How to Teach a Child to Rollerblade

You've made it past birth, past teething, and walking was a piece of cake, but now your child wants to rollerblade! Here's how to teach your child to rollerblade while maintaining safety as well.

Instructions

    • 1

      Find the right fit, which crucial for a rollerblade skater. The skates should be fairly snug and provide ample ankle support for your child's foot.

    • 2

      Purchase or borrow protective gear. A helmet, elbow pads, knee guard and mouth guard are all things your child should wear for safe inline skating.

    • 3

      Start small. Young ice skaters first feel the sensation of "skating" by sliding across the ice while sitting in a chair with their skates on the ice. Consider the same for your child. While wearing protective gear, supervise them at arms length, while they Rollerblade along a wall or fence, using it's structure for support. Encourage them to "push off" on each foot to propel forward.

    • 4

      Gauge progress. As you supervise your child over several sessions of inline skating with protective gear, allow them to slowly challenge themselves. In the same way a child will "ride his bike to you," encourage your child to rollerblade to you at different distances. First ten feet, then twenty feet and so on...

    • 5

      Use the breaks. Consistently remind your child that by simply dragging the back heel of their right foot, they will begin to slow down and eventually stop. Encourage them to practice stopping as they skate to you.

    • 6

      Challenge your child safely. Once they've mastered the basic movements, rollerblading short distances and breaking, take them to your local running track and encourage them to Rollerblade long stretches of track.