Best Skateboards for a 6-Year-Olds That Are Safe | Bought & Tested

Picking a skateboard for a 6-year-old child is not easy, mainly because there is so much junk out there that is often unsafe and made of low quality parts. Sure they look nice, fancy graphics, colorful grip tape, but looks can be deceiving. So let’s look at the best skateboards for 6-year old kids that are safe and tested by us.

6 years old is a great age to start skateboarding and actually the recommended age by The American Academy of Pediatrics. Though this depends heavily on the development of your child, not every 6-year old kid is the same. Some are ready at the age of 5 and others at the age of 7.

While you don’t have to spend 150 bucks on a professional skateboard, a decent skateboard will cost between 70 and 120 USD. So let’s dive into what you need, I’ll recommend a couple of boards and tell you what works and what doesn’t. This post is part of a series about the best skateboards for kids.

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What Size Skateboard for 6-Year-Old?

The ideal skateboard size for a 6-year-old is between 7.0″ and  7.5″. Go with a 7.5 if your kid is taller than average or you want something that will last for years. By the time kids reach the age of 10 it’s time to get a bigger board.

Larger boards also work but don’t get anything wider than 8.0″. It will take a bit more time for kids to get used to wider boards, by bending their knees and riding in a crouch-like position kids compensate for larger sized skateboards.

So what about length? This varies but a 7.0″ is shorter than a 7.5″, and a 7.5″ is shorter than an 8.0″. Reputable brands designed boards specific for younger kids but the length may vary slightly.=

Even though kids can learn to ride an adult-sized skateboard, a smaller deck makes it easier for children to control a skateboard. My son used to ride an 8.0 but I noticed he was able to learn faster on a smaller deck.

He didn’t have to overcompensate his stance anymore and I noticed it was easier to push his new skateboard. Before he got a smaller board, his push foot often came into contact with the rear wheels causing him to lose his balance. Not a big deal but a smaller skateboard does make it easier.

From a budget perspective, you could decide to go with a slightly larger skateboard, your kid will adjust but it just takes more time. A 7.75″ or 8.0″ will last for years and you can always replace the components like wheels, trucks, and bearings.

In the end, a smaller skateboard will make the process of learning a lot easier. Here is a table with some general guidelines but take it with a grain of salt:

Age	Kid height	Skateboard width
5 or under	3’4 or under	6.5″ to 7.0″
6 to 8	3’5 to 4’4	7.0″ to 8.0″
9-12	4’5 to 5’2	7.5″ to 8.0″
13 and over	5’3 or over	8.0″ and over

Best Skateboards for 6-Year-Olds

I always recommend assembling a skateboard yourself but I can imagine this might be a bit of a challenge. Applying grip tape might be a bit challenging the first time but it’s not that difficult if done correctly. There are tons of youtube videos that explain how to do this.

Shops can often help you out and do it for you, so if you have a local skate shop, make sure to pay them a visit when possible. Let’s have a look at a few skateboards that will work, personally tested by my kid and even me.

1. Skate XS Complete

Right on top is the SkateXS complete skateboard which is far superior to all the boards listed on this page, and not even that expensive. Most kids skateboards are made of lower quality birch these days to save costs, but not this one.

The deck construction consists of bamboo combined with maple, making it a very durable deck and more environmentally friendly. The wheels are softer compared to most kids skateboards so they don’t get stuck in cracks or blocked by pebbles. The softer wheels also makes it easier to control, making it less likely to fall.

The lightweight trucks are of high quality and offer a predicatable turn. The bushings are specifically picked for 6 year olds and help to make it easier to control the skateboard when turning.

It comes with decent mini logo bearings that are just as good as the top brands. On top of that you can choose to customize your board. Pick colorfull wheels and kid friendly graphics, or even add a name. They start at $119,95 USD and are in my opinion the best you can get. Visit SkateXS for more info.

2. Santa Cruz Complete

We have this board for a couple of years now and so far it’s holding up great. The combination of a smaller deck with softer wheels and softer bushings makes this a very forgiving ride. Bushings are the plastic cone-barrel shaped tubes that make the board turn.

Softer bushings help to turn the board and correct the direction of a skateboard. If they are too hard your kid is going to have a harder time adjusting his stance.

Santa Cruz offers several skateboards designed for kids. Super micro sized board (5 to 6 years old) have very soft 83A wheels and 90a bushings. Softer bushings help to make the board turn better and correct the direction.The same goes for micro and mini skateboards (7 to 9). Regular sized Santa Cruz completes come with 95A wheels and (still fairly soft) and 95A bushings.

You can take this board to a local skatepark and it also performs well on pavements and crusty asphalt. It deals well with small objects like twigs, rocks, and cracks so your kids won’t lose their balance. The hardness of wheels is important, harder wheels just make it harder to learn to ride and they make a lot of noise.

