question about practice wear for very young skaters

[fortune8]

I know nothing about skating personally but have a little one who just loves it.
I'm not sure if I'm dressing her right. What's too much and what's too little??
I wasn't sure if it would help if I posted a vid here showing what I mean, or if that's not the done thing (I see there's a sep board for that)?
Thanks!!

[sarahspins]

Can you describe what you are dressing her in?

[fortune8]

I have no idea if this will work or not:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/zHAcYFWTaqI

This is pretty typical of how I dress her. Generally 2-4 long-sleeved t-shirt style tops, usually 2 pairs of thick tights with a pair of leggings, then track pants over the top, with a parka or other warm jacket. Not exactly snow clothes so she can move. But not "proper" practice clothes all the other skaters seem to wear either.

Coach hasn't complained, but the other parents occasionally say I'm going overboard.

Is the fancy practice wear with the "polar" fleece really enough to keep them warm without all the other layers??

[Skittl1321]

A lot depends on your rink. Mine is uncomfortably warm right now. Most lts kids are wearing shorts and tshirts.

I'd dress her in layers and ask her if she is warm. You can then remove them.
Even on the freezing days at our rink in the winter, what you describe sounds like too much. Just make sure she has gloves on, then a shirt and fleece jacket may be plenty. 4 shirts sound like they will restrict movement.

[fortune8]

So two pairs of gloves might be overboard too?? 

[Skittl1321]

Lol.

Try one fewer layer and ask her if she is cold.  If she still isn't, go one fewer...   even the littlest kids at the rink should be able to communicate if they are hot/cold.

[fortune8]

She sometimes asks for her jacket off. But for the most part I don't think she's too warm. We live in a pretty hot state so we're not used to the cold.
I'm wondering about the fancy clothes though? If what she's got is how much she needs to be warm, would the Chloe Noel etc be enough or would she still need a couple of pairs of tights, etc??

[Skittl1321]

I've had to stop wearing chloe Noel pants this summer because I was so hot in them (with no tights).  She may be ok in them with tights. I've worn them to shovel snow, they are warmer than they look.

Keep in mind as her level increases, the energy she uses does too. Skaters get hot and sweat...  Snowplow level kids will need more layers than freestyle.  By the time she gets to a level wear most kids wear skating clothes, they are generally enough.

As she wears fewer layers of.clothes, try an ear warmer headband. Keeping the ears warm helps.the body stay warm.  You certainly do not need to add one yet.

[AgnesNitt]

She sometimes asks for her jacket off. But for the most part I don't think she's too warm. We live in a pretty hot state so we're not used to the cold.
I'm wondering about the fancy clothes though? If what she's got is how much she needs to be warm, would the Chloe Noel etc be enough or would she still need a couple of pairs of tights, etc??

I'm not a parent so I should butt out of this, but, don't worry about the fancy clothes, or the zuca bag, or any of the other tat that the other skaters have unless you've got money to burn. None of it's necessary. Neat and put together is all that's necessary for your skater's outfit.

Little girls like to dress up in skating outfits with skirts and so one. I think it's inappropriate on public skate, but if your little one is really little and wants to wear it during lesson, then she will need appropriate tights. Make sure you get skating tights, not dance tights. Some skaters skate in double tights. Or you can avoid it and say, "The big girl skaters don't dress like that."

[fortune8]

Wow - ear warmer headbands?! I've never heard of them. I'll have to google it. Can children still hear instructions and parents when wearing them? She's still at that age and stage where she pretends she can't hear me telling her it's time to get off the ice.

[Sk8tmum]

Anyways.  In terms of attire. Your kid is moving okay - so the tons of layers aren't seemingly inhibiting her speed. If she's happy, then, leave her be; if she's hot, she'll tell you and start stripping .  I would suggest that if she is planning on continuing to figure skate, then, she'll have to get used to wearing less layers. You could also substitute a basic pair of thermal underwear for some of those layers; WalMart and Target are good sources.

