Teach Skating To Your Child : Step By Step Guide

Since summer vacations are ongoing, it gives a perfect time for the children to learn a new activity or hone their already existing skills. If you wish to teach your child a new sport or a new activity, seek fortuity out of this time and introduce skating to your child. Skating is a leisure activity that your child will love and also help him/her make new friends. Being a fun physical activity, skating will improve your child’s vestibular system and help him/her maintain a healthy lifestyle. So here are some tips and tricks that will help you teach your child skating in no time.

A few facts around Skating

Since skating is a new sport that your child will confront, you must ensure that certain items of protection are given to your child for safety reasons. If you don’t want to put your child’s health at risk, here are a few items that you need to invest in-

• Choosing the right size of roller blades that perfectly fit as per your child’s feet
• Helmet, knee pads, wrist pads and elbow pads
• Psychological preparation

Once you are done putting on these safety gears on your child, you can begin with the teaching. Since this is a new activity for your child, he/she will be pretty enthusiastic about it and might even have a few falls initially, but that is okay and a part of the learning stage. Now you can follow the below mentioned step by step guide to help teach your child skating.

1. Gear up right:

   Basic safety gears, which are mentioned above are all necessary for your child’s protection. You can even keep a first aid kit handy for any emergency situation since your child will have more falls during the beginning

2. The balancing act:

   The art of skating requires one to maintain a perfect balance on wheels. Balancing being important, you can teach your child to put on the roller blades and walk on the grass patiently to seek some grip. Once your child is ready, a slight slanted area of pavement will work fine, with you constantly being besides your child for support. You can hold your child’s hand and help him/her roll down the pavement, while also assuring he/she maintains proper balance

3. The real act:

   Once your child learns how to balance and roll, teach him/her how to roll the blades to move ahead. For this, you too can put on a pair of roller blades. Lift your right foot and put it in front of the left one as you roll. Draw your left foot parallel to the right one, and set it in front. Have your child practice this procedure until he/she masters it

4. Using the brakes:

   Since your child will learn how to roll around, applying brakes is also important. Teach your child how to use the heel brakes in order to stop the skates from moving ahead. Most recreational skates have a brake that lets one stop by using friction. Show your child how to step forward with the skate that has the brake, and raise his/her toe. This will engage the brake, but children should also put their arms out in front of them in case they fall

5. Taking the fall graciously:

   Falling is a part and parcel of skating, which is why it is essential to teach your child how to fall safely. Teach your child to fall forward, in order to protect his/her head from being hit. If your child falls, the knee, elbow and wrist protection will offer the needed support to your child

With these correct methods, you can teach your little one the art of skating, which he/she will master in no time. Let your child make the most of it by rolling off and enjoying the cool breeze.

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