Standard ABEC 3 rated bearings, hardware, Bullet trucks, and grip tape. Check for prices and availability of Santa Cruz skateboards on Amazon.

3. Powell Peralta Golden Dragon

This is a very popular board for kids, and it’s the exact same board like the Team Positiv skateboard (number 4) but with a different graphic, and it’s slightly smaller.

At 7.625″ it’s a good choice if you want a skateboard that can last for a couple of years. Even though it’s slightly wider than recommended, your kid will adjust. This size will work for kids from 6 to 10 years old.

The wheels are 54mm in diameter and the hardness (or durometer) is 99a. This makes them more suitable for riding slick surfaces and skate parks. The wheels can handle crusty asphalt but are not meant for cruising long distances. It comes with standard trucks that can take some abuse.

This is a good choice for beginners and kids,  it’s a decent board but not for jumping 5-stairs. Make sure to inspect the board when it arrives. Check if the wheels spin properly, if not loosen the nut on the truck axle just a little bit. This goes for any board listed here, always inspect it first before the first ride.  Available on Amazon.

4. Magneto Mini Cruiser

Magneto offers reasonable (kids) skateboards for a fair price. Sure this not a pro skateboard but it’s great for both kids and beginners.

It comes with big soft 60mm wheels that basically ignore cracks and pebbels, you don’t have to worry about the wheels getting blocked and you kid being launched forward.

The trucks are rather loose so depending on your kids preference you might want to adjust them a little. My kid had no issues at all and thinks it’s a fun board. It’s not his favorite but we do have quite a collection by now and his comparison to my Comet Cruiser is a bit unfair (a $60 board vs a $350 skateboard).

Anyway, this is a solid choice, it turns well, is very lightweight and is perfect for kids. Magneto offers more skateboards, I haven’t tested them but considering this deck is cheap and performs well, I see no reasons why not to go for one of their boards. Check my harsh but fair review.

5. Positiv Team Skateboard

This is a slightly larger board which you could consider if you don’t want to buy a new skateboard every 2 years. Don’t be fooled by the 5-star rating though, I’ll give it 3.5 tops but don’t let that discourage you.

Kids won’t be jumping 5-stairs or grind concrete ledges, and I don’t think this board was made for that. It will work for a while but I suspect it will wear quite quickly.

However, it’s great for riding in parks and streets and perfect for that purpose. The softer wheels roll over small objects with ease and it doesn’t get stuck in cracks.

It turns surprisingly well and the trucks are decent enough to last for years. Great beginner skateboard setup for kids that offers lots of stability. and a comfy ride. Check Amazon for current prices.

6. Arbor Pocket Rocket

I really love this board and it’s the best on this list. It’s super small but very stable and the wheels are awesome. Compared to the Magneto this board is so much better.

Everything about this board is right and the great thing is, adults can ride this one as well as long as you have some experience. This cruiser skateboard is more expensive, and perhaps too expensive for a 6-year old. However, this cruiser will last a decade and is perfect for smaller riders.

After a couple of years, your kid can decide if he wants to either cruise and get a longboard, or go for a popsicle skateboard and learn more technical tricks. Overall this is the best and safest board on this list. You get quality Paris trucks, great Arbor Bogart wheels that ride buttery smooth, awesome deck that is quite flat which helps to maintain stability.

This board isn’t for tricks but great for commuting, riding around the playground, or pavement. It handles rough surfaces extremely well, no need to worry about the wheels getting blocked. Most of the time it just rides over tiny pebbles or even launches them out of the way. It’s a great board but 170 bucks for a kid skateboard is a bit much in my opinion. Check out Arbor boards on Amazon.

Protective Gear for 6-Year-Olds

The one thing you should absolutely get is a helmet! If you want something safe and trustworthy go for an ASTM certified helmet. Noncertified helmets or cheaper helmets also work, it doesn’t mean that they are unsafe but often they are uncomfortable.

If a helmet is uncomfortable or starts to hurt after a while your child may want to remove it when you’re not around. Make sure your kid is supervised at all time!

You also have helmets that can be used for both skateboarding and riding a bike. This means you need to look for an ASTM and CSPC certified helmet. Check out my helmet recommendations just remember that a skateboard helmet needs to protect the back of the head.

I would also recommend knee pads, wrist guards, and elbow pads. You can often get combo packs for a fair price, here is the Protec combo set my son uses.

Conclusion

There are many options these days for 6-year-old beginner skateboarders but make sure to avoid cheap skateboards under 40-50 bucks. They are frustrating to ride, parts break often after a couple of rides, and the bearings are of very low quality.

Get a quality board and make a smart investment, they are safe, long lasting and the components are quite easy to replace. You don’t need a kid-sized skateboard but it does help your kid to learn how to ride. The downside is that you probably have to buy a new skateboard every 3 years.