Roller skating is more than a sport or a hobby, it can be a lifelong passion! With so many physical and mental health benefits, it’s understandable that you’d want to share your love of skating with your children. While some kids pick up skating right away and are zooming around the rink before you know it, others need a little more coaching to feel comfortable on wheels. Check out these roller skating safety tips for kids to keep your little skaters safe while they learn how to skate. 

Roller Skating Safety for Kids

Start With Skating Lessons

One of the best things you can do to help your kids learn to skate safely is to put them in roller skating lessons. Here at Skate World Deer Park, we offer public and private roller skating lessons for ages 5 through 12 years. We’ve been teaching kids to skate for a long time and have helped many people learn to LOVE roller skating!  

Lessons include all of the basics—standing, falling, skating forwards and backwards, stopping, turning—plus games and activities to get kids confident on skates and having a blast. Each course consists of five 45 minute lessons. Email us at skateworldlessons@gmail.com to see when the next course starts.  

Teach Them How to Fall on Skates

Speaking of the basics, one of the first things any beginner skater needs to learn is how to safely fall on skates. Teach your child to try to fall forward rather than backward, how to go down on one knee for a controlled landing, and how to catch themselves and get back up without putting their hands down on the floor. Then practice these skills together until they feel like second nature. Once your child knows that A) everyone falls down sometimes, and B) that falling down doesn’t have to be painful, they’ll be able to relax and enjoy the experience more fully. 

Dress For Success

One of the best ways to keep kids safe while they learn to skate is to make sure they’re wearing the appropriate clothing and safety gear. Comfortable clothing that allows for easy movement is ideal—nothing too tight or too baggy. Long dresses, baggy pants, or anything with trailing ribbons, straps, etc. is not appropriate as they can pose a tripping hazard for your child or other skaters. 

Long pants and sleeves are great, as they provide some protection in case of a fall. However, you should also consider putting your child in safety gear like elbow and knee pads, wrist braces, and a helmet. Safety gear can help them feel more confident as they learn to skate and prevent injuries, ensuring that they have a positive experience instead of a potentially painful one. 

Remember, practice makes perfect, so bring your family for skating fun as often as possible. We host public skate sessions 5 days a week. Good luck, parents! We hope to see you soon at our Deer Park skating rink.