extra stability.

Larger boards requires a kid to spread their feet wider apart, offering less stability.

On a regular-sized skateboard (8.0″) kids also have to bend their knees to an almost crouch-like position making it harder to control the board.

One other benefit I noticed is that when kids ride a smaller skateboard, their feet don’t hit the wheels when pushing forward.

This causes your kid to stumble and fall, but with proper protective gear, there’s nothing to worry about.

In the end, a smaller skateboard will make the process of learning a lot easier and more fun.

How to Keep it Safe And Fun

Bright clothing, a helmet, proper shoes and protective gear will keep skateboarding fun and safe. I also find it reassuring knowing my kid wears a full set of protective gear and is highly visible.

In general, 5 years old is still a bit young to start skateboarding but with proper supervision and the right gear, it’s certainly possible to start skating at such a young age.

Usually, kids just sit on a skateboard with one knee and push the board forward with their other foot.

Depending on where you live traffic can be dangerous. Kids are so small that they are easily overlooked so please keep your eyes on your child and not on your phone.

Helmet, Knee Pads, Wrist Guards

The most important gear you really should get is a helmet. I also recommend knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, and even skate shoes that offer grip and more control.

Getting a combo package which contains all the protective gear you need is relatively cheaper. You get a quality kids skateboard, a helmet, knee pads, wrist guards, and elbow pads.

It might seem expensive but it’s a one-time investment. Check my recommended protective gear for kids.

Buying proper protective gear is a must, it will also keep your kid motivated. Once your kid makes a nasty fall without proper protective gear there’s a possibility they’ll give up.

Avoid Cheap Skateboards

Stay away from the really cheap stuff. You often see these $30 complete skateboards which look really cool, but the reality is that they are unsafe.

I bought about 10 of these cheap and popular Amazon skateboards and was a bit shocked by the quality.

They consist of super hard wheels that make a lot of noise and don’t spin. Overall these boards are flimsy and break sooner than later.

The picture below shows how poor the wood quality is, this skateboard arrived delaminated.

It’s up to you of course, but there’s a big chance you’ll return the board because of broken bearings, slippery wheels, or deformed decks. Also, stay away from those cheap plastic skateboards, these are accidents waiting to happen.

There is a huge difference between an quality skateboard and cheap knockoffs. The only time my kid really injured himself was when he was riding a cheap plastic skateboard.

He’s used to premium quality skateboards for kids (the benefit of owning a skateboard blog) and didn’t realize the $15 skateboard he was riding was unsafe.

Skateboards for 5-Year-Olds We Recommend

You can either go for a cruiser type of skateboard or a regular skateboard but I would advise against cheap or plastic boards.

The problem with the cheaper skateboards is that components like trucks and bearings can break. This results in blocking wheels and the board coming to a sudden stop.

Low-quality boards delaminate and chip fairly easy, not to mention that they quickly develop a sharp tail, also known as razor tail.

Fortunately, all the components can be replaced, you don’t have to be a complete new skateboard if parts are showing signs of wear and tear. Here are a couple of boards I recommend:

1. Skate XS Skateboard

SkateXS offers awesome skateboards and in my opinion the best skateboards for 5-year-olds. Their skateboards are assembled with young kids in mind and of superb quality. No other brand offers this kind of setup.

What We Like About This Skateboard

You get soft wheels (90A), a quality deck with awesome graphics for boys and girls, quality bearings, and durable trucks.

The more expensive SkateXS boards come with better components, but the basic version is just fine for beginners.

Tap/click for larger images

The wheels are softer compared to regular skateboard wheels which makes the ride more forgiving on crusty asphalt or rough surfaces. They also perform well on slick surfaces but most importantly, they can handle cracks and pebbles.

This skateboard turns well and is easy to correct by younger kids because it is adjusted to their weight which is unique. A skateboard that’s easier to control is a safe skateboard.

Because SkateXS has been building kids skateboard for over a decade, they know exactly what younger kids need. They offer safe and fun boards for a decent price, starting at $119.95 USD.

Check out their skateboards at SkateXS. You can even add a name to make it extra special.

What We Don’t Like

Honestly, there isn’t anything to dislike. These skateboards are so well put together that I really can’t think of anything.

