Buying a skateboard for a kid sounds simple until you stand in the aisle staring at twenty decks that all look identical. The truth is that the right board depends almost entirely on your child’s age, size, and what they actually want to do, which is usually some mix of cruising the driveway, rolling to a friend’s house, and eventually trying to ollie off a curb. Get the size wrong and a five-year-old ends up fighting a board that is too wide to control, while a confident ten-year-old outgrows a tiny plastic cruiser in a single summer.
We are a hands-on review site, which means every board on this page is a real, currently available model, not a spec sheet we copied off a marketplace listing. We have rolled these around, handed them to kids of different ages, and paid attention to the things parents care about: stability for a first-timer, weight a small child can carry, wheels that grip a rough sidewalk, and hardware that survives being dropped on concrete a hundred times. Where a board is genuinely better for one kind of rider than another, we say so plainly.
Below you will find eight picks, each with a clear best-for label, then a quick by-use-case section if you already know what you need, an expanded what-to-look-for guide so you can shop confidently on your own, and answers to the questions parents ask us most. If you want to go deeper on fit, our guide on how to choose a skateboard for your child walks through it step by step.
Top picks at a glance
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Kids Skateboards by use case
Best for little kids
For toddlers and preschoolers, lower and lighter wins every time. A short plastic cruiser like the Playshion 22-inch mini cruiser sits close to the ground, weighs almost nothing, and rolls over sidewalk cracks on soft wheels, so a small child can step on without panicking. Keep the goal simple here: balance and confidence, not tricks. If your child is right on the line between sizes, our breakdown of what size skateboard suits each age helps you avoid going too big too soon.
Best beginner complete
Once a kid can balance and wants a board that feels like a real skateboard, step up to a maple complete. The Beleev 31-inch complete is our go-to for ages five to eight because it pairs a stable deck width with grippy concave and a sensible truck setup, so beginners learn good habits instead of fighting their gear. It is forgiving enough for the driveway but capable enough for a first trip to the park. New to all of this? Start with our guide to choosing a kid’s skateboard.
Best for learning tricks
Tricks need a proper popsicle-shape street deck with real pop, not a cruiser. The ENJOI youth complete is shaped and set up for ollies and flips in a width that fits kids under twelve, which makes the early learning curve a lot less frustrating. A kid trying to learn a kickflip on a soft-wheeled cruiser will struggle, so matching the board to the goal matters. For older or bigger tweens ready to size up, see our best skateboards for teenagers.
Best budget
You do not have to spend a fortune to avoid buying a toy. The Cal 7 complete delivers a genuine maple deck, metal trucks, and usable bearings at a price that makes sense when you are not yet sure how into skating your kid will be. It is the honest budget pick because it is a real skateboard, not a flimsy big-box imitation. If your child catches the bug, you can upgrade wheels and bearings later. Compare it against our other skateboard picks before you decide.
What to look for
- Deck width by age: Width matters far more than length for control. Toddlers and small kids do best around 6.5 to 7.5 inches, kids roughly 6 to 10 suit 7.0 to 7.5 inches, and most tweens move up to 7.5 to 8.0 inches. Too wide and a small foot cannot work the board.
- Complete vs. building your own: For nearly every kid, buy a pre-assembled complete. It is set up correctly, costs less than buying parts separately, and removes guesswork. Building from individual components is for committed older riders with specific preferences.
- Soft vs. hard wheels: Soft, larger wheels (cruiser style) grip rough sidewalks, roll over cracks, and feel stable, which is ideal for cruising and little kids. Harder, smaller wheels are for tricks and smooth park surfaces. Match the wheel to what your kid will actually do.
- Trucks: The metal axles that turn the board should be metal, not plastic, and sized to the deck width. Loosen them slightly for an unstable beginner so the board does not dart, and tighten as the child gains confidence and wants to carve.
- Bearings: These determine how smoothly the wheels spin. You do not need expensive bearings for a kid, but you want real ones that roll freely; cheap seized bearings make a board feel like it has the brakes on and discourage beginners fast.
- Safety gear: A properly fitted helmet is non-negotiable, and we strongly recommend wrist guards, knee pads, and elbow pads for beginners, since the wrists and knees take the first fall almost every time. Good gear keeps a scary first wipeout from ending the hobby.
