How to Do Scooter Tricks for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide

Worried you'll fall or look silly? Every rider you admire started with the exact same wobble. These scooter tricks for beginners are ordered easiest-first, so you build real confidence before you attempt anything that leaves the ground. No pressure, no skipping ahead — just steady progression, one trick at a time.

By the end of this guide you'll know the three foundation skills every rider needs first, your first five tricks in the order to learn them, the gear that matters, and how to set yourself up to practise more (which is the real secret to landing tricks). One rule before trick number one: helmet and pads on, every session. Non-negotiable.

INDO was invented in 2018 by a 9-year-old rider named Aleksi who was obsessed with tricks but couldn't practise at home. So we get it — the hardest part of progression isn't talent, it's reps. This guide is built to give you more of them.

Before Your First Trick — Safety Gear & Setup

Tricks come with the territory of action sports, and a few minutes of setup keeps the fun going. Gear up every time, even for the easy stuff:

• Helmet — certified and properly fitted. This is the one piece you never ride without.
• Wrist guards — your hands hit the ground first in almost every fall.
• Knee and elbow pads — confidence comes easier when you're not scared of the ground.

Then check your setup. Find a flat, traffic-free surface with room around you. Make sure your bars and clamp are tight before you roll — a loose deck is the fastest way to lose a session. If you're a parent reading this for your kid: this is exactly the bit that lets riders try things without wrecking the house or their nerves. A stable, predictable platform under their feet is what turns "I'm scared to try" into "watch this."

Gear sorted? Good. Now let's build the skills that make every trick possible.

Master These 3 Foundations First

Here's what most beginner guides skip: tricks are built on readiness skills, not the other way round. Nail these three and learning how to do scooter tricks gets dramatically faster.

1. Balance & rolling stance

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, lead foot forward, knees soft. Your weight sits centred over the deck — not too far forward, not hanging off the back. This neutral stance is home base for every trick on this list. If your feet feel wrong, fix that first (see our guide to correct foot placement).

2. Controlled stopping

Before you go fast, learn to stop calmly — rear brake plus a controlled foot-down. Knowing you can stop on command is what lets you commit to a trick instead of bailing halfway. Confidence is a skill, and stopping is where it starts.

3. The bunny hop

This is your gateway move. Almost every trick that follows is a bunny hop with something added on top. Get comfortable lifting the whole scooter off the ground in one motion and you've unlocked the door.

Practising on a stable deck makes every one of these steps easier — see the INDO trick scooter, built for repping balance and motion at home, any day, any weather.

Easy Scooter Tricks for Beginners (Easiest → Hardest)

This is your progression ladder. Learn them in this order — each trick teaches a skill the next one needs. Here's the full sequence at a glance:

1. Bunny Hop
2. Manual (front-wheel lift)
3. 180 Bunny Hop
4. Hop Whip (half tailwhip)
5. The Tailwhip

Now let's break each one down. Three steps, one common mistake, and one cue to know you've got it.

1. Bunny Hop

1. Roll at a slow, steady pace in your neutral stance.
2. Bend your knees, then spring up — pulling the bars up with you.
3. Lift your feet so the whole scooter leaves the ground, then land soft with bent knees.

Common mistake: pulling up with arms only. The hop comes from your legs and your jump — the bars just follow.

You've got it when: all four — both wheels and both feet — clear the ground at the same moment.

2. Manual (front-wheel lift)

1. Roll forward, shift your weight slightly toward your back foot.
2. Gently pull the bars up to lift the front wheel.
3. Hold the balance point, then set the front wheel back down under control.

Common mistake: yanking too hard and looping out the back. Small, controlled lift — find the balance point, don't blast past it.

You've got it when: you can roll several metres with the front wheel up and land it on your terms.

3. 180 Bunny Hop

1. Set up a clean bunny hop.
2. As you leave the ground, turn your head and shoulders in the direction you want to spin.
3. Let the scooter follow your body 180 degrees, then land in switch (riding the opposite way).