They are a bit more expensive compared to the other skateboards, but the quality you get is unmatched. By far the number 1 kids skateboard you can get. In my opinion this skateboard is a 10 out of 10.

2. Meow Skateboards

Meow offers the cutest graphics, those kittens are adorable and I don’t even like cats (sorry). I think they did a great job with the wheels, they are perfect for riding rougher streets and don’t make a lot of noise.

It comes with Meow branded trucks and 90a 52mm wheels. Which means they are soft and grippy.

What We Like About This Skateboard

This is a good choice for beginners kids, mainly because it does what it’s supposed to, and it’s cheap. It’s a decent board but not as great as the other ones listed.

A great choice for a 5-year-old though. The wheels are bigger and softer than the other boards on this list which makes it a very stable ride. It deals well with cracks, pebbles, and tiny objects.

What We Don’t Like

We had some issues with the wheels and bearings at first but I was able to fix it using a bit of silicon lube on the bearings.

I also had to adjust the axle nuts which sat a bit too close to the wheels. After that, we experienced no further issues. Pick size 7.0″ for a 5 to 6 year old. Currently available on Amazon

3. Santa Cruz Skateboard

Santa Cruz is one of the most reliable and oldest skateboard brands, and has decades of experience building skateboards. Founded in 1973 by NHS, they are still very popular to this day.

Santa Cruz builds quality skateboards that are reliable and safe, they offer a wide range for kids of every age.

This is the exact skateboard my kid rides and he’s having a blast. I really like that it doesn’t make much noise and can deal with rough surfaces and small obstacles.

What We Like About This Skateboard

The wheels are quite soft and roll over small rocks without any issues, you don’t want the wheels to block and proper wheels really make a difference.

The trucks perfectly match the width of the deck, so no wheels sticking out and no risk of your kid’s back foot coming into contact with the wheels when pushing the board forward.

Tap/click for larger images

Bullet trucks are reasonably good trucks, they are checked for any deformation and don’t cause a skateboard to steer in one direction.

The OJ Slimeball wheels are great for skating streets and skate parks. The hardness is around 97a which makes them grippy and less noisy.

The diameter is 53mm which is exactly right for a skateboard this size. No risk of the deck coming into contact with the wheels on sharp turns.

The deck has a medium concave, which is the curvature across the deck’s surface and helps to maintain grip when moving your feet around.

Check for prices and availability of Santa Cruz skateboards on Amazon (affiliate link).

What We Don’t Like

The deck is made of birch and produced by NHS. They stand for their quality control and their decks are constantly monitored and tested during production.

However, recently NHS decided to produce birch decks instead of maple. Birch is less durable and offers less pop.

So instead, you get of 7 layers of birch but you pay the same price as before, if not more. it really is the biggest con of this skateboard and I hope Santa Cruz comes to their senses.

4. Enjoi skateboards

Enjoi offers many skateboards for kids between ages 5 and 12, great quality parts, and safe for kids to use. They offer several graphics suitable for both girls and boys like panda’s, cats, dogs, and butterflies (nothing inappropriate).

Enjoi offers kids skateboards with softer wheels and allows for easier turning. Overall a decent quality skateboard with awesome graphics.

What We Like About This Skateboard

They can be a bit more expensive but you get a great setup. The boards are made of quality maple wood and standard trucks, wheels, and bearings.

They are skate-ready, right out of the box but I recommend checking how it rides first and tweaking the trucks a bit. You can make them tighter or looser depending on what your kid prefers, this impact how well the board turn.

What We Don’t Like

The trucks are very loose because of the soft bushings. Loose trucks make skateboards turn more but at the expense of stability. Tighter trucks will make it less jittery and more stable.

I suggest experimenting a bit after your kid skated for a few hours. You really need to tweak the trucks to get the most out of this skateboard.

The wheels are rather hard and less suitable for rough roads. They work fine in concrete skate parks though. Pick size 7.0″ or 7.25″ when your kid is taller than average.

Check Amazon for prices.

Conclusion

There are many options these days for 5-year-old beginner skateboarders. Avoid the cheap skateboards as they are frustrating to ride and often delaminate.

While a kid-sized skateboard isn’t always necessary at the age of 5 it’s really hard for a kid to ride adult-sized boards. Make sure to get some decent protective gear, at least get a helmet!

Supervise your kid at all time and make sure they wear bright clothing and protective gear.