A grom's first surfboard should prioritize stability and buoyancy over speed, since a wider, thicker board makes catching waves and standing up much easier. Board length should scale with the young surfer's height and weight, and soft top boards offer extra safety during early sessions. Tide timing and basic camera features can also improve the learning experience and help track progress. Picking the right gear early on builds confidence and keeps the sport enjoyable from the very first lesson.
Watching a young surfer catch their first wave is one of the best parts of spending time in the water. Getting there starts with the right board, but it also helps to know what a grom is in surfing before picking one out, since the wrong size or shape can turn an exciting first lesson into a frustrating one.
Ohana Surf Project regularly works with young surfers in Waikiki. Choosing a board that matches a child's size and skill level makes a noticeable difference in how quickly they progress.
A grom is a term surfers use for a younger or newer rider, often a child or teen still building basic skills in the water. The word gets used casually across most surf communities, and it's meant with affection rather than as a knock on ability.
For a grom, the surfboard matters just as much as the lesson itself. A board that's too small or too narrow makes paddling and balance much harder, which can slow down progress and take some of the fun out of early sessions.
A wider, more stable board gives a young surfer a better shot at standing up and staying up, which builds confidence early and keeps the learning curve from feeling discouraging.
Board sizing for a grom comes down to a mix of height, weight, and current skill level. A board that's too long is hard to maneuver, while one that's too short sacrifices the stability a beginner needs.
A few general guidelines help narrow down the right fit:
Soft top boards, sometimes called foam boards, use a soft foam deck instead of a hard fiberglass one. That softer surface makes a real difference for young surfers who are still learning to fall safely and get back on the board.
A soft top also floats a little higher in the water, which helps with paddling speed and makes catching smaller waves easier. Many surf schools, including lessons built specifically for younger riders, start beginners on soft top boards before moving to a harder board once basic skills feel more natural.
Private surfing lessons in Waikiki often use this same progression, starting a young surfer on a stable, forgiving board before introducing anything more advanced.
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Board choice matters, but tide timing plays a role in a young surfer's experience too. What tide is best for surfing depends on the beach, though a mid tide, somewhere between low and high, tends to offer the most consistent and manageable waves for beginners.
Low tide can expose reef or sandbars closer to the surface, which adds risk for a less experienced rider still learning to read the water. High tide sometimes creates deeper water with fewer defined waves, making it harder for a beginner to catch anything rideable.
Checking local tide charts before a session helps set a young surfer up for a smoother, safer experience overall.
Once a grom starts catching waves consistently, capturing those moments on camera becomes a fun way to track progress. A few features matter most when choosing a camera built for surfing:
Progress in surfing rarely happens overnight, and that holds especially true for young surfers still building basic skills. Repetition matters more than any single piece of gear, since paddling, balance, and timing all improve with practice over time.
Short, frequent sessions tend to work better than long, infrequent ones for keeping a young surfer engaged and motivated. Celebrating small wins, like standing up for even a few seconds, helps keep the sport feeling fun rather than like a chore.
Parents and instructors alike play a role here too. A calm, encouraging presence in the water goes a long way toward helping a nervous beginner relax and focus on the basics instead of worrying about falling.
A young surfer's board takes a beating between drops, dings, and everyday wear, so a bit of care extends its life:
Choosing the right board for a grom sets the tone for how enjoyable and successful those early sessions will be. Between size, shape, tide timing, and a bit of gear knowledge, young surfers have a much easier time building real skills in the water.
Ohana Surf Project has seen firsthand how the right setup turns a nervous first-timer into a confident young surfer in just a few sessions. Ready to get your young surfer started? Reach out to our team and book a lesson built around their skill level.
A grom is a term used for a younger or newer surfer, often a child or teen still building basic skills. The word is used casually and affectionately across most surf communities.
A board between six and eight feet, with extra width and thickness, tends to work well for young beginners. That combination adds stability and buoyancy, making it easier to paddle and stand up.
Soft top boards use a foam deck that's gentler during falls and easier to balance on than a hard fiberglass board. They also float a bit higher, which helps with paddling and catching smaller waves.
Sean has a lifetime of surfing experience, including surfing professionally on the ASP, PSAA, and the ASP East pro surfing tours. He has over 20 years of coaching and teaching surfing experience to his credit and is the creator of the Level Up system of surf instruction. In addition to surfing, he practices and teaches Kung Fu and other martial arts, which he began studying when he was just five years old. Sean incorporates martial arts-based philosophical and technical approaches into his surfing and coaching fundamentals.
