When Should My Child Start Ice Skating Classes?

Our Skate School is based in Minnesota; the land of 10,000 lakes and the state of hockey! Whether your child wants to play hockey, figure skate or simply wants to know how to skate for the fun of it, parents are always toying with the question; when should my child learn how to ice skate?

Many high achieving skaters are beginning skating classes as young as two years old. Learning how to skate at this young age helps to make skating innate and a lot of hard things in skating are simply easier because skaters learn these skills as they are developing other gross motor skills. Plus, a lot of little kids are just out on the ice having fun and do not know that they are actually learning skills.

Skating at a young age is a great way to create curiosity, teach your child to overcome obstacles, and skating is one of the few sports that can help children to naturally develop coordination, strength and balance when they are little!

If your child seems interested in skating and understands it will be a new adventure, then it is a good time to start skating!

Sometimes, though, young skaters are not ready to skate yet. And that is okay! For our Skate School, that is why we offer a small four class package and merely monthly subscriptions so that skaters can test out skating to see if it fits them, and after a few classes, you can usually tell if the skater is ready to learn more or if they should wait. Around the age of five to six years old, we usually see a burst in emotional maturity so if skating doesn’t work out when your skater is a preschooler, no worries, maybe just wait a few years! Your skater should start when they are ready and excited! It will make for a much more enjoyable experience for all people involved (the skater, coaches, and parents)! Your skater is also more likely to stick with skating if they are excited about it since their attitude is in the right place for them to be motivated, learn more and simply have more fun!

Also, I hear this worry by parents frequently, but your skater still can become high level in skating even if they don’t start at the age of two years old. Plenty of skaters have pursued high level skating goals at a youth to pre-teen age~ it all just depends upon how motivated the skater is, how hard they work and that they are gaining a great education in skating!

Even though we talk all the time about little kids starting skating, teenagers and adults who have never skated before should totally give it a try too! Oftentimes, we find that teens can fly through the basic skills simply because they are enthusiastic and because they can learn more complicated skills quickly!

For adults, skating is a much more fun way to stay fit, and skating will also work your brain! Doing new skills on the ice is just as much of a mental workout as it is physical!