The Wave, Bristol: Beginner Lesson for Kids – what’s it like?

This summer, we set ourselves a little challenge – to learn to surf. Well, obviously not Rhino, he’s been at it for 35 years and has long since hung up his competitive belt. But for some reason, after years of dabbling in the waves, this summer was the moment when it all clicked for our little ones, and with me wanting to get in there too, we set ourselves a summer surf challenge and The Wave, Bristol was calling us.

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With their new found passion to get in the water and master the waves, we surprised Koko for her birthday and booked a session for both girls at The Wave, Bristol. And it was a long time coming, after having to postpone the session due to Covid.

Hats off to the team at the Wave though, when Koko spiked a temperature overnight on the eve of their morning surf session, we sent an email to cancel at 7am and by 7:14am, a gift voucher had landed in our inbox for us to rebook the session.

Smashing customer service, before we’d even got them there.

And it continued. A second time, I hesitated that I’d booked the wrong session (Beginner session, rather than lesson) and once again, the team of Wave Makers were super helpful in sorting this out.

Choosing the right session really is key to getting the best out of your experience at The Wave, and you can find out more about each option with this guide on The Wave’s website. The option to book a lesson with appropriate coaching, is not just for beginners, but also for the Waikiki and Intermediate waves and is a great option, if you feel like you need a little extra guidance in the water, or even if it is your first time in the pool.

So after months of anticipation, Kitty (7) was frothing to get in and Koko (11) was starting to feel a bit anxious. She didn’t know what to expect, even though she had visited as a spectator when The Wave first opened back in October 2019, and she has surfed every day of swell this summer.

Surfing in a wave pool was new for her.

And she was nervous about getting in the water without us, for the first time.

We watched The Wave’s clear and informative pre-session video the evening before our session, packed up their kit and talked them through the set up of the pool, the bay, the rip, and how to get off safely onto a hard surface.

And then Koko’s eyes started sparkling with excitement.

Adrenaline-fuelled hearts were pulsing at bedtime and with an early start ahead, they drifted off into a wave inspired dreamland.

Beginner Lesson at The Wave, Bristol – what to expect.

The beginner lesson has a minimum age of 6, and little ones need to be able to swim 25m unaided. So if your little one is just getting used to the waves, check out the ‘Play in the Bay’ sessions for under 6’s.

• Get there early

When booking, The Wave states that you need to arrive one hour before your session time. And when you get there, it’s clear to see why. The car park is a good 1km to the entrance (so don’t forget their wheels to help those little feet!) and whilst the registration process is a super smooth and quick operation, by the time you get in, get suited up, and take a look around, it’s almost time to start. So, be on time.

• The ‘Beginner Lesson’ is the same for kids and adults.

When booking, there is a different category for kids, because their rate is discounted, and I wrongly assumed that the kids would be in a different group for their lesson, to any adult beginners. Separate groups would definitely be a good option for kids whose parents aren’t going in with them (ours were the only two without guardians in their group). That said, the mixed option is great for families wishing to surf together, if you are all at the same beginner level. We just didn’t fall into that category.

• Wetsuits and boards are provided, but you can also take your own.

Kitty chose to use one of The Wave’s boards at first, but about half way into the session, she swapped to her own, much lighter foamy. Whilst the larger board helped her balance, it was too heavy for her to manoeuvre in the water on her own and she had much more success after switching. Just like in the sea, choosing the right board can make a big difference to your surf.

• Clean one foot wavelets.

The waves are small and clean with enough power for little ones and even not so little beginners on their generous 9′ foamies. The smiling adults in there were also catching plenty of these waves.

• The lesson is 90 minutes (30 minutes on land, 60 minutes in the water)

The first 30 minutes (land lesson) covered a safety briefing, terminology for parts of the board, tips on paddling, techniques on how to pop up and their 4-3-2-1 mantra (you’ll find out when you get there). Basically everything you need to get started. This was a helpful reminder for the girls, but more useful for complete beginners. It was a fun warm up, was an effective ice-breaker for the group and set the wheels in motion for the session in ‘The Bay’.

