Risky Tricks are for Kids!

Fear & determination show in his face, as he stands at the side of the bowl, wondering if he’ll make it, wondering how much it will hurt if he doesn’t, wondering if he’ll look sketchy as he tries to land. Everybody’s watching. His heart is pumping a million times a second. He gulps, he breathes, he goes, he lands.

Why in the world would anybody choose this adrenaline rush? To be scared by choice? To pursue a pastime that may or may not land you in the hospital? Over & over?

Turns out the answer is biology. Neurobiology and adolescent development to be exact. The brain of a teen is still finishing off, and develops from back to front. Without getting too technical, the areas that are responsible for the following, in order of ‘finishing’:

1) Physical Coordination
2) Emotion
3) Motivation
4) Judgement

Hmmmm. Is it a surprise, then, the drive for emotionally stimulating physical feats is so great before wise judgement is developed? As a matter of fact, we might not ever have tried anything at all if our judgement was developed first.  Teens's brains need those experiences in order to wire the brain for judgement, thereby finishing it out.  Can you think of any other emotionally stimulating physical experiences that teens have a drive for that might not be so beneficial to their overall or long term health? Drugs? Alcohol? Risky Sex? Crime?  This mom will take risky tricks for her kids at the bowl any day.

Click here for more detailed information on risky teen behavior & a really cool diagram of the developing teen brain.

Math & Science at Play

The cry of many educators, businesses, and the general public is that our children have little to no working knowledge of mathematics & the sciences. But math & science are what made our country great! The understanding & use of math & science to solve everyday problems propelled our country to inventions that many have not only emulated, but have now surpassed us in their practical applications. Many of these inventors started in their backyards as kids, wondering “what if?” & “how can I build...?” with many important mistakes along the way.

• How many kids get the chance to dream up, draw, plan, build, then test their designs?
• How many kids get the chance to use measurements in a project that they then get to use everyday?
• How many kids get to consider physics as they plan how fast gravity pull is, then experience it for themselves?
• How many kids get to consider geometry as they physically experience the difference of varying planes & angles?
• How many kids to make a mistake that costs them their own time, money, and frustration, so that the next time they measure once, cut twice?

Skaters & bikers do! In a refreshingly “old school” way, they are constantly taking into consideration speed, angles starting/ending points, etc. in their riding, and the majority of them end up taking the next step of building a home ramp or two, which is just what our family has been up to the last few months. While it was a blast to build together, it was also a study in math, science, and patience; all skills the world could use more of.

Here’s the finished product:


On a larger scale, pros do this too! In April 2011, the team from Built to Shred joined forces with San Francisco’s Exploratorium to create an amazing, interactive exhibit, “Skateboard Science”. Click on links to see how the big boys roll, and a few hints on tricks from a science perspective.