skateboard & scooter safety

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has set guidelines for when children should be allowed to use scooters and skateboards. Children should be at least 5 before being allowed to ride a scooter and no younger than 10 before taking up skateboarding. Here are tips to help keep your kids safe when they do "hit the bricks" on these zippy outdoor toys.

Kids should wear full protective gear before going out to ride. This means a helmet, wrist guards, and knee pads--regardless of your child's skill level.

Children should be discouraged from skateboarding or scootering in the street or in other public places, like open squares and plazas.

Set boundaries for your kids about risky tricks or stunts, but also encourage patience when they are trying to learn an appropriate new trick.

If your child wants to try challenging tricks, take them to a skateboard park. According to the AAP these parks "are more likely to be monitored for safety than ramps and jumps constructed by children at home."

Protective padding--when paired with long-sleeved shirts and pants or longer shorts--can protect your child in a fall. You can also help them avoid serious injuries by teaching them the proper way to fall off their scooter or skateboard.

Never let kids ride their skateboard or scooter in bare feet or in sandals.

Check out these tips on scooter safety from The American College of Emergency Physicians. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has the following facts on skateboarding injuries and skateboard safety.