- Durability and weight: A board lives outside, gets dropped, and gets ridden hard. Look for a real maple deck and solid hardware that survives abuse, but keep total weight low enough that your child can comfortably carry the board themselves.
A closer look at each pick
RIMABLE 22-inch Plastic Cruiser
Toddlers and tiny first-timers
At 22 inches with a low, flexy plastic deck, this sits close to the ground so a nervous toddler can step on and off without fear. It is light enough for a three- or four-year-old to carry and cheap enough that you will not flinch when it gets left in the yard.
Beleev 31-inch Complete
Kids 5 to 8 learning the basics
The 31-inch maple deck and grippy concave give early riders a stable, true-skateboard feel without jumping to a full 8-inch street deck. It is our default recommendation for a child who has outgrown a plastic cruiser but is not doing tricks yet.
Element Youth Complete
All-around kids who want one good board
Element builds youth completes on a quality maple deck with real trucks and bearings, so it cruises, handles a skatepark, and holds up to daily abuse. It is the do-everything pick for a kid who is serious but still growing.
ENJOI Youth Complete
Kids under 12 learning tricks
A proper popsicle-shape street deck in a youth-friendly width, set up so a kid can actually learn to ollie and flip. The pop and shape are tuned for tricks rather than just rolling around.
Magneto Mini Cruiser
A cruiser for kids who just want to roll
Soft, wide wheels and a small kicktail make this a smooth, forgiving ride for sidewalks and short trips, not a trick board. Great for the kid whose goal is to get from A to B and have fun doing it.
Cal 7 Complete Skateboard
Budget without buying a toy
Cal 7 hits a low price while still giving you a real maple deck, metal trucks, and decent bearings, which is rare under its price point. A smart pick when you are not sure how committed your kid is yet.
Playshion 22-inch Mini Cruiser
Plastic mini-cruiser for little ones
A lightweight 22-inch plastic deck with soft wheels that rolls smoothly over cracks little kids would otherwise trip on. Easy to carry, easy to balance, and forgiving when it tips over.
Powell Peralta Golden Dragon Mini Complete
Tween moving into real street skating
A respected skate brand’s mini complete with a true street setup, ideal for a tween who has graduated past beginner boards and wants something that performs at the park. Built to take real ollies and grinds.
Guides & related reads
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Frequently asked questions
What size skateboard should I get for my child?
Go by deck width, not length. Toddlers and small kids do well around 6.5 to 7.5 inches, kids roughly 6 to 10 years old suit about 7.0 to 7.5 inches, and most tweens move up to 7.5 to 8.0 inches. A board that is too wide is hard for small feet to control, so when in doubt, size down rather than up. Our age-by-size guide covers this in detail.
What is the best first skateboard for a young child?
For toddlers and preschoolers, a short plastic mini-cruiser like the Playshion or RIMABLE 22-inch is ideal because it sits low, weighs little, and rolls on soft wheels that handle cracks. Once your child can balance and wants a real skateboard feel, step up to a maple complete such as the Beleev 31-inch. The goal at first is confidence, not tricks.
Do kids need a cruiser or a regular skateboard?
It depends on the goal. If your child mainly wants to roll around the neighborhood, a cruiser like the Magneto mini with soft wheels is smoother and more forgiving. If they want to learn ollies and flips, get a popsicle-shape street complete like the ENJOI youth, because soft cruiser wheels and shapes make tricks much harder to learn.
What safety gear does my kid actually need?
A properly fitted helmet is essential and should never be skipped. Beyond that, we strongly recommend wrist guards, knee pads, and elbow pads for beginners, because the wrists and knees almost always take the first fall. Good protective gear keeps an early wipeout from being the thing that ends the hobby.
How much should I spend on a kid’s skateboard?
You can get a genuine, well-built kids’ complete without overspending. A budget pick like the Cal 7 gives you a real maple deck, metal trucks, and usable bearings at a low price, which is plenty for a kid who is still deciding how much they love skating. Avoid the cheapest big-box toy boards, since flimsy plastic trucks and seized bearings make skating frustrating and can be unsafe.