QUICK SKATING TIPS
HOW TO BUY SKATES!
When it comes to skates, I always say: Start as you mean to go on. Skip the useless "bob" skates (two edgeless blades serve no purpose when it comes to learning to skate) and start your skater in either figure or hockey skates.
Figure skates are more than just white skates, and you will not find them at your local hardware store. Try a sporting goods store, or even better, a skate shop like Skate Lab or Professional Skate. Figure skates need to have firm ankle support and a proper rocker on the blade. Look at the recreational level figure skates by Jackson. Some manufacturers do make this confusing, as they call anything white a figure skate, but a true figure skate will tell you what level of skating it is rated for, and will feel sturdy and well-made. Or just message me. I can help you find the right model for your skater.
If you are a hockey family, or really just plan to skate around the lake once and awhile through the winter, a decent hockey skate will do just fine. I usually suggest a hockey skate for brand new learners as well. Look for a reputable hockey brand.
No matter which kind you choose, skates need to fit well, which does mean they'll outgrow them every year. Please do NOT buy adjustable skates. The blades don't lengthen, which means the skater's balance is almost never over the correct spot on the curve of the blade. They just make learning so much more difficult for little skaters. Second-hand skates are a good option, and you can find used hockey skates pretty easily.
I also don't recommend hard, molded plastic skates with cartoon or princess characters. The blades are weird (OK, wrong. Just wrong.), the fastening does not ensure the entire foot is supported, the boot does not allow natural movement of the foot, etc. A good quality figure or hockey skate will give your skater the ankle support they need, while still allowing for movement (floppy white skates will not, so avoid those).
One last note, please don't buy those orange "training wheel" things. In skating, we need to use the inside edge of our blades to properly push. The orange things hold the foot upright and rigid - which is not how we skate and does not make learning EZ (ugh).
HOW TO STAND UP!
When getting ready to stand, have your skater get onto both knees - tall knees, I call it. Not sitting back on their feet, but up tall on both knees - like in old fashioned prayer (that's usually a quick way to get the mental picture).
From our kneeling "prayer" position, skaters bring one foot up, put both hands on that knee, and push into standing. Have you ever seen anyone over 40 try to get up off the floor? Like that! (I am well over 40, and I totally get up this way!). Avoid encouraging skaters to put their hands down onto the ice to push up. We want the head upright so the rest of the body can follow it...UP! If they are head down, the rest of the body does tend to follow it...down.
Finding our balance on the ice is much easier from a lower centre of gravity. When skaters feel like they are going to lose their footing, I suggest sitting in a pretend chair. Bend the knees, stick the butt out behind, thrust the arms in front, and pretend to sit. That usually brings the balance low and back under the body. Once they feel stable again, they can raise back up into standing.
Once standing, the skater's knees should always be nice and soft - bent and bouncy. I often tell them to walk like a penguin, with the toes pointing out, heels together, knees bent. The skater then lifts each foot just a little bit as they step forward, one foot at a time.