Windsurfing is a cross between surfing and sailing that has been created for those who love both sports greatly.  Many children learn windsurfing while on a vacation and just look to continue learning once they return home.  Participants go around a set course in a triangle configuration; the first one to complete the course is the winner.  Other forms of competition are a slalom racecourse that runs only downwind where the sailors must maneuver around buoys and wave sailing in which sailors are judged based on aerial skills, tricks, and board handling. 

Windsurfing builds upper and lower body strength as well as increases endurance, improves balance and increases coordination.  Windsurfing also tends to be a stress reliever and greats a sense of peacefulness in the surfer.  Surfers also learn a great sense of independence and self-reliance since they are on the water by themselves.  Children who tend to excel at windsurfing tend to rely on balance rather than strength.  Those children who excel at windsurfing must learn the fundamentals of sailing and catching the wind, as well as mastering their own perseverance and commitment skills. 

Some children start windsurfing as young as 6 years old, however they should be able to swim well before starting windsurfing.  Many children start learning windsurfing when they are in their teens and due to dedication are able to quickly catch up to their peers.  Your child needs to have some good upper body strength in order to pick up the sail and get going.  It typically takes a great many falls before they master pulling the sail up without straining their muscles. 

When you look for a program look for one that teaches all levels of windsurfing so that your child can stay with the same instructors that they learn to trust.  You should also look for an instructor that is certified by U.S. Windsurfing so that they are trained on all of the latest techniques.  There are two forms of windsurfing, light-wind, and high-wind.  Children should always learn light-wind first as it is easier to learn, which makes it ideal for beginners.  In lightweight there are two styles of windsurfing, the first is cruising which is done with winds of 10 knots of less, which can easily support ones weight while not moving.  Freestyle is the other style, which involves doing a variety of tricks, turns and spins with the board and sail. 

High-wind windsurfing involves surfing with a smaller board and much higher speeds of winds.  In order to control the board at high speeds you need to have a great amount of agility as well as quick reflexes.  There are three major forms of high-wind windsurfing which include slalom, bump and jump, and waves.  Windsurfing itself is a relatively safe sport as long as appropriate safety measures are followed. 

You should ensure your child wears a wetsuit when windsurfing so that it will help protect against the elements, as well as help reduce scrapes as your child climbs up onto the board again.  Beginners should learn appropriate safety moves before learning advanced moves to ensure that safety is a top priority.  Windsurfing is a very expensive sport with a complete board setup costing upwards of $2,000 easily for the boom, boar, sail, mast, and mast base.  If you purchase used equipment it is possible to save as much as half or more off the cost of the equipment.  You will also need a rack for your car so you can transport the board.  While it is possible to rent gear, if you plan on windsurfing often, it can be more expensive to rent with equipment costing as much as $100 a day in the cheaper areas.  The only other major piece of equipment that is necessary is a wetsuit, which can cost up to $200.  If your child is older when they start they will not need numerous suits, however younger children are likely to outgrow several suits.