Glide and Giggle: Fun Drills that Teach Ice Skating Skills
Ice skating is an exhilarating activity that combines grace and athleticism. It also can be a challenge to learn! Incorporating fun drills into your skating practice routine can both enhance the skills of your students while making the learning process enjoyable. In this article, we’ll explore some of these exciting and effective drills designed to teach ice skating with loads of fun.
- Penguin Parade: Balancing Basics
- Begin with a drill called “Penguin Parade” to help beginners develop their balance on the ice.
- Participants imitate penguins by holding their arms out to the side and waddling across the ice.
- This drill promotes core stability and helps skaters get comfortable with weight distribution on skates.
- Snowflake Spirals: Mastering Turns
- Create a large snowflake pattern on the ice using cones or markers.
- Skaters practice gliding along the lines of the snowflake, gradually incorporating turns.
- This drill improves control and introduces skaters to the concept of turning with finesse.
- Musical Chairs on Ice: Quick Footwork
- Set up a game of musical chairs with cones on the ice.
- Skaters glide around the chairs, and when the music stops, they must perform a quick footwork routine before finding a seat.
- This drill enhances agility, quick thinking, and foot coordination.
- Limbo Skating: Flexibility and Balance
- Use a limbo stick or a rope suspended between two cones.
- Skaters take turns gliding under the limbo stick without touching it or falling.
- This drill improves flexibility, balance, and body awareness.
- Freeze Tag on Ice: Speed and Maneuverability
- Incorporate the classic game of freeze tag into your ice skating practice.
- Designate “it” skaters to tag others, causing them to freeze in place until a teammate unfreezes them.
- This drill combines speed, maneuverability, and teamwork.
- Figure Eight Fun: Advanced Techniques
- Create a figure-eight pattern on the ice using cones.
- Skaters practice navigating the figure-eight, focusing on smooth transitions and proper body alignment.
- This drill is ideal for those looking to advance their skating techniques.
Conclusion:
Ice skating drills don’t have to be dull and repetitive; they can be a source of joy and excitement. By incorporating these fun drills into your ice skating lesson plan, the learning process will be more enjoyable. See you at the rink! Further, if you are running a clinic or learn to skate/play hockey program, we hope you’ll consider Netcamps to help make the ‘administration’ easier so you can focus on creating the best learning environment possible!