Teaching toddler to skate? Bucket?

[qwertyjjj]

I'm getting my 3 year old to start skating (really just getting used to the ice). We have one of those frames but he just seems to lean on it and fall backwards a lot. I've seen some recommendations to get them to use a 5 gallon bucket as it gets their weight forward but then others say it's better they stand straight. Anyone tried either of these methods? Supposedly at this age, it's just about getting them used to falling!

 

[Yukon Joe]

I don't think there's any sure-fire solution here. I've used the buckets with 5 year olds and they seem to enjoy pushing those around if nothing else. It's really just about getting them used to getting back up after falling, and to try and get them to move their feet.

 

[Smash88]

Yeah you're right. Get them some good knee pads and get them used to and not afraid to fall and get back up. Once they have that confidence, they will learn to stride fairly quickly.

 

[jmichael7753]

also walking off Ice in skate (if your living situation allows) really helps them to get acclimated to the feeling of walking on skates.

 

[Grave77digger]

Id avoid the bucket. We did it and my kid had a skate boarding motion to his stride forever

 

[ChuckLefley]

Id avoid the bucket. We did it and my kid had a skate boarding motion to his stride forever

My son started with a bucket,because that was what the rink had, and his stride was fine. Your kid must have been standing straight up when he was using the bucket.

 

[Fremitus Borealis]

Our son's only two, but we've been taking him out on the ice partially just to get him confident and used to it, and also because he's been obsessed with hockey for about a year now. He's still a little too scared to glide around yet, but we take his little stool out with us and he'll shoot pucks while sitting on it, and gradually he forgets he's afraid to fall and stands up and shimmies over to the pucks himself.

We have a pair of those "Skateez" things (like training wheels for skates) that we keep on his skates, and he's been sliding around on the basement carpet (with skateguards on, of course) for about six months, so he's familiar with the concept, at least.

We'll probably try the bucket trick next winter when he's a little more able to understand what's going on

 

[slozo]

It's different strokes for different folks - but I started my boy at 3, and never gave him anything to hold onto. It sucks at first, they fall a lot, but after like 9 or 10 sessions . . . they can stay up and actually waddle around.
Worked especially well in a classroom environment, with peer pressure at work as well.

 

[StLHokie]

I learned with the bucket. Just put them in shin pads/elbow pads/helmet/gloves and when they fall they won't hurt themselves. Sometimes you just have to leave them out on the ice alone to let them figure it out. Don't be worried that they're going to fall, and don't help them get back up.

 

[Pablo Messier]

With little ones, they dont really need a bucket to hold on to as much as a reason to move around on the ice. From my experience, once they are able to walk or waddle on the ice, the rest follows pretty quickly. Consider blowing bubbles for them to pop, or draw lines on the ice with markers for then to walk from one end to the other pretending they are driving or flying. Give them a ball to kick around. Whatever game you can engage them in to get them moving. Falling and getting up is all part of learning to skate, so if you dont have to, dont help them get up. And if they want to take a break and sit or lie on the ice for a bit, nothing wrong with that.

 

[Oak]

Traffic cone works well.