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Winter Sports for Kids Inside the Ice Rink
Written by
Beth Swanson
Whether or not you live in an area that receives true winter weather, getting out on the local ice rink is a great way to embrace the season. These sports on skates could be great for you and your child! Skating teaches balance, improves strength and encourages kids to keep trying. After all, everybody falls down while learning to skate.
Learn to Skate
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Like crawling before walking, all skaters need to master the basics first. "Learn to Skate USA" programs focus on beginner skills for kids preschool age and up. Once your child is comfortable and moving well on skates, there are classes specific to all the following sports, as well as curriculums that focus on ice theater, pairs skating, artistry and even specific jumps. They also have Adaptive Skating lessons that allow individuals with physical or developmental disabilities to skate.
Hockey
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While availability varies a bit by location, many rinks have three program levels for kids hockey. Learn-to-Skate programs focus on comfortability and confidence on skates before introducing hockey sticks and pucks. Learn-to-Play programs are geared toward skating skills specific to hockey, as well as stickhandling, passing and shooting. Mite programs (for kids 8 and under) are geared toward entry-level kids.
Youth hockey has different rules than the NHL; no contact is allowed until age 14, which may be good news or bad news depending on your player! There are also many disabled hockey disciplines for participants with specific needs.
Youth hockey has different rules than the NHL; no contact is allowed until age 14, which may be good news or bad news depending on your player! There are also many disabled hockey disciplines for participants with specific needs.
Figure Skating
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Figure skating offers a chance to mix strength, speed, creativity and artistry. Athletes can choose a competitive or recreational path, with the competitive path requiring skaters to progress through tests as they learn new skills, allowing them to qualify for specific competitions. With more than 750 figure skating clubs across all states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, there's likely a location near you.
Speedskating
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There are two distinct types of speedskating: short track and long track. While the object of both is to skate fast, there are a few differences in how skaters compete in each distance. Once your kid is comfortable skating laps around the rink, they may be interested in learning the technicalities of speedskating and giving it a try themselves
Synchronized Skating
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Does your child love skating and being part of a team? In synchronized skating, teams of eight to 20 skaters perform a routine on ice, similar to a dance or drill team. Routines include wheels, lines, holds and spins–all precision movements that require high levels of teamwork and individual skill. There is a push by US Figure Skating and the International Skating Union to have synchronized skating included in the 2022 Beijing Olympics. In the United States alone there are close to 600 synchronized skating teams.
Ice Dancing
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For kids who love to dance, ice dancing focuses on precise steps and interpretation of music rather than the lifts and spins that are common in figure skating. Ice dancers usually compete in pairs to a set theme.
Curling
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Often referred to as "shuffleboard on ice", the goal of the game is to glide a curling stone into the center of a bullseye at the end of a lane. However, there is much more to the game than meets the eye. For kids who aren't comfortable on blades, curling players don't wear skates. If your kid wants to learn, you can find a curling club in most states.