Common mistake: trying to force the spin with the bars instead of leading with your eyes and shoulders.

You've got it when: you land facing the other way without putting a foot down to catch the spin.

4. Hop Whip (half tailwhip)

1. Bunny hop, then kick the deck around with your back foot so it swings halfway.
2. Keep your eyes on the deck as it travels.
3. Catch it with your feet at the halfway point and ride out.

Common mistake: jumping forward instead of straight up — you need height and time for the deck to travel.

You've got it when: the kick feels controlled and you can catch the deck consistently halfway round.

5. The Tailwhip (the milestone trick)

1. Bunny hop with real height, then kick the deck into a full rotation around the bars.
2. Track the deck with your eyes the whole way round.
3. Catch it with both feet as it comes back under you and absorb the landing with bent knees.

Common mistake: looking away mid-rotation. Watch the deck — your feet land where your eyes lead.

You've got it when: the deck completes a full circle and you ride away clean. That's the moment. For the full breakdown, read our dedicated guide on how to do a tailwhip.

Want more once you've cleared the ladder? Here's our full list of scooter tricks to keep progressing.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Scooter Tricks?

Honest answer: it depends on how often you practise, not on natural talent. Most beginners get a clean bunny hop within a few days of consistent reps. A manual and a 180 usually come together over a couple of weeks. The tailwhip is a milestone — riders often spend several weeks chipping away at it before it clicks, and that's completely normal.

The single biggest factor is practice frequency. Riders who get reps in every day progress far faster than riders who only ride on the occasional good-weather weekend. That's the whole reason INDO exists — turning "I'll practise when I can" into "I practise every day." More reps, more progression.

Does the Scooter Matter? Choosing a Beginner Setup

It does. A wobbly, heavy department-store scooter fights you the whole way and holds beginners back. When you're choosing a setup to learn on, look for:

• The right size — deck and bar height matched to the rider, especially for kids. A scooter that's too big is unrideable; too small and it's twitchy.
• Manageable weight — light enough to hop, pull, and whip without a wrestling match.
• A stable, predictable platform — the more consistent your setup feels underfoot, the faster you commit to tricks.

Why INDO suits first-timers

Here's the thing weather and floors don't care about: your progression. INDO is a wheeless trick scooter — a balance training platform engineered specifically for scooter trick mechanics, with a patented rocker base. It lets you practise the balance and motion behind real tricks indoors, without wheels and without damaging your home, and it's trampoline compatible when you want to take it outside. Invented by a rider, built for riders, ages 6+. It's not a replacement for your outdoor scooter — it's how you get the reps in that make every outdoor session better. From your first balance to advanced tricks, INDO grows with you.

If you're weighing up the right tool to practise on, our guide to the best scooter for practicing tricks breaks it down.

Ready to get more reps in? See the INDO trick scooter →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the easiest trick to do on a scooter?

The bunny hop is the easiest real trick to learn and the foundation for nearly everything else. You roll slowly, bend your knees, spring up, and lift the whole scooter off the ground at once. Most beginners land a clean bunny hop within a few days of regular practice.

What are the best trick scooters for kids?

The best beginner setup is correctly sized for the rider, light enough to handle, and stable enough to build confidence on. INDO is a wheeless trick scooter built for riders aged 6+ to practise balance and tricks at home — invented by a 9-year-old rider, so it's made for kids by understanding how kids actually progress.

What's the hardest scooter trick for a beginner to learn?

Of the beginner ladder, the tailwhip is the milestone — kicking the deck through a full rotation and catching it again. It usually takes several weeks of consistent practice. Build up through the bunny hop, manual, 180, and hop whip first, and the tailwhip becomes far more achievable.

How do I stop being scared to try tricks?

Fear usually means you've skipped a step. Drop back to a trick you've already got, gear up so a fall doesn't worry you, and rep the motion somewhere stable until it feels automatic. Confidence is built one small win at a time — every rider felt that first wobble too.