When you love to skate, you just want to share your passion with everyone—especially your kids! You already know that skating isn’t just fun, it’s also a really good way to get some exercise, strengthening your heart, legs, and abs; and best of all, it’s a low-impact activity that your kids will be able to enjoy well into their senior years if they want to. But when it comes to the details of sharing your hobby with your kids, you might need a little help getting it right. No worries, Chester Skateland is at your service! Keep reading to learn how to choose kids’ roller skates with our handy guide for parents.
Choosing Kids’ Roller Skates
When can a child start skating?
Many people don’t realize that kids can start skating as soon as they can walk! Of course, every child is different, so you’ll need to take your own child’s unique capabilities into consideration. Some kids take to skates like a fish to water at 2 years old, while others need a little more time to develop their balance, agility, coordination, and other gross motor skills. For many kids, 4-6 years old is the sweet spot when it comes to learning how to skate. Regardless of age, they should wear proper protective gear—knee and elbow pads, wrist braces, and a helmet.
Which type of skate is best for new skaters?
Most kids start out with quad roller skates, thanks to their more stable form. The wider distribution of weight makes it easier to control movement and balance. If your kid seems to be comfortable with the basics of roller skating on quads, you can let them give inline skates (aka roller blades) a try. Because all of the wheels are in a line (hence the name) some people find it a little harder to master inline skating.
What size skates does my child need?
One reason many parents are wary of buying skates is because their kids’ feet grow so quickly. Any parent can tell you that keeping kids in shoes that fit is much easier said than done, so how can you possibly hope to keep up?
First, measure your child’s foot. Skate sizes are the same as shoe sizes, for the most part. You may be tempted to buy a larger size for your child to “grow into,” but don’t. If the skate boot is too loose, your child’s foot will end up sliding around and chafing. Too tight, and your child could develop painful blisters or lace bite.
For very young kids, you can consider buying the type of skates that strap on over tennis shoes, many of which are adjustable in order to grow with your child.
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