Bertmega Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I have a question for my North American and European friends, what age did you start ice skating? I want to get my children involved at some point and my oldest is two, so I was thinking now may be a good time to start. According to my parents, I started at three-ish with the double blades and switched to single blade skates at four. I have seen toddler skates and think she would enjoy the activity, but don't want to rush or force anything. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 @Bertmega If you can walk - you can skate. It's never too early and a fun family sport. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertmega Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share Posted July 22, 2014 @flyercanuck Thanks FC. I am going to take her to get sized this weekend..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brelic Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I have a question for my North American and European friends, what age did you start ice skating? I want to get my children involved at some point and my oldest is two, so I was thinking now may be a good time to start. According to my parents, I started at three-ish with the double blades and switched to single blade skates at four. I have seen toddler skates and think she would enjoy the activity, but don't want to rush or force anything. Any suggestions? I started at 2 or 3 and played hockey for over a decade. I got my daughter started at 2, and at the suggestion of the guy at the store, I went for single blades right away. He said the double blades do not encourage ankle strength and are virtually useless. Be prepared to do a lot of bending over to hold your kid, though! Whew! For what it's worth, my daughter is now 6 and has been skating circles around the other kids since she was 3. So it seems to have worked (or at least it wasn't a bad thing to get single blades right away). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaGreatGazoo Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 My kids starting skating at 3. They are now 16 and 17, still skating/playing and are ALL about hockey. We did the free "Intro to Hockey" at first. Around here it ran 4 weeks on Saturday AM's. We did that for MONTHS. Once they really took to it, we started them in basic skating lessons. As the got a bit older..5,6,7,...we continued the lessons, but we actually booked with a figure skating coach for edge work. That was the best thing we ever did. As the continued to play, we did a lot of power skating lessons. It's NEVER too early, is what I tell everyone. Make it fun..if they get cold, leave. If they get frustrated...leave. Keep going back, and before you know it-they are asking you to go to the rink. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertmega Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share Posted July 22, 2014 @brelic Thanks. I will forgo the double blades and go with the single. I do need to work my back out more, so this may be the perfect opportunity..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertmega Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share Posted July 22, 2014 @DaGreatGazoo I think they have the same lessons near by for me. Center Ice Oaks seems to have skating lessons at all levels. Good advice though, thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaGreatGazoo Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 @DaGreatGazoo I think they have the same lessons near by for me. Center Ice Oaks seems to have skating lessons at all levels. Good advice though, thank youLOL..spent a lot of time in Oaks. I know several kids that play out of that rink for their AAA teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murraycraven Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I started at 2 or 3 and played hockey for over a decade. I got my daughter started at 2, and at the suggestion of the guy at the store, I went for single blades right away. He said the double blades do not encourage ankle strength and are virtually useless. Be prepared to do a lot of bending over to hold your kid, though! Whew! For what it's worth, my daughter is now 6 and has been skating circles around the other kids since she was 3. So it seems to have worked (or at least it wasn't a bad thing to get single blades right away). Agree with everyone... If you can walk you can learn to skate and I would skip the double blades. The learning curve becomes a bit longer b/c you are teaching them to get used to the doubles... once they get comfy then they get used to single blades which is a loing transition. I used to teach a lot of youth development camps for skating and it was always so much fun. The pure joy is what makes it fun... It was better than coaching AA/AAA players b/c most of those kids were either trying to make it to the next level or only doing it b/c their parents thought they were the next Gretzky - which they were not. Have fun and enjoy!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertmega Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share Posted July 22, 2014 @DaGreatGazoo Oaks is great. I've been doing Shinny there for awhile now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blocker Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 what age did you start ice skating? As soon as possible. Make sure they have elbow and kneepads as well as ttheir helmets. They'll fall a lot and that protection helps. I'm always impressed with the inate tenacity these of these little guys. Fall, get up, fall, get up..over and over. Take periodic videos using the same disc (or whatever media you use). You'll be surprised with the progress, and the kids will enjoy watching them later. I take videos during the year of my grandchildren. Part of every Christmas is spent with them huddled around a TV, seeing themselves in their games. When my youngest grandson had just turned 4, I took him to an early season practice. At one end of the ice was a four to six year-old learning session. At the other end were 6-8 year olds getting picked for teams. He had the attention span of the usual kid of 4, so he kinda drifted from one instructor to another in the learning group. I'm sitting on the bench, and he comes over to me to ask if I'd buy him a slushie after his session. I tell him yes, and he skates away. But, he doesn't go back to the little kids. He goes to the end where they're choosing teams. After a litttle while, I see one of the coaches with a clipboard, copying his name and telephone number from the tape on his helmet. I'm a grampa, so I shut my mouth. But, that's how come he made one of the teams a couple years early. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertmega Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share Posted July 22, 2014 @blocker That's a great suggestion (taping their progress) and I am excited to get my oldest on the ice ASAP. Birthday time this weekend, so I think the pro-shop is going to love me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murraycraven Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 As soon as possible. Make sure they have elbow and kneepads as well as ttheir helmets. They'll fall a lot and that protection helps. I'm always impressed with the inate tenacity these of these little guys. Fall, get up, fall, get up..over and over. Take periodic videos using the same disc (or whatever media you use). You'll be surprised with the progress, and the kids will enjoy watching them later. I take videos during the year of my grandchildren. Part of every Christmas is spent with them huddled around a TV, seeing themselves in their games. When my youngest grandson had just turned 4, I took him to an early season practice. At one end of the ice was a four to six year-old learning session. At the other end were 6-8 year olds getting picked for teams. He had the attention span of the usual kid of 4, so he kinda drifted from one instructor to another in the learning group. I'm sitting on the bench, and he comes over to me to ask if I'd buy him a slushie after his session. I tell him yes, and he skates away. But, he doesn't go back to the little kids. He goes to the end where they're choosing teams. After a litttle while, I see one of the coaches with a clipboard, copying his name and telephone number from the tape on his helmet. I'm a grampa, so I shut my mouth. But, that's how come he made one of the teams a couple years early. awesome story blocker!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I believe mothers should be on the ice daily until their third trimester, and at least weekly until delivery. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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