Ice skating has long been a pastime that appeals to all age groups, giving everyone the chance to get active and immerse themselves in the spirit of the winter season. Traditionally an outdoor activity, ice skating today typically takes place at artificial ice venues, allowing everyone to enjoy the excursion with minimal risk involved.
Although public rinks today are relatively safe, it is recommended that you prepare well if it is your first time taking the family ice skating. Children as young as three can learn to skate, but it is important that your children are properly versed in the techniques involved before they set foot on the ice. Supporting your family in this way can help to ensure that you have a lovely day out.
Read on to find out more about preparing for your first family ice skating session, with a look at some key safety precautions and top tips to follow to make sure that everyone enjoys themselves on the day.
Essential Safety Precautions
As with any active excursion, safety factors need to be kept in mind to avoid potential injuries. This kind of preparation is quick and easy to do ahead of time, so your family can skate without worry during your session.
Some basic safety precautions include:
Suitable Clothing
In order to enjoy their session, kids should be dressed in cosy but lightweight layers, allowing for movement and the potential that everyone will warm up once you get skating.
You should choose long socks, but avoid double layering as this can reduce circulation. Wearing jeans is also advised against, where less restrictive options such as loungewear or leggings are considered preferable.
Ice Skate Safety
Ice skates are necessarily sharp and robust, so it is important that they are handled with care. Wearing gloves can help to protect the hands, whilst young children should be assisted carefully when putting on skates. Recommend that your kids avoid touching the skate blade, and suggest making a fist if they fall to protect the fingers.
Spacial Awareness
Often, accidents are caused on skating rinks due to collisions at speed. To counteract this, remind your family to be aware of the space around them, keeping their head up and their eyes forward as they skate. Skating at a sensible speed on a busy rink can also help to keep everyone safe.
First Aid Provisions
Most skating rinks will be fully kitted out with first aid provisions, but it can’t hurt to have your own resources to hand to cope with small issues. Consider packing plasters, tissues and antibacterial hand gel to help you respond to minor accidents.
Key Coaching Tips
Being able to guide and support your family as they take to the ice is another great way to ensure that everyone enjoys their session. Ice skating can be daunting for beginners, so having some pointers to give can really make a big difference on the day.
Assist your family in the following ways:
Fit Shoes Correctly
Before you even step out on the rink, it’s vital that you and your kids are wearing the right shoes. As a guide, skates should fit snug, not like a loose trainer. This is because it is more difficult to balance on the blade if the foot is moving around within the shoe.
Ice Rink Basics
Teaching your kids the basics of ice skating can help them to quickly build confidence once they’re out on the rink. One technique is to practise marching with small steps instead of walking, where this can teach children how to transfer their weight differently.
This marching approach will then help kids learn how to glide on the ice, a technique that can be difficult to grasp at first.
Falling Well
No matter how well you prepare your family for a day on the ice, falls will be inevitable. This is part of the learning process, so you should try to get across to your children that they’re doing well despite the odd tumble.
Encourage your kids to try and fall slowly without tipping too far forward. Collapsing down in a contained manner without flailing can help to protect other skaters as well as your own child if they do lose their balance.
Ice Skating Benefits For Your Kids
In addition to being a fun winter day out, ice skating can also present additional benefits for your family, some of which are discussed below:
Agility & Coordination - It is important for children of all ages to undertake exercise that boosts agility and coordination skills, where this can support them as they take up other physical activity in later life.
New Hobby - If your child takes to ice skating, then they may develop a new and exciting hobby. Ice skating lessons and training can be a great way to keep your kids occupied while they learn a new skill, where some may even go on to skate competitively.
Socialising - An ice skating session can be an incredibly social experience, whether you’re attending with your wider family or with friends. Children can use this as an opportunity to build on existing friendships by supporting each other as they learn. You may even wish to organise an ice skating birthday party or celebration for added fun.
Facing Their Fears - Ice skating can also help to bolster your child’s mental resilience and confidence when it comes to facing their fears. Undertaking this challenge can support your child as they learn to step out of their comfort zone, helping to set them up for success in later life.
Keeping Your Day Fun
Although your attention may be on your child’s safety or their skill level during your skating session, it is important to also ensure that everyone has a good time.
Make sure this is the focus by:
● Bringing snacks: keeping everyone well fueled and hydrated will help to ensure that there’s a smile on their face at the end of the session.
● Taking breaks: don’t pressure yourself or your kids to skate continuously, where it’s completely fine to take breaks if necessary.
● Trying things as a family: try not to lecture your kids from the sidelines - everyone will have a much better time if you get involved with the action yourself.
● Taking photos: try to capture memorable moments with your family when it is safe to do so, either during breaks or after your session.
● Maintaining a ‘no pressure’ approach: not every child will take to skating naturally, and some will learn quicker than others - keep things fun by creating a relaxed atmosphere for the whole family.
We Invite You To Our Ice Rink In Milton Keynes!
At Woburn Sands Emporium, we have an ice rink up and running from mid-November, with daily sessions and evening slots available. There’s no better day out for you and your kids this winter, where you can choose from family tickets, toddler sessions or a rink hire exclusive if you book with us.
When you purchase your tickets, you’ll be entitled to skate hire and 45 minutes on the ice. We will also have some skating aids up for hire on the day, subject to availability - these can really help beginners and young children to feel more confident with their skating.
Our shoes are available in a range of adult and child sizes, where our expert staff will be on-hand to help you find the perfect fit.
So why not embrace the joy of family ice skating this holiday season with Woburn Sands Emporium - get in touch with our team today to find out more about ticket prices and availability.
Comments