When to introduce kids to ice skating

‘I want to say bye bye to Pingu’

After 20 minutes on the ice yesterday three-year-old Big Girl was ready to leave the much-loved ice skating penguin she’d borrowed. She’s kept asking to go ice skating this season–potentially inspired by Minnie and Daisy ice skating at the start of a Mickey’s Christmas special–and yesterday was her second time trying.

I was tempted to take her to one of London’s festive ice rinks last year too, but with her being so keen on the sport this year, I’m glad we’ve waited and I now feel three years was the right age for us to introduce her to ice skating.

Some ice skating locations offer adjustable, twin blade skates that are strapped on to normal footwear for young children, as well as adorable skate aid penguins to make it easier for little ones to balance on the ice and learn to skate. The stable penguins with handles, available at several London ice rinks, including Swarovski ice rink at National History Museum, are fun for kids to hold on to and Big Girl can skate on her own when holding onto a penguin.

I don’t mind that we don’t go for a long time every time. We still appear to have enough time to get a dozen photos and videos of a happy-looking preschooler on the ice, and it’s all about trying something new and being outdoors.

Next on my list of things to do now is to print out a picture of Big Girl giving a cuddle to ‘Pingu’ to kick off her 2016 show and tells. A very important agenda item.

Some London ice rinks operate with a minimum age limit, with the minimum age at Westfield London’s ice rink, for example, being 4 years

Tags: Christmas, Ice skating, Outdoor activities, Penguin skating support, Skates, Sports, Winter