My girls first skates and skating aclimation ...?

So it is getting the time for me to be thinking of getting skates for my little girl. And this double runner skate blade thing has me wondering. ? She is 20 months now and looking at skating right around her 2nd birthday

Are the double runners really a good choice? I haven't heard much on "learning" with them - rather that they are used a lot for actors and people that are more interested in not falling than to learn how to skate.

I am wondering if they will give a false sense of stability, that would cause issues that if she does like skating than she will want to transition into "traditional blades" - and this will require relearning?

Anyhoo, anyone here start with double blades? How was the transition? Would you change anything?

How hard is it to spin in them? They seem like they would make positions and stability really easy, so maybe that is an encouraging aspect that will maintain her interest. ???

Just wondering and hoping it can be fun for her however her enthusiasm may sway.

I've never used the double running blades, but I'd start with a pair of traditional skates, either hockey or figure and use a chair or something similar for stability. I'd imagine spinning in the double blades would be difficult because of increased drag from more surface area on the ice, the balance point would be completely different in a double bladed skate than a single blade. There are always some kids who can pick up skating really quickly and some who take more time and then the kids who avoid the ice like the plague. I'd try the single blade first and if she really doesn't like it or falls down a lot then consider switching to a double runner.

Wouldn't do it. They really don't work like skates as such, and will hinder her ability to skate on regular blades (IMHO). If you're thinking of her spinning, then, consider that if she's spinning on skates, she's comfortable enough that she could wear regular skates. I'd use figure skates though, the rocker on tiny hockey skates seems precarious for a lot of kids as opposed to the relatively flat blade of figure skates.

I first learned to skate when I was 5 or 6 on a version of double runners that had about 1/2" between the two blades, so they still sort of worked like regular skates. However, I got rid of them as soon as I could because I regarded them as "baby" skates. However, I had no trouble with regular skates when I finally got them.

I have no idea if they even make that kind of skates any more. Heck that was almost 60 years ago.

dorispulaski said:

I first learned to skate when I was 5 or 6 on a version of double runners that had about 1/2" between the two blades, so they still sort of worked like regular skates. However, I got rid of them as soon as I could because I regarded them as "baby" skates. However, I had no trouble with regular skates when I finally got them.

I have no idea if they even make that kind of skates any more. Heck that was almost 60 years ago.

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Wow! I wish you still had those skates.

Maybe I attempting to hard to make sure her experience is a good one. :scratch:

Did anyone wear them around the house - with the covers on of course Before you went skating?

We put my niece on ice in regular figure skates (actually good ones that had been bought used from a yard sale) at 2 3/4. She needed someone to lean over and hold her up or else she needed to hold onto the wall the first few times. After she was 3 she was able to maintain some balance on her own.

Her younger brother begged to join her -- even to wear too-big rental skates before he was able to walk on his own -- so we ended up putting him in the smallest rental skates and taking him onto the ice when he was 18 months, only a few months after he started walking. He needed two people to hold him up by the armpits at first (and was very short, so we had to lean way down to do it) and then graduated to needing to hold two people's hands, then eventually one person's hand and finally to maintain balance on his own.

I could skate backwards and hold both hands at the same time, but my sister and brother in law could only skate forward so they could really only hold one hand at a time.

The first time I skated I was 3 and wore regular skates and held my mother's hand and fell a lot. My sister was 2 and wore double runners so I don't think she fell as much. But, after occasional pond skating on our own with much falling, when we started taking skating lessons at 9 and 10 I fell in love with it and progressed to figure skating whereas she gave up after a couple of months once she was comfortable with basic forward skating. I don't know if any of the difference in interest is attributable to the fact that I had started in regular skates and therefore had a better sense of balance on blades from that early experience.

If you do use the double runners, expect your girl to graduate out of them, and then need to relearn balance, by the time she's ready to start learning some actual skating skills. If you put her in regular skates at 2, expect to do a lot of bending over to hold her up until she gets her feet under her.

