Let’s face it: snowboarding is a dangerous sport, especially for children, so it’s understandable that parents are hesitant to let their children enjoy this extreme sport; snowboarding has higher injury risks than downhill skiing. Fortunately, kids can still enjoy the extreme sport without risking limbs or lives, thanks to the wide range of snowboarding flash games available on online sites.

Also, kids can learn many lessons about snowboarding, sports safety, and sportsmanship as a snowboarder when they play these games. Imagine the benefits of playing a single game for 30 minutes a day; after all, playing fosters learning.

Snowboarding as a sport

Of course, snowboarding flash games are based on the extreme sport of snowboarding, and designers add elements that increase the realism of the games. Think white snow, high slopes, and safe snowboarding gear, all of which are captured in great detail in the games.

Kids, the most avid players of snowboarding games, will be encouraged to learn more about snowboarding just to get a better feel for the sport. Parents, in turn, can provide information about the sport, which can serve as another bonding moment for the family.

Snowboarding is a winter sport developed in the United States in the 1960s, though it was only included in the Winter Olympics in 1998. Snowboarders descend a snow-covered slope while standing on a board; the latter is attached to the rider’s feet with special boots attached to its mounted joint. Think skiing, sledding, and skateboarding, all of which served as inspiration for the sport, albeit with specialized equipment.

snowboarding styles

By playing snowboarding games kids will also learn that snowboarding has various styles. Each of these styles involved specialized equipment, a fact reflected in the options provided by game designers from style to equipment.

The most popular styles are:

• Jibbing. This involves walking, sliding, and jumping on any surface other than snow, such as rails, benches, and concrete ledges, hence its popularity in places like snowboard parks.

• Free driving. This is referred to as all-round snowboarding due to its emphasis on using the random flow of the terrain to the benefit of the rider. This is also the most common style used in snowboarding games due to the challenges it presents to the player/rider.

• Free style. This involves performing tricks in which the rider uses both natural and man-made features (ie logs, rocks, and rails) to perform tricks. This is different from alpine snowboarding because of the creativity that goes into it.

• Slopestyle. This is probably the most exciting style, hence its popularity in snowboarding games. Riders perform tricks while descending a slope or terrain features (ie, moving around, through, over, up, and down).

• Great air. This is what it sounds like: Riders perform airborne tricks (i.e. big air) while striving for considerable height and distance from the jump off point.

• Half tube. This is snowboarding over a semicircular ditch while performing tricks. Riders are supposed to perform tricks while sliding from side to side, as well as in the air.

• Snowboard races. Among all the snowboarding games, this is the most popular among children for obvious reasons: for example, a winner can be easily determined.

And then there is the fact that snowboarding games promote the value of sportsmanship among children. After all, being a stylish winner or loser is more important than winning the gold medal.