Skating can be a very fun activity in the cold winter months. Here are some tips to follow to make sure you don’t get hurt.

Before you go onto the ice…

• Make sure your skates fit comfortably.
• Never touch the blade on your skates.
• Have an adult tie up your skates until you are comfortable doing it yourself.
• Put your helmet on.
• Dress warmly. Mittens and a hat should be worn.
• If you are playing hockey, make sure to wear protective gear like gloves, shoulder pads, elbow pads, shin pads and a mouth guard.
• Do some stretches before skating, to warm you up.

Once you are on the ice…

• Clear the ice of any obstacles you could trip over.
• If you fall, try to get up as quickly as you can, so no one else will trip over you. Also, keep your hands close to your body when getting up, so no one runs over them.
• Learn how to stop properly. Skating lessons will help with this.
• If you are playing hockey, skate with your head up. Play by the rules.