Ages 2.5 to 5

Ice Explorers is designed to help preschool-age children, ages two-and-a-half to three, develop the preliminary coordination and strength necessary to maneuver on skates and educate parents about the sport. We begin off-ice and gradually get accustomed to wearing skates. By week five, skaters will be on the ice. Upon graduation from this program, skaters should feel comfortable being on skates and be prepared to move on to Snowplow Sam or Little Toros.

Curriculum

Ice Explorers follows Learn to Skate USA, U.S. Figure Skating Association, and USA Hockey guidelines. We incorporate lots of fun and games. A parent or guardian must remain at the rink for the entire class time and should participate with their skater in the program.

• Facility Introduction: Create a comfortable rink feel for the skater and family. We will walk skaters and parents through key locations of your facility. Each week, we will meet more individuals who work in the facility and learn what they do. Ice Explorers will have their passports stamped as they visit new places each week. We will also do a Where in the Facility is Snowplow Sam Activity to review key locations.
• Fall, Sit, and Stand: Objective: Learn to safely and properly fall, sit, and stand. We will first practice this skill off-ice in street shoes, progress to off-ice in skates, and finally, by week five, we will practice this skill on-ice.
• Marching Forwards and Backwards, Dips, Hopping, Turning, Side Steps, Balancing on One Foot, Two-Foot Glide, Backwards Wiggles: Learn the various moves required to maneuver on skates first in street shoes, then in skates off the ice, and finally by week 5 we will progress to learning these moves on the ice.
• Introduction to Skates: Hold and feel skates with guards on. Learn the parts of the skate and how each part works. Learning how to tie skates properly. Parents and skaters will learn how to tie skates.
• Learn about Teaching Tools and Toys: Familiarize skaters with the toys and tools we use on ice and educate parents about why we use them.
• Coloring Activities and Fun Songs: Skaters have fun coloring, singing, and learning essential off-ice exercises in the form of fun songs and activities while learning more about skating, and parents get concurrent education and have the opportunity to ask questions.

Upon completion of the Ice Explorers, the skater will advance to Snowplow Sam 1 at the discretion of the coach.

Class Times & Other Information

• Mondays from 5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Wednesday or Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
• Six complimentary Public Skate sessions upon graduation