Teaching learn to skate

[davincisop]

I hope this is the right forum. I was asked to teach learn to skate last week by our skating instructor. I was wondering what tips you all might have. I start tonight and I'm super nervous!

[jjane45]

Wow that will be fun! What level and what age group? What is the estimated group size? You will do great, good luck!

[davincisop]

Thank you! Right now just snowplow and basic 1. Not sure how many chillens I'll get.

[phoenix]

For the little ones make it all about fun, fun, fun, which means games, games, games. Hopefully your rink has a basket of beanie babies, cones, balls, etc. Make up games that are designed to get the kids to move from one spot to another (throw your beanie baby, then go pick it up).

[davincisop]

Good news is I think they do have beanie babies or stuffed animals. I want to get crowns and tiaras so they don't look down when skating.

[Clarice]

You can do the same thing by having them skate while balancing a beanie baby on their heads.  If they drop it, they have to do a dip to pick it up.  (Although I love the thought of tiaras!)

[Elsa]

No advice (it's been 18 years since I taught LTS  ), but congrats and have fun!  The beanie babies and crowns/tiaras sound like a lot of fun - please come back and update us with how it went. 

[Isk8NYC]

Wear a helmet so they won't give you static about their wearing a helmet.  Tiaras are cute for skaters who are "moving," but helmets keep their brains safe at the SS/Basic 1&2 levels.  Toddlers are top-heavy, so they usually whack their heads when they fall.

Practice sitting down and getting up OFF-ICE first.  Take five or even ten minutes and also march around, check for tight skates, swap hockey for figure or .  I also teach how to safely get on the ice side-saddle without stepping on the threshold.  Makes a huge difference in getting the class running on the ice.

Keep kids 3' from the walls, so they won't lean and fall, whacking their heads.  Just as important, they won't have a parent in their face on the other side of the wall.  Some parents wave, talk to the kids and distract them from the class, or worse, set off a "I want my mommy" tantrum.


Play a round of "Duck, Duck, Goose" to practice sitting down and getting up.

[phoenix]

Play a round of "Duck, Duck, Goose" to practice sitting down and getting up.

I like this game but it has been banned at one of the rinks where I teach--too many little fingers on the ice while crazy kids skate around chasing each other. So I understand the reasoning.

Check w/ your skating director before playing that one.

[Isk8NYC]

Good point.  I've never played it with kids who could actually skate fast, lol. 

Ask about using washable markers (Crayola are best) and test each color on a hockey line before using it, to be sure it doesn't soak in too deeply.  It should scrape right off with a blade stroke.

[Kim to the Max]

With duck, duck, goose, I always make sure hands are in laps and they have to go slow. I usually don't play and stand to help.

You can also have the kids sit around a "campfire" (aka a hockey dot) and you can pretend to have hot chocolate, marshmallows, hot dogs, chicken nuggets (dinosaur shaped of course), mac and cheese, etc. ( I always ask their favorite foods). Then after you get everyone up, you can do a couple of things...the first can get hot and the kids can swizzle backwards if they are there...or, "ants" can ruin the picnic and you have to stomp on them to get rid of them.

I have other tricks for tots, but it's late and I have to be at a session at 8:30am tomorrow morning...so I will post more tomorrow...

[Isk8NYC]

Make sure the skating school registers you as an instructor, so you get bit of insurance coverage.

[FSWer]

Now that I read this. Even though I'm just a Skater. I never knew it was even possible to play Duck-Duck-Goose on Ice. COOL!!!!!

[Clarice]

Now that I read this. Even though I'm just a Skater. I never knew it was even possible to play Duck-Duck-Goose on Ice. COOL!!!!!

Sure, FSWer!  In learn-to-skate classes we often play games that help teach the skills we're working on.  It makes things more fun for the skaters, especially children.  Duck Duck Goose practices sitting down and getting up again.  So does Ring Around the Rosy.  My class tonight is going to play Red Light Green Light to practicing stopping.

[FSWer]

Say,would you feel safe with posting images of your class playing games here?

[davincisop]

FSWer, more than likely pictures won't be posted because you need to have permission from ALL the parents and even though it'd be for a completely harmless purpose on this site, other people (good and bad) have access to seeing this website and no one wants photos of their children going around. If it was for the rink's website that would be another story, but for a message board it is just not a good idea.


My first time teaching went really well! I got a permanent marker and used that on the ice because it doesn't soak in at all and I taught snowplow with three other instructors. On Saturday I am teaching a basic 1 class and on Sunday I get to teach a birthday party. I'm excited with how well this seems to be panning out!

[FigureSpins]

The problem with permanent marker is that the kids like to touch it and get it on their clothing and themselves.  Then they put their hands in their mouth - yuck.  I always use washable markers with little kids.  The parents (who do the laundry) appreciate it, too.

FSWer - no, I wouldn't be comfortable posting videos of lessons.

[Sierra]

My first time teaching went really well! I got a permanent marker and used that on the ice because it doesn't soak in at all and I taught snowplow with three other instructors. On Saturday I am teaching a basic 1 class and on Sunday I get to teach a birthday party. I'm excited with how well this seems to be panning out!

Great job Just one thing, once you get to higher basic levels, make sure you know all the stuff. Some things I've discovered that I either don't remember how to do or can't do well anymore is backward stroking, ballet jumps, hockey stops, etc. haha
Permanent marker dries pretty fast, doesn't it? I wouldn't worry about it getting on kid's clothes.

[kssk8fan]

always bring an extra pair or two of gloves.  Stash them in your pocket. Loan them out when a child doesn't have a pair that session. There will always be a kiddo that doesn't have a pair and the parents will love you and remember you forever.