Tips to teaching kids to ice skate

[Eddie_Shack]

We took the kids ice skating for the first time this winter at the outdoor rink downtown (daughter 5, stepson 8) and they weren't that impressed. Granted, the downtown rink is crowded as hell and very cold. So we took them to an indoor rink recently and they loved it. Our boy is very uncoordinated, unathletic, and usually unmotivated to do any sort of physical activity but not only does he love it (learning slowly, but making progress) but he's starting to ask about playing hockey. My daughter loves it too, although she has yet to really leave the skate-mate.

Now I have only taken them about five or six times, and so I was wondering if you guys had any pointers for teaching young kids to skate. No one really taught me (hence my poor skating ability, ha) but I do alright out there. I try not to "helicopter parent" the kids and just let them do their thing, but I don't really want them to learn bad form either. I make sure they aren't ankle bending out there, but other than that I kind of let them do their own thing. My daughter tends to "run" with the skate mate, instead of pushing and sliding... I can't really get her to stop, but again I don't press too hard because she's only been skating a few times.

Any advice guys? Should I just let them have at it, or are there a few things I should kind of focus on? Right now they are just having fun and that's good enough for me, I figure if I have taken them 20 or so times and my daughter is still "running" maybe I need to start grilling her.

 

[PhillyPhaithful48]

I picked up rollerblading first. I know they are completely different, but I taught myself to rollerblade at a really young age. When I was invited to an ice skating party for the first time, I wasnt bad at all. By the 3rd time i went I was a pro.

Only advice I can give is tie their skates tight. His ankles are going to bend, especially like you said he is uncoordinated and un-athletic.

Repetition should do the trick, as it is hard to explain skating styles over text and not in person.

 

[PhillyPhaithful48]

also might sound like common sense, but make sure they are bending their knees appropriately. That way, they can just just glide from one leg to the next

 

[puckhead]

like anything else with kids, just stick with it, and next thing you know it will just 'click'
I kind of feel bad b/c i took my kid a few times last winter, and just as she started getting the hang of it we kind of stopped going. Will probably have to start from square one again.

what worked best for my kid was using the little push things, and then having them push it away a bit and skate to it.
at some level when they show enough interest, lessons are the way to go, of course.

 

[Eddie_Shack]

like anything else with kids, just stick with it, and next thing you know it will just 'click'
I kind of feel bad b/c i took my kid a few times last winter, and just as she started getting the hang of it we kind of stopped going. Will probably have to start from square one again.

what worked best for my kid was using the little push things, and then having them push it away a bit and skate to it.
at some level when they show enough interest, lessons are the way to go, of course.

That's exactly what we've been doing, and it seems to work well. From watching my kids, it almost seems like their biggest obstacle is fear. I've seen my daughter skate very well from the skate mate to the bench, but as soon as she "remembers" that she needs "help", she freaks out and stops skating. But yeah, that's how it was for me, I struggled when I was a kid and then all of a sudden it "clicked".

Actually if I remember correctly, I learned to skate by playing hockey... when you are focused on chasing pucks and defending guys, you don't even think about skating and it just comes naturally. Before you know it you are skating great. I'm not sure I'm ready to shell out the big bugs for hockey equipment for my boy just to take him to stick and puck just yet though... oh who am I kidding, I will.

 

[HonusWagner66]

Just do what my dad did with me. In the dead of winter, drive out to a very large frozen body of water. Skate with them to the opposite side. Tell them if they don't skate back to the car before dark, wolves will get them. Then rush back yourself, leaving the kids behind. They'll figure it out.

 

[beantownmaniac]

I don't know that I have too much advice. When I got my first skates I was about 8. I put them on and just learned on my own. I do remember being told to keep my weight forward so I wouldn't flip over backwards. Good luck teaching your kids. I hope they enjoy skating.