Teach Your Child How to Rollerblade

Oh, the joy of rollerblading! Just the mere thought of skating around carelessly with my friends makes me want to go back to the happy days of my childhood. I remember the times my dad was teaching me how to rollerblade. I was so clumsy I could easily be a part of all those “Funniest Moments” TV episodes that we all laughed at for hours.

I do not however, regret all those epic fails, scars and bloody knees. No, no. If I could, I would go back to that time and learn even cooler tricks, twists and turns. But since my time for all these fun activities is up and gone, all that is left for me is to teach my little ones how to master the art of rollerblading. And I believe I did a great job here. To make their first rollerblading experience unforgettable, I got them each a pair of quality rollerblades for kids.

So, to help you perform your best as a father-rollerblading teacher, I compiled a few tips and steps that could help you achieve your training goals faster and easier.

1. For starters, bear in mind that there is no set age when children are ready to learn how to rollerblade. However, if your child stumbles around the house like a drunken sailor wearing nothing more compelling than sneakers, then you might as well wait before you buy rollerblades for kids. Your child first has to learn how to stand in rollerblades before actually starting to skate.

2. Make sure your child has all the protective gear he/she needs. This means a helmet, wrist guards, elbow and knee pads and maybe padded shorts under the clothes so that falling backward would not hurt that much. The skates should be snug enough so that while standing straight the toes touch the end of the skate.

3. While teaching your little one how to rollerblade, demonstrate the positions and techniques yourself so that he/she sees what they need to do.

4. Practice balance. Teach your child how to walk in tiny steps with heels close together and toes pointed out. It is important that your child learns how to do it as this is the position they will use later on while skating.

5. Show them how to stop. Beware, once your child rolls down the pavement it will be too late for teaching this lesson. Teach them to stand in the ready position with feet about 10cm apart, knees bent, arms stretched out in front and spine straight to prepare for braking. Also, teach them how to engage the brake with their foot.

6. The proper way to fall. Teach your little one that he/she needs to bend the knees and fall to the side for a less painful fall. Make sure he/she knows how important it is to land on the pads while falling down. Explain that if he/she feels like is falling while rollerblading, grabbing his/her knees can help them regain the balance and keep them on their legs.

7. And last but not least, be supportive. Tell your little skater what a good job he/she is doing while helping them develop confidence to skate. There is nothing more encouraging than hearing these words from your superhero, and you surely know you are their superhero.