This is just my POV, but I so wish that parents wouldn't start their children in skating until at least the age of 3. At age 2, most children have a hard enough time just maintaining balance while walking and running around. By putting them in skates, children pretty much lose all control over their bodies.

If the parent puts them in lessons at age 2, it really is just a waste of time for everyone involved. The children become cold, start crying, and want to get off the ice. The parents will come down to the ice and try and talk to the child (sometimes they even bribe them with candy so they will stay on the ice :disapp. The coaches are unable to teach a proper lesson to the whole group since some children are too young. Not to mention the aching back you get from holding up children for 45 minutes

Like gkelly said there are balance issues when switching over to a single blade. I would not start my child skating until the age of 3 when they have more balance and I probably wouldn't put them in lessons until the age of 4 - this is what my parents did with me and it worked out very well (I only used single blades). I also would only use a single blade - using a double blade would cause more problems than anything, since balance has to be relearned once they switch over to a single.

I don't think a 2-year-old can handle formal skating lessons.

If the parents or other older family members like to skate for fun and are comfortable enough on the ice to support the kid, they can take her on a public session or safe frozen pond. But if the parents are also beginners and likely to be falling themselves, it's not a good idea.

SeaniBu said:

Did anyone wear them around the house - with the covers on of course Before you went skating?

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I always wear my skates around with the guards on before I get on the ice to break them in, and sometimes when I miss being on the ice and can't get to any.

This has been great advice. There are no classes that take 2 year-old's around here and I really agree that is too early to do anything but just have fun learning. She seems to have great balance, falls like a natural (socks on the tile floor is fun for her, tries to spin) and great perception where things are behind her (walks around backwards a lot). Loves to spin and emulate the the skaters she sees on video. She wants to get on the ice (motions to it and wants down) but I think she will be a little overwhelmed once she is actually on it so I am thinking what is the best way to have her feel comfortable. We will be joining the Y of Boulder county so if she is interested in doing other things like swimming and such it might go a different direction - up to her. "HOWEVER" LOL! What ever I can do to support her with comfort and no force (such as a bribe which I think is horrible also) .... "to hold the sheet of white paper for her to draw her life."

Anyway these comments are great, gKelly you should know by now I am not shy in saying I have the most respected opinion of you and your thoughts. And everyone - this is an ADDITIONAL reason I want my daughter to be with such good company that is the FS community. - it is all about the balance.

The one thing I might interfere with in her "life decisions" if she wants to become a "Diva"


_ added point to not trying to get kids into classes before 3 (different than just going ice skating) is she does not communicate well enough to express her thoughts and all direction she takes verbally is in familiar circumstance in environments she is familiar with.

????? New question - I think she is not going to want to use the "chair/quad cane ice trainer thing" and me using it will not make a bit of difference, I do make costumes already so a cute little padded outfit is already in the plan,...

sorry for the blaa blaa...
So is the "chair / crutch thing" just another form of the double bade? Should I avoid it unless she asks for it?

- wanted to add that when she is spinning she puts one hand above her head and the other out to the side, so I really feel she is not just spinning around like kids do but she is really trying to be like the skaters.

Having a chair isn't any different really from you holding her up and it's easier on you. The chair is just for balance and confidence.

silver.blades said:

Having a chair isn't any different really from you holding her up and it's easier on you. The chair is just for balance and confidence.

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Thank you, confidence is what I hope she has!

We just went the rink today and she really loves the ice rink more than the pool, play room ... Saw 2 twin Skaters practicing during the rec skate today. They look like North Chinese maybe and same level it seems. I hope they stick with it and we see Twins taking first and second.

Must say I am bummed it is an 85' wide, I would still love to build a full size with no glass and no hockey markers for all the skaters out here.

SeaniBu said:

Must say I am bummed it is an 85' wide, I would still love to build a full size with no glass and no hockey markers for all the skaters out here.

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Well, just work on your marketing skills...get sponsorships, promise training time to the students of a prominent coach (any coaches wish to immigrate?), and you'll get your dream!