The 60 minutes in the water was broken into sets of waves. The still period between sets allowed both the water and heart rates to settle, whilst also helping to regain some order in the line up. Kitty (127cm) found The Bay too deep in parts and the instructors were there to help her line up and give her a generous push into the waves. And this really was the reason we changed our booking from the beginner session to the lesson. Kitty, right now, is too small and not a strong enough paddler to surf unassisted, and whilst the girls didn’t really need the 30 minute land lesson, it was the only option to get them in the water with some assistance, without us booking a beginner’s spot of our own.

We stood on the side, watching, cheering them on, worried by the look on her face that Koko wasn’t having the best time and sort of wishing we could have gone in to help them paddle out. I guess that’s the protective parental instinct within. And after one final set, and a Koko & Kitty party wave, the 60 minute lesson came to an end.

Then they got out.

Their faces were beaming.

And they were still beaming when they went to bed later that night.

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Rhino has surfed at The Wave, Bristol several times since it opened and has always left the water on a high. And yet, this experience for the girls exceeded our expectations in ways we hadn’t even considered.

Their confidence shot through the roof after their first surf without their top coach, Rhino. And the environment and ethos at The Wave, fuelled their passion for surfing in bounds. We spent a few hours after the session, hanging out and soaking up the relaxed atmosphere.

In fact, we were so relaxed as we made our way back to the van, that we completely forgot to pick up our boards, leaving them sat, abandoned on the shore! Turning around at the van, Koko and Kitty were delighted that they got to skate the 1km snaking path all over again and indulge in a little more spectating.

Both the pier and the sides of the pool offer a perfect spot for surf watch, allowing you to get up so close to the waves, and their riders, that you almost feel like you’re in there yourself. With crystal clear viewing of the surfing, rather than the usual straining to see from the shoreline, you can watch the intricacies of each wave, each surfer, each move and you can learn heaps!

This is such an asset.

It’s like a live lesson tutorial. It allows the little ones to get inspired watching others ride the waves of the Intermediate, Advanced and Expert sessions. And gives them a chance to consider technique, to walk through the wave in their mind, whilst also giving them something to aim for and reassurance ahead of their next session.

After all her initial worries, Koko watched the lovely Waikiki wave for 30 minutes, learning how it breaks, when to pop up, when to fall off, and felt she could comfortably manage it next time, with a little more practice. Her familiarity with the pool and the confidence she had gained from that beginner lesson, turned her into a completely different ‘The Wave’ surfer.

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Surf session aside, The Wave, Bristol is just such an awesome place. The site offers so much more than the surf session, and you can easily spend the best part of a day there, like we did. And all for just £2 per person as a spectator pass.

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The new play area is great to keep the kids entertained for hours and the delicious pop up food options really hit that spot at lunch. There is a wide range of merch and apparel in the shop and Koko and Kitty are now proud representatives of The Wave, Bristol in their new tees.

The site is vast and there is plenty of space and freedom to skate the smooth, rolling pathways, which Koko and Kitty loved as much as the surf itself.

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It really does tick all the boxes.

The whole set up of The Wave is such an absolute gift for UK surfers – a place to ease the frustration of those flat swell periods, a way to reserve your own waves away from those crowded summer beach breaks and a place which fully embraces and promotes all that is great about this sport, in all the right ways.

It is a gift for all surfers.

But it is especially magical in what it offers our groms.

How many of our more experienced surfers would have loved having this on their doorstep growing up? Rhino is one for sure. How much would it have shaped their aptitude in surfing? Allowed them to hone a technique, or pack in the waves before a comp. And mostly, allowed them to hang out in a place with like-minded surfers and fully indulge in their passion, in an environment that promotes the benefits of an outdoor, active lifestyle alongside a conscious commitment to sustainability.

This next generation of super lucky groms will have access to this incredible resource, to perfect their craft, and further fuel their fire for the waves.

And just as surfing makes its Olympic début, The Wave gets a shiny Gold medal from us.

The Wave opens an exciting door for UK surfers, be they young or young at heart. And behind that exciting door, is the warmest possible welcome to what is an ever growing, ever more talented surfing community.

We are so lucky to have this on our doorstep.

Huge thanks to all the Wave Makers at The Wave, Bristol, for all the stoke-fuelled smiles from our day.

Family Rhino will certainly be back.

Haven’t booked your spot yet? Get in quickly here.