No, you don't need to pay up for Chloe Noel.  My kids do wear the stuff, but, that was after they were at a level of figure skating where it made sense (on the ice multiple days a week, and with coaches who required clothes that showed "line" and when they had slowed enough in growing that I'd get a year out of a pair.)  We buy it on sale, and we sell it off at used clothings sales.  Your kid is little and growing fast - I would suggest buying basic leggings that will last until outgrown and can be worn for other purposes, warm polar fleece "popover" or zipfront jackets that can double for schoolwear, would be more practical. Chloe pants are too long to be worn for anything but skating, you see ... whereas a warm pair of leggings can be used for playing,  etc.

[Sk8tmum]

And ... if she was in Canada, I would point out that a kid at her level on Skate Canada ice would be required to be wearing an approved hockey helmet to prevent head injuries.  Sorry, just me - I'm the part of the "helmet police" at our club, and I am really very pleased with SC's focus on keeping skater's heads safe.

[sarahspins]

I'm not a parent so I should butt out of this, but, don't worry about the fancy clothes, or the zuca bag, or any of the other tat that the other skaters have unless you've got money to burn. None of it's necessary. Neat and put together is all that's necessary for your skater's outfit.

Agreed, and there's no need to really think of anything other than normal street clothes until freestyle levels (where close fitting is preferred, but even then doesn't necessarily need to be "skating" clothes).  I skate in running clothes.. usually tights under pants and some sort of tech tee.  I only wear a jacket when I'm teaching.

My kids typically skate in tights + fleece pants (my youngest falls a lot, so he also wears a pair of waterproof pants from REI to prevent his pants from getting too wet) then a long sleeve shirt and a jacket, plus gloves.  My daughter does like to wear skating dresses now that we've nabbed a couple for cheap on ebay, so sometimes she wears one with the same tights/pants combo underneath.  It seems that at my rink, quite a few of the <8 crowd like to wear dresses.  Past that I think they clue in that most girls just wear pants and that's when you start to see fewer dresses.

[Skittl1321]

Wow - ear warmer headbands?! I've never heard of them. I'll have to google it. Can children still hear instructions and parents when wearing them? She's still at that age and stage where she pretends she can't hear me telling her it's time to get off the ice.

It is this http://www.amazon.com/Port-Authority-Stretch-Fleece-Headband/dp/B000FGDD0I.  A million companies make them.  Yes, you can hear through them.

I would NOT put her in one now.  However, when she starts wearing fewer layers, because eventually what she is wearing will be too restrictive, it is something that will help her stay warm.  Most of the freestyle (we only have low freestyle here) skaters wear them in the winter. Our rink is FREEZING then (but very warm in the summer).

I agree with others that your daughter has no need for chloe noel pants.  They are a novelty.  Putting her in regular clothes (not jeans though) is fine for the low levels of skating.  Once she starts doing a backspin, that is when I personally think yoga/track pants are no longer appropriate (though many people manage- I've caught my blade too many times).  At this point she needs to look at leggings.  In the summer I wear the cheap ones from target.  In the winter, they aren't warm enough. I used to wear under armour, but found chloe-noel and a similar brand on sale for less. That's the only reason I have them.  There are too many places to spend money in skating.  You don't have to buy all the "stuff".

[hopskipjump]

I would just listen to her - if she is hot let her take stuff off.  At 5 dd wore Chloe Noel pants (or similar brand), the jacket, a tee shirt or cami and knee hi's.  She is hot blooded and would often skate with the jacket off.

I don't mind the pants - they are long and over 5 years she has worn 2 sizes so I get my money's worth of use.  She just wore the same 2 all week long.  And regular yoga pants soak up water.

No way could she wear a headband/ear warmers when she skates though, I've only seen adults in them.  

My dd uses dance tights for comps.  Just one pair.  2 pair feels weird to her.  She only wears skating tights when she needs over the boot tights.

She is fast and it looks like she has a coach.  If anything I would change the jacket to one where the coach can see her body better, her coat is a little bulky.

[fortune8]

Thank you everyone - that was really helpful!!
Now that I think about it, I can already remember a fall caused by catching the back of her skate on her pants as she crossed over. It's so annoying to put that many pairs of leggings on I might buy some proper pants after all since they sound warmer than I expected. I think we might skip the matching jacket though and just try something a bit less bulky in cheap fleece.
Thanks again!!