For parents who didn’t grow up in skateparks with kids 2 and up.
Our kids love their pads for skateparks and pump tracks—our five-year-old doesn’t like taking them off. When kids fall and get back up unhurt, their confidence grows, obviously they don’t think as much about the crash. Kids aged 2 to 5 are lightweight and durable; while many ride without pads, ours like the extra comfort and it helped keep them involved. Finding pads that fit kids under 5 is difficult.
Pads
- Kneepads: Second only to helmets, legs usually hit the ground when we crash bikes. Adult elbow pads work great as knee pads for kids 2 and up, also offering shin protection to prevent pedal-to-shin contact. The Demon Hyper X D30 Elbow Pad is a good one. They fit well and provide excellent protection. Our 5-year-old has been using a size small since age 2, he is just outgrowing them. Check the size chart, the Velcro strap at the top is a great help as well. Even if they slip down a bit, they’re long enough to rest on top of the sneaker and still protect effectively.
- Chest Protector: Check the Demon United Lil’ Ripper Kid’s Padded top. This comes in a combo with the padded shorts as well.
- Padded Shorts: Check the Demon United Lil’ Ripper Kid’s Padded shorts. These are also great for keeping the learning curve comfortable.
- Elbow Pads: The Demon United Lil’ Ripper Kid’s Padded top covers the elbows and arms. Good fitting elbow pads are rare for this age group and often cause more discomfort and hassle than protection, as most falls involve knees and butts. I am not saying anything here beyond the Lil’ Ripper Padded top as we never found any elbow pads we were satisfied with and for us it has been a non-issue.
- Gloves: Getting gloves on little kids can be tough. Our older child wore them from ages 5 to 9, at which point he started liking the feel without gloves as he became more skilled.
Minor crashes are common as kids learn skatepark skills, and how you react shapes how they handle them. Stay close with the little ones when they start riding and try to spot them on obstacles.