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Where Should My Child Skate?

When your child is just starting, where he skates is extremely important.

  • Novice skaters should, wherever possible, skate on an indoor or outdoor rink, rather than a path or street.

  • If he skates on a street, he should find smooth, paved surfaces without any traffic, preferably streets blocked off or closed to through traffic (e.g. dead-end streets or cul-de-sacs).

  • He should avoid skating on streets, driveways, or surfaces with water, sand, gravel, or dirt. Water and sand can damage the bearings, not to mention cause a loss of balance.

  • Avoid hills, even small ones, at first.

  • Skating should only be done during the day, not at night when others can’t see her and she can’t see obstacles.

  • Never allow your child to skate by holding onto a car or truck (called "truck-surfing" or "skitching"); it can lead to serious injury or death.