Getting Your Child into Winter Sports Lessons: When and How

There are lots of activities for your toddler to do during the winter – and not just indoor ones too. But after chasing your child endlessly around the park – when is it time to get them involved in some more organized activity? Well here are some handy tips on when and how to get your toddler involved in some group activity.

1. Skating Lessons

Skating – yes it’s fun and exhilarating – but it takes a bit of strength to get your toddler up and going. And not so much your strength as your toddler’s own core strength. And to get that, your child most likely has to be about 3 or 4 – or maybe an unusually strong or tall 2 year old!

You can expect your tot to walk and stomp around the ice at first and gradually progress to gliding. After about a year, many kids learn to skate backwards.

Purchase skates from a store where staff knows how they should fit – snugly but with room to wiggle toes. Lace those skates up tight and off they go!

There are a couple of approaches to teaching your toddler how to skate – you can teach them yourself or register them for group or private lessons.

City-run community centers and rinks usually provide certified skating lessons with lots of families attending. Your toddler might even make lots of new friends! Usually, a municipal website will provide details such as schedules and cost.

2. Skiing and Snowboarding

Got a little speed-lover tot? Than maybe skiing or snowboarding is just what he or she needs for a thrill. But truthfully, you don’t have to be an extreme thrill seeker to enjoy the slopes. Most children start skiing or snowboarding around age four – mainly because you need some balance and strength to hold yourself up on the skis or board and to ride the chairlift.

Yes, this is another activity where you can teach your child yourself but group lessons also offer expert tips and tricks, as well as socializing. And remember to find lessons that encourage safety too. And rent or buy equipment that complies with proper safety standards.

3. Hockey

Even little kids can play hockey! Sure they might not be skating as fast as the players in the NHL but hockey lessons can be a great team-building activity for your tot. It also improves hand-eye coordination too.

If your toddler already knows how to skate – hockey will be easier but they don’t necessarily have to skate well in order to enroll them in hockey lessons. Usually beginner hockey lessons teach them fundamental skating and how to pass the puck back and forth to each other.

Usually you can start your child in hockey lessons as young at three or four years old. Again, you can find lessons at your local, city-run arena or community center.