Kids Surfing Program

Kids Surfing Program

Throughout their growth and maturation, children develop muscular strength and stamina, balance, coordination, agility and body awareness. For this reason, 7ª Essência created the Kids Program, a surfing and bodyboarding program designed specifically for children from 7 to 11 years of age, where the child’s developmental stage and all of its other needs are taken into account.

In the Kids Program, classes include lots of games and activities that take into account both age and technical level of each child, so that they learn in a way that is exciting, fun, unique and effective.

The lessons take place on the weekends at the beaches of Carcavelos, Guincho and/or Saúde. During school holidays, Surf and Bodyboard lessons are also taught during the week and may include surf trips outside the region of Lisbon.

As the main concerns of 7ª Essência are the safety and quality of teaching, class time is always adjusted to sea conditions.

Teaching Methodology for Surf and Bodyboard Lessons for Kids

The teaching methods used are centred around the psychomotor development of each child and are targeted to their individual needs. With this in mind, to give individually oriented instruction, in effective and safe classes, we have established six levels of learning with the following set of level-specific goals.

Beginners levels

SurfBodyboard

Level 0

Introduction and maintenance of equipment
Safety rules
Reading the environmental conditions
Environmental and nature protection sensitization
Adaptation to the aquatic environment and equipment
Bodysurfing

Level 1

Positioning techniques on the board
Paddling techniques
Prone positionProne position
White waves (foam) turningWhite waves (foam) turning
Basic take off

Level 2

Autonomy in the water
Correct surfing positionTake off
White waves (foam) turning standing upDrop
Bottom turn

Improvement levels

SurfingBoardboarding

Level 3

AutonomyDuck dive
Turtle (roll on)Triming
Pop upCut back

Level 4

Positioning on the outside360º
Choosing and catching waves
Duck dive
Drop
Bottom turn

Level 5

Top turnEl Rollo
TrimmingLinking tricks and manoeuvers
Tricks and maneuvers