Are surf schools child-friendly?
Children are known for their energy and desire for discovery, so the beach is an ideal place for them. The ocean, waves, sand and water fascinate them as much as they can frighten them, and can thus become a playground as exciting as it is frightening. So what’s the best way to satisfy their thirst for surfing while keeping them safe? Introducing them to surfing, of course!
Surfing at low tide: an ideal setting for children
At Lacanau, the shape of the beach and its undulations mean that at high tide, waves can break close to the shore. This means that keeping the water at waist level can be difficult for a child. One of the conditions favored by the surf school is low tide surfing. During low tide, waves form further from shore and arrive at the shore with less power, creating a more controllable environment for the little ones. With this in mind, at Ocean Ride, all children’s courses are offered at a time of day close to low tide. In this way, children have their feet as far back as possible and are less frightened by the big waves.
Learning at your own pace and in a good mood
Children’s surfing lessons at Ocean Ride are divided into two categories to ensure that learning is adapted to children’s age and abilities. We distinguish between “MINIS” (5 to 7 years), with a maximum of 6 children per surf lesson, and “KIDS” (8 to 11 years), with a maximum of 8 children per lesson. In these conditions, socialization and play are easily accessible to children, as they meet up on the beach with other children, and this can become “their moment of the day”. The “stage” formula, offering one lesson a day for 5 days, enables them to meet up with the same friends at the same time every day.
Adapted facilities and qualified instructors
As well as learning to surf with children of their own age, they are supervised by 2 people: a qualified surf instructor with coastal rescue and first aid training, and experience with all types of public including children. The instructor is accompanied by an assistant instructor. Accustomed to the ocean, he or she helps children get fitted for equipment, carry surfboards, move them in the water and push them into small waves so they can surf. He or she also plays an animating role in cooperation with the qualified instructor. So there are 2 supervisors for every 6 children in MINIS classes and 2 supervisors for every 8 children in KIDS classes.
Safety remains a top priority, with lessons that include warm-up exercises, techniques for getting up on the board and instructions on how to react in the event of a fall. In addition, children learn the fundamental rules of surfing, such as respecting other surfers and reading the ocean.
The equipment used is also adapted: large, stable boards adapted to each child’s size, protective full-body wetsuits and initiation in areas where the waves are small and not very powerful.
So yes, surf schools are well suited to children, if not actually designed to accommodate them in a safe environment. At Ocean Ride, we take to heart the idea of passing on our passion to young people and sharing with them the beautiful values of surfing, mutual aid and resilience.
