At what age did your child become involved in ice-skating?

Question

Why did you choose that sport for your child?

Answer 1

I don't have kids but if I did it would be up to them what hobbies they had. I didn't even go on ice until I was 17 and on a German exchange trip. As it happened I loved it but due to lack of facilites in my home town it was an occasional treat.

I did do roller skating though which was fun once I got hang of it.  I  do go ice skating more often now as there is a rink less than an hour away from me.

Answer 2

My daughter started at 3, quit and then started again at 4 1/2.  We tried it at first because she was trying lots of different things.  She started again because she was begging me to let her try again.  She has been skating ever since (she is 8)  

My son started at 3 because we were there anyway so as soon as he was old enough I asked him if he wanted to skate or sit in the stands with me and watch his sister.  Its not surprising he chose to skate.  He is now 6 and still skates.  He is just now asking about hockey so he will probably start that soon.

My youngest son has not started skating although he has asked about it a few times.  He is 3, but not yet potty trained so not allowed to take lessons.  Maybe in a few months?

The important thing is that I did not choose for them.  The older two have both played baseball, my son also tried basketball, and my daughter played soccer and tried dance.  We just looked through the park district book and I let them choose from what was available.  Skating has been the only thing that they have chosen to continue with.  There is only so much time in the day, so they have had to make some difficult choices as they got older.

EDIT - Based on your additional info - I would say go for it if you have someplace that will teach a two year old.  If not, let her start as soon as she is old enough.  If she is pretending to skate, she must want to try so it doesn't seem like you are choosing for her any more than I did for my kids.  You are just giving her an opportunity to try :)

Answer 3

My daughter stared at age 7. She skated competitively for about 6 years, first with ISI, then with USFSA. She quit skating at age 14, tried speedskating for a while, and has now settled into martial arts and swimming (on the local team). She quit skating because of the time commitment (most of the day, Mon - Fri, half a day on Sat, and Sunday off unless there was a competition) required at her level.

My other daughter started skating at 11, and the following year began playing hockey on a boys travel team. She played all the way up until she graduated high school.

Answer 4

I have a 3 year old . . . she was very much like your daughter at 2 . . . and STILL is!!  

She first "stepped" on the ice at almost 2.  "Stepped" meaning with shoes on (which is normally not allowed).  She instantly loved it.  She had been exposed to skating because of my interest - the few visits to the rink to see friends, or on tv/videos, pictures, or just us talking about it . . . but it was neat for her to experience BEING on the ice for the first time, even without skates.  We haven't put her in skates yet, but are thinking to soon as she has recently asked to go.  Not to take classes, but just to skate around in a less crowded public session - something new/fun to try out!

      

My daughter is very physical and fearless as well.  A spinner (like yours), she seems to prefer the clockwise direction (like me on the ice) though she is a righty.  A jumper for sure.  She can do sort of spirals and waltz jumps on the floor while  - which cracks everyone up.  She likes "gliding" on the floor with socks, saying she's skating.  She's quite musical and loves dance and it's quite funny how she makes up dance steps to the beat, with a bit of acting in it too.  One could say she has "signs" of a skater-2-be.  I had 2 coaches tell me they have "first dibs" on her . . . and all my skating friends have their expectations (only because I (did) skate).    

BUT

I tell them all, she will skate IF and WHEN she chooses to.  I have seen those crazy skating moms - and I refuse to become one of them.  I hope my child will have passion and confidence for whatever she decides to do in life.  I will, however, encourage "some type" of physical activity for the sake of health.  But that, you know, is NO problem for run-arounds like ours at the moment - hee hee!!  

I think you are right to build on things that already appeal to her . . . that's what we try to do too.  At the same time, we try to expose our child to all kinds of different things/activities . . . this way she at least has experience with trying out new things - and then she can decide "better" what she prefers overall.  She has been in a "gymnastics" class since wee months - it's not "formal" but has been a great way to get physical energy out in ways she can't necessarily do at home (she gets to be super monkey at the gym!).  She has other big interests too . . . so we feed into that stuff as well.

It may depend on her temperament as well.  My daughter isn't completely interested structured activities or some group games just yet . . . so I don't know that skating instruction in a class situation would work out just yet anyway.  My friend put her daughter in a skating class at 2-1/2 years and apparently she was being very pushy and having major tantrums on the ice - so she pulled her out of it.      

I was put into activities that everyone else in the family was doing - not according to my "interests" and such.  So turns out I later in life I go back to replant some of the roots of my interests . . . a very late start . . . and even though I did get there (somewhat), I have these "what if" feelings had my interests been fed into early on.  Oh well.  I just don't ever want my child to feel like that down the road.    

