If you are a San Diego parent trying to decide whether or not surfing is the right sport for your child, you may be wondering what skillset surfing will provide your youngster beyond the purely physical. Like all parents, you want your kid to develop into a happy, healthy, and successful individual, and providing them with the right toolbox is of utmost importance to you. 

Sports like soccer and basketball are great for teaching young kids the importance of sharing and teamwork, but what lessons does surfing teach? And are those lessons worthwhile? The short answer is yes.

Surfers need to be patient, resilient, creative and kind. Here at Surf Education Academy, we view the ocean as our Dojo, and empower our students to make sound decisions both in and out of the water. In addition to the basic fundamentals of surfing, students will gain valuable information about ocean safety and independence, marine science specific to our local coastal areas, and environmental conservation and stewardship.

Surfing is a great way to teach children the virtues of patience and reflection, but perhaps more importantly, surfing will fill their life with purpose. Let’s dive a little deeper (so to speak) into the three primary non-physical life skills your child will learn as they progress with their surfing. 

Reflect and correct

Surfing is one of the best sports for a child to practice experiential learning, a term coined by early 20th century philosopher John Dewey. Dewey, who is now world-renowned among educators, believed that learners gain knowledge through direct experience and targeted reflection. 

For example, when you catch a wave and then fall off your board while trying to make a maneuver, you’re naturally going to wonder what you could/should have done differently to be successful. As you strategize in your mind on the paddle back out, you will eventually learn to apply these new ideas and corrections on the next couple of rides. This “reflect and correct” learning is a perfect example of Dewey’s theory in motion.  

Surf Education Academy coaches, all of whom are certified by the International Surfing Association, are familiar with the tenants of experiential education. We work to empower surfers to engage in their own targeted reflection in order to speed up their progress along surfing’s steep learning curve.

When you sign your child up for a private lesson or summer surf camp, you can expect your kid to be in a state of constant learning while they build new skills throughout their time with Surf Education Academy.

Patience is a virtue

Surfing will contribute to the mental and emotional development of your child for a number of reasons, but primarily because they will be spending so much time interacting with nature and the elements. In fact, water sports like surfing often trigger the release of beneficial “feel-good” neurochemicals like endorphins that result in a calm and peaceful mood, thus cultivating patience.

Even in consistent and predictable San Diego surf, you can expect plenty of lulls between set waves, allowing ample time for sitting and waiting. So what to do during that downtime? Surfers learn to observe their surrounding environment while also noting the ever-changing surf conditions. They will be forced to ask questions like:

What is the wind doing? Is it blowing onshore or offshore? Which direction is the current taking me? Was that a dolphin or sea lion that just surfaced on the horizon? Where is the next rideable wave likely to appear?

Being adaptable is a very important life skill, and surfing certainly teaches individuals how to ebb and flow with their surroundings. At Surf Education Academy’s surf camps, students will build new skills in patience and observation by learning how to become one with the ocean.

Purpose-driven practice

Surfing provides a unique opportunity for students to foster an independent relationship with nature through hands-on experience. The life lessons gained from surfing run a range of character traits which support healthy development and 21st century skills.

Surfing, at its core, is about momentum and intention. If you’re not moving, the ocean is going to move you. If you’re slow to decision making, you’re likely to miss out on valuable surfing opportunities. San Diego is chock-full of surfing opportunities ripe for the picking, but surfers who lack purpose are likely to miss their chance.

Surfing with purpose means setting your intentions and digging in for the best parts of your wave. Over time, students will begin to recognize that purpose-driven surfing leads to purpose-driven living, as purpose begins to meld into other areas of their life.

So why choose a session with SEA? Surfing with us can provide a holistic teaching and learning experience which is likely to spark a lifetime of joy spent among friends and family in the great outdoors!