advice for lessons/practise for small child?

[coachsponsor]

My question is partly inspired by another thread where the dad opted for privates as a kind of supervised practise. I think I'm kind of doing the same but wonder if there are better options?

My 7 y/o used to skate but has lost interest for now. My little one is 4 y/o (5 in a couple mths) and still in that initial 'obsessed with skating' phase. She's doing 2 x 30 min group lessons and 2 x 15 min privates pw (spread across the week). The groups are pretty large and have a big age range so she's a bit lost there, plus gets paired with the other little one (6 y/o) who's a bit of a bully so not ideal. But it's cheap so we persist. We arrive 20-30 mins before the privates so at least she's warmed up.

4 y/o is actually pretty good about spontaneously figuring out on her own what to practise (she'll get bored with slalom so move to crossovers, then get bored with that and move to one foot glides, etc). Although she's pretty mindful of others around her, neither of us are confident for her to practise backwards things. So the biggest hole in her practise is doing all those things backwards. Public sessions are not an option (way too crowded with rough hockey boys) so I'm not allowed to get on with her.

So here's my questions:
1) Are there better ways than privates to get supervised or safe practice (for all that backwards stuff);

2) For those lucky sessions when there's not many others on the ice (does happen - we skate mornings) - how do you help a non-reader to make the most of their ice time?

3) If 4 y/o is too young to practice effectively (please say it is!! ) - at what age should you expect children to do some effective practise on their own and how do you teach them to do it? (7 y/o's "practise" was pretty random and not effective).

4) Do you think 4 y/o skates too much? I'm not worried about her losing interest any time soon - but wonder whether we should save our $s for when she's a bit older and likely to progress a bit quicker.

[nicklaszlo]

So here's my questions:
1) Are there better ways than privates to get supervised or safe practice (for all that backwards stuff);

At my rink children under 7 are required to have a coach on the ice for practice ice.  Around here you can hire a teenage junior coach for less money.

Why can't you get on practice ice with your child?

And even the most senior coach will not necessarily make sure your child skates backwards safely.  See my rink rants...

I can't answer your child development questions.

[coachsponsor]

I'm glad we don't have to pay a coach for all practise time! The only restrictions are level (so she can't skate certain sessions) and membership requirements (I'm not a club member or registered for lessons so not eligible for practice ice).

[jjane45]

And even the most senior coach will not necessarily make sure your child skates backwards safely.

Eek, I remember seeing that and heard about worse stories. Just always assume coach is not watching when going backwards, I guess.

[hopskipjump]

I think she is skating a lot, I'd make sure she does get to skate for fun with friends.  That may mean public sessions. At 4 almost 5 I would let her skate backward on quiet sessions.  You can get a helmet or ice halo if you are worried about falls. 

If you have 2 15 minute private lessons a week, I would talk to her coach about more/less and skating backward as well as if she is getting something out of group lessons and if she is taking the right classes.

I'd be concerned with balance - if she is skating 4 times a week does she have time for other activities?  Lots of downtime? 

You seem very concerned with practice but at this age she just needs a buddy (the 7 year old?  A friend?) to play with on the ice.  She will get so much out of it if you don't worry so much about formal practicing.  She is four.  It's her job to play - that would be "making the most of her ice time".

If you have decided to push her, then you can create a hand signal for her to come off the ice and walk over to you and then you can say, okay practice front crossovers 10 times in both directions, then signal when she is done and she can come over and you can say, okay practice one foot glides 5 times on each foot.  Or she can play with friends and learn speed trying to stay up with a slightly more skilled friend, to try what they are learning and to love skating.

When she is ready to practice on her own, she will be able to practice on her own.  When dd was 6ish I might ask her in the car on the way to skate, What are some of the things you are going to practice today that you did with Miss Layla yesterday?  What jumps were you working on?  Today when you practice them can you show me your best ones?

Now that she is 9 I just ask her what her plans are for practice.  She might say she wants to do a clean run through of her programs or practice a spin combination.  She has a specific warm up she knows to do off ice and then she practices her moves to help warm up on the ice.  You can compare it to homework - do you still review your 7 year old's homework?  Give her a practice spelling test?  Chances are that she needs a little help - a 4 year old would need more guidance.  At 9 she writes her assignments, can do them unassisted and gives me papers to sign.  She knows what is due and how to do it.  It carries over to skating as well.

You don't have to skate well at all to play with the 4 year old on the ice.  You just need to cheer her on and follow her around. 

[nicklaszlo]

I'm not a club member

Usually joining a club is affordable compared to private lessons.

[SkaterRyguy]

Another option is to organize another private lesson instead of the larger class one, but you invite of the children your child likes being around with when she is on the ice. You can save a bit of $ by sharing with the time with other parent's while getting more focused attention from the instructor.