So if you think your daughter may like skating, let her have a go at it!  Young children are quite frank about what they like or don't like . . . I'm sure she'd let you know.  And if she does end up loving it, she may excel in it "that much more".

Answer 5

i started when i was about 11, but i've taught kids as young as 3

Answer 6

11 years of age

Answer 7

11

Answer 8

I started skating at age 6 because I used to love watching the girls on the ice in their beautiful costumes.  I had just started lesssons when I had a bad accident on the ice.  Ended up leaving with a concussion and spent a few days in the hospital.  I didn't sign my daughter up, but not because of my accident....she didn't ask.  She wanted to do softball & gymnastics.  I do take her every now and again, but it's not much of a strong interest.

You can't choose a sport for your child, you have to let them choose it for themselves.

Answer 9

I don't have kids myself fortunately (because I dislike kids and can't afford to raise one and lack the time or interest at this point), but I wouldn't push the kid into my sport just because I liked it.

My dad is known to be one of those overzealous pushies you love to hate and in many ways it's been more negative for me than positive.

On the other hand, my parents never really put any effort into raising me and the only time I skated as a kid I fell constantly and hated it. They did take me to a swimming class once and I was scared to death of swimming. To this day even though I can swim, I suck at it.

I've had some what ifs myself in the lack of chances I got because of the dumb choices my father made for me. I'll say this; don't count out taking your kid to a martial arts class sometime in the future. ANY martial arts will do.

I say this because even if the kid might not have interest later on or decides a different sport to pursue officially, at least martial arts will teach the kid mentally and self defense is always useful as an adult.

I'd personally like to take self defense classes as a matter of fact just for the fun of it.

Oh, I seriously entered ice skating at the youngin' age of 14 1/2 but for medical reasons than because I had real interest. I did grow to love the sport however.

Answer 10

I started at age 11 and i love the sport, but i wished i had started at 7.  my mom didn't chose that sport for me, we both thought it would be worth trying because i tried a lot of other sports and i didn't have passion for them and i didn't stick with them.  at two your daughter might seem to like it. bring her to an ice rink at a public session and see what she thinks.  give her the opportunity to see if she likes it or not.  before you consider though, ice skating, as a parent, requires some devotion on your part. but if your daughter really wants to skate, i would consider at least waiting a year for her to get really involved. i mean she still is young and her bones are still developing and she would have to deal with falling.  

Good luck

Answer 11

I started taking lessons in September 2006, when I was 12. I do wish that I had started when I was 5 though... =/

Answer 12

I chose this sport mainly because I wanted to try something new.  When I was younger, I would be constantly walking on the edge of sidewalks, trying to keep my balance.  I was always vivacious, and never afraid to try anything. I would spin around *as you said your child does* on the carpet.  I skated when I was 2 or 3, but I didn't take lessons until the age of 10.  After I quit Gymnastics *I was burned out, and my parents didn't want me too compete at such a young age*, I tried figure skating.  I love this sport!  I have now been skating for almost 3 years. If you are considering having your child skate, I would suggest taking her to a rink, and just letting her skate around.  You can see if she enjoys it, and if she would like to take lessons.  Hope this helps! :)

Answer 13

I am a child ( 11)  and I don't like ice skating.  I'm afraid I will fall - and because I've never tried it and I do other sports.  Why do you ask?  Are your children interested in it?? And what age are they now - close to mine??

Answer 14

My daughter went to an ice skating party when she was five and asked for lessons.  We didn't have a history of skating in my family or anything.  

I realized after a while it made sense. We had done gymnastics and she had always done very well on the balance beam but wasn't good at anything that needed upper body strength. So like at age 4 she could do a somersault on the waist-high beam but she couldn't do the monkey bars.  Ice skating is a pretty good fit for her.

Answer 15

I think I started skating at 5 or 6. I'm 51 now and still play hockey twice a week.

I don't know about organized hockey or figure skating, but get them on skates early. The smaller you are, the less it hurts when you fall.

Answer 16

My stepdaughters started skating lessons at 8 and 12.  I think they mostly did it because I have skated for a long time and was teaching a lot of the lessons.  While I think one of them enjoys the more social side, the younger one really enjoys a little bit of competition and the dresses.  :)  Personally, the first time I skated was 3, but I didn't take lessons until 12.  I still skate competitively as an adult.  I started because I always loved watching skating on TV and worshipped Kristi Yamaguchi.  I wanted to be able to do what she did on TV.  :)