The RinkFor the not so ready for prime-time players, coaches, referees, and the people that have to live with them. Discuss experiences in local leagues, coaching tips, equipment, and training.
Hello fellow members, HOCKEY DADS/MOMS, just curious at what age did you start your kids at skating, or what do you think the youngest age is to start them?
Started my son in learn to skate porgram at 4. This was done through a figure skating club that would teach all kids of all ages just the basics of skating. This coming weekend he starts learn to play hockey at 5. He loved the learn to skate program after he learned, hoping for the same results for learn to play hockey. He is nervous now.
I started mine boy in hockey at age 6. He never really skated before and had never asked to, but when he decided he wanted to play hockey it was a couple of months into the season already. I wasn't going to start him till the next year because he had never skated before. The coach of the hockey team told me to just put him into hockey because he could see how interested my son was in hockey and he figured he wouldn't like just a skating program. So that's what we did and he totally amazed us with how fast he learnt everything. He's only been playing for 2 years (this year will be 3 years) and he is one of the better players. I guess that coach knew where our sons heart was.
I have four boys and all of them play hockey.The first one started at age 7,he started late in Novice when most of the others knew already how to skate pretty well.I entered the next one the following year at the age of 5 in a program called Magh.They start them at age 4 to mostly show them the skating part of hockey and the following 2 years ,they focus on puck handling.I put my last two in at this stage when they were only 4 and they're doing great...They improve so much faster because they have all that skating experience behind them
I also started on a lake in Minnesota at the age of 5.Played organized hockey at the age of 7.My daughter and son both started at the age of 5 and have been playing organized hockey since then.I have also been there coach for the last 5 years.
Last edited by Dakota Sioux: 09-13-2005 at 06:35 PM.
I don't have kids just yet, but I started skating around 4. I grew up on a small lake that froze over every winter, so it was the cool thing to do.
I started my son at 4 in a beginers town hockey program and he will be playing D1 hockey next year. I have a grandson that started learn to skate at 3 and is now 6 playing mite hockey. I'm not sure that there is any perfect formular to nurturing a young hockey player. I think learning to skate properly at a young age is a must though. People say my son is a world class skater but im not sure how he evolved into the skater that he is.
I started my son at 4 in a beginers town hockey program and he will be playing D1 hockey next year. I have a grandson that started learn to skate at 3 and is now 6 playing mite hockey. I'm not sure that there is any perfect formular to nurturing a young hockey player. I think learning to skate properly at a young age is a must though. People say my son is a world class skater but im not sure how he evolved into the skater that he is.
I've been teaching skating and hockey for 5 years now. I find the earliest age to start would be 3 1/2 (skating with a parent) or 4. The key is to go at the kids pace, especially the younger they are. If you take your kid out to skate, and he gets tired, then take a break; forcing him to stay out will only turn him off of skating.
My son Eric started skating at 2 years and 2 months old and it worked right on. He was invited to play with 5 and 6 yearolds around christmas and he skated better than any boy on that team. He is a big kid and just loves the game. The first thing he does in the morning is to get his stick and he plays all day long.
He is 3 yers old ( born 2002 07/11) and the pic was taken 15 days ago
My son started at about 4 & he liked to rollerblade a lot so it was natural for him. The biggest mistake I have seen is parents forcing the kids to learn to skate. I have seen kids just sitting on the ice & refusing to get up for a half hour & the parents just keep telling them to get up
My son started at about 4 & he liked to rollerblade a lot so it was natural for him. The biggest mistake I have seen is parents forcing the kids to learn to skate. I have seen kids just sitting on the ice & refusing to get up for a half hour & the parents just keep telling them to get up
I hear you there I watched a father tell his kid to get back on the ice or he would have his toys taken away. The kid was a good skater, just did not seem interested. At 4&5 you can not force them its not worth it and they will never want to play.
Biggest prroblem Ihave is my son is nervous right now that he will not be good.
As long as he tries, listens, and has fun I am happy
As long as they have fun it doesnt matter what they are doing, just support and have fun with them. Many parents have ruined their relationship with their children because they have pushed them too hard .....
Started my son at 4, skating once a week. Went into initiation at 5 (once a week on the ice), pre-novice at 6 (hockey twice a week, power skating once a week). He's now pretty good, level 4 in Novice (as a 7 year old, Novice is 7 & 8 year olds) out of 14 levels .
Smartest thing I ever did was every day after skating in initiation (he really didnt like skating that much at 1st) , we went to Burgur King which he loved (they had a play gym). That way, he looked forward to skating cause he knew it meant Burgur King. Eventually, he became a pretty good skater so he looked forward to skating for its own sake.
Unless your kid is one of those few precocious skaters, not many kids will like it at 1st because skating is , at 1st anyways, veeeery difficult & who likes falling on their can a bunch of times.
And while some may think I am a nut, I am not even close compared to other hockey Dad's. Alot of them have there 3, 4 & 5 year olds on the ice 3-4 times a week. The thing is, while these kids likely will be better when they are younger, as they get older all kids will whatever their "true" level is, irrerspective of how good/how much they played when they were younger.
i have a question: is there such thing as starting your kid to skate when the kid is TOO YOUNG?
this is ASSUMING that you try to teach them to skate AFTER they learn how to walk.. or around then.. i dunno ; )
Too young? I would say if they are physically incapable of standing up on skates or actually "skating" (in only the very broadest sense). For most kids I have seen thats around 4 or 5.
Imo, the worst thing is to start a child too young when that physically cant do it or feel they can do it.. Then they may hate it for a loooong time.
My son is 1 year, 1 month. I'll probley get him on some kind of rollerblades or skates around 2. We are in Phoenix, so lots of year round weather to roller blade in. Later Joe
