How to Teach Kids to Ice Skate

Some kids are interested in ice skating at a very young age

The question of when to teach young kids to ice skate can be a tough one to answer. A child may express an interest in skating as early as 2 or 3 years old, at a time when leg muscles aren't strong enough to keep her properly balanced. Young children may also have a fear of falling on ice, have a harder time acclimating to the colder environment or show a reluctance to practice. Still, there are ways to encourage young children to skate and to work with them step-by-step. A child who can walk can also learn to skate.

Things You'll Need

• Skates
• Skate guards
• Gloves or mittens
• Lightweight socks
• Small chair
• Ice skating walker
• Plastic cone

Instructions

1. 

   Skate laces should be tightened from the toes to the ankles.

   Introduce a young child to ice skates away from the skating rink. Make sure his feet easily fit inside the skates and do not move around, that socks are not bunched and that laces are tightened from the toe to the ankles. Give laces the strongest tug at the point where the foot and the ankle bend. Have the child stand up and walk around -- with skate guards on the blades -- to make sure the skates are snug, that the tongue is straight and the ankle is properly supported. If the child can't bend his or her knees comfortably, the skates are too tight.

2. 

   Learning to fall on skates reduces risk of injury to children.

   Help the child learn to fall. This may not sound like fun, but is likely to increase confidence so that when spills do occur, chance of injury is not the dominant thought. The U.S. Figure Skating Association recommends that children learn to fall to one side, not forward or back on their tailbone. Have the child lower into a dip position (or squat) and tuck her chin in toward her chest, with hands pulled in toward the body rather than out to break the fall.

3. Show the child how to stand back up. To do this, he needs to roll onto his hands and knees, with one foot on the ice between his hands. Then he pulls the other foot in until it's also between the hands, applying pressure to the toes so they don't slide forward as he pushes up into a standing position.

4. Move lessons to the ice by starting the child with an ice walker, chair or plastic cone, with the arms out and palms facing down to hold onto the object. The Ice Skating Institute encourages the practice of simple steps, such as marching in place on the ice, marching while moving and a two-foot jump in place.

5. 

   To perform a "swizzle" skate, blades must be in a "V" position.

   Advance to a two-foot glide and the forward "swizzle" once the skater is comfortable. The swizzle involves putting the blades together with the heels of the skate touching in a "V" position. Ask the child to push outward, then inward to make their toes touch again, so the blades are making shapes on the ice that resemble a fish or a football.

6. Encourage the child to start skating on her own once she's mastered the basic technique of pushing and gliding. If fear prevents her from removing the chair, walker or cone from the ice, try holding her hand. Skate together with the child so you can show her proper posture -- knees bent, your back straight, head up and arms held slightly away from the torso.

7. Show the skater how to stop using the simple "T-Stop" method. To do this, begin skating forward, then turn one skate at a 45 degree angle and drag it behind the other skate so the feet form a "T." Pull the skate that is being dragged into the instep of the lead skate. Lean back slightly and shift your weight to the rear skate that is being dragged.

Tips & Warnings

• Encourage a child to smile and have fun when skating. This will help him to relax on the ice.

• Remember that skill development will vary from child to child, and that every kid will learn at her own pace.

• Clothing should be layered and lightweight, and scarves and hats should not dangle.

• A child should always wear a helmet and other protective gear on the ice as needed.

• If other people are using the skating rink, move in the same direction as the other skaters, and keep to the outside of the rink along the wall if moving slowly.

• When skating outdoors, only skate on surfaces that have been approved by local police, fire or recreation departments.

References

• U.S. Figure Skating Association: How Do You Learn To Skate?
• Ice Skating Institute: Tot 1-4: Test Requirements

Resources

• Skating Fitness: Ice Skating Tips
• Kaboose: Get Active: Ice Skating