What would be a good age to start skating?

Question

I am just wondering what everyone's opinions on this would be. My son is 2 1/2 years old and I was wondering if he is too young to learn how to skate? I would love to put him in hockey as soon as he meets the age requirement (4yrs old here) however, I am wondering if he needs to know how to skate before he joins the team?

Thanks,

Answer 1

Let him help you decide.  Take him to a public session, put some rentals on him and see how he reacts.  If he likes it, I'd just go with it.  If he screams bloody murder the minute you put him on the ice like I've seen lots of little ones on the first day of lessons do, I'd hold off.  Typically, a basic skating skills program won't accept little ones until they're at least 3, but if your little guy digs it right away, maybe you can at least get him acclimated to being on the ice.  Once he's 3, get him some hockey skates and maybe sign him up for a Snowplow Sam/tot class.  (They might be taught in conjunction with the local figure skating club, but basic skills are basic skills for all ice sports.)  If he's in a class right away at 3, he'll learn that it's fun to be on the ice and hopefully learn a few skills too.  By the time he's four, hopefully he'll have a good foundation to build his skating skills and work towards being a successful hockey player.  It's been my experience in teaching basic skills classes that some kids just take to the ice right away and some either totally freak out or cling to you or the wall the whole lesson.  I think it helps if mom or dad is skating too.  Also after many years of knowing and skating with hockey players, the ones who seem to be the best typically have private skills coaches or take other lessons outside of just their practice times when compared to their teammates who only skate during practice and games.

Answer 2

Of course he needs to learn first. But its best to learn young so he'll know more later. So try maybe when he's 4 and a 1/2 years old.

                                                          Hope It Works,

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Answer 3

6 years. I heard that kids don't start to really understand those things until they reach 6 years old or something.

Answer 4

If Your able to get him on skates now it's never to early it will start to build his self esteem can never start that to early..