Joe Garry
I have seen some very young children on the ice, under the age of 4 for sure. I am not sure that a child that is 2 years old has any more of an advantage over a child starting around the age of 4. There is truly a huge difference between a 2 year old and a 4 year old, both physically and emotionally. It is my belief that a child under 4 isn’t mature enough to really know what’s going on skating-wise. It’s cute seeing them on tiny skates, but beyond that, they are really just too young to even begin teaching them. 4 years old seems to be the appropriate age to really start getting a kid going if you would like an “early bloomer.” My younger son who is 13 now, started on rollerblades at 3 ½. The rollerblading helped give him a daily introduction to skating and allowed him to learn to push (stride) forward that is in a similar motion to ice skating. I highly recommend rollerblading in the earliest development of skating. It can really be a positive when very young children are just learning to skate and I do not see any down side to rollerblading at a younger age. Ice skating and Rollerblading equipment needed:
1. Most rollerblades will have 4 wheels, but if the child is very young, they will have only 3 wheels.
2. Hockey helmet with cage or clear plastic shield is a must for both.
3. Elbow pads and knee pads are essential. You can buy a set at any sporting goods store to get started. Eventually you will switch out these pads to little hockey shin pads and elbow pads.
You can always find great deals on skates online. EBay was a go-to spot when my kids were growing up.
Secret Hint – Look for discounted skates just for the wheels. Buying the whole skate will usually be cheaper than just buying replacement wheels. it doesn’t matter if the skates are the wrong size, the wheels are still useful. If you do get a bigger skate, you can save them to use later as your child gets older and his or her foot grows.