Desired Outcomes Of Enrolling Your Child In Ice Skating Lessons
When you plan to enroll your child in ice skating lessons, you might primarily be thinking of giving him or her a chance to try something new and enjoy some exercise. It's important, however, to also give some consideration to your desired outcomes for the lessons. Speak with an instructor about what your child should be able to do on the ice by the time the lessons are over, and don't be afraid to take this topic to multiple skating programs in your city to assess which one will best suit your needs. Other than basic things such as being able to skate around, here are some desired outcomes of enrolling your child in ice skating lessons.
The Ability To Stop
Novice ice skaters will be able to learn how to glide around the ice before long, but stopping can be another story altogether. Make sure that the skating instructor can assure you that your child will be able to stop by the end of the lessons. This doesn't necessarily mean that he or she will be able to make a sharp hockey-style stop and spray up a layer of ice, but it does mean that your child will be taught how to position his or her skates to decrease speed and come to a halt. This is about more than just learning the fundamentals; children will also be safer on the ice when they can stop with ease.
The Ability To Turn Both Ways
Some young skaters will have a tendency to turn only in one direction, so you'll want to be sure that your child will be able to confidently turn to the left and to the right by the time he or she is done ice skating lessons. The instructors will teach the kids how to put either foot forward and shift their weight to make it easy to turn either direction. Being able to accomplish this goal will make your child more confident in successfully maneuvering around the ice.
The Confidence To Take A Full Lap
When young children aren't confident skaters, they might linger around the boards of the rink and seldom feel confident moving out into the open ice. Being able to do so, however, is a liberating feeling that will help your child move forward with his or her fundamentals. Many ice skating classes will build the students up to be able to take a full lap around the perimeter of the ice. It doesn't matter if your child falls during the lap; he or she will feel a high sense of accomplishment upon being able to make a full circuit.
