She took her first lesson this week. There was a group of 5 or 6 kids and two teachers. All the kids seem pretty much on the same level. The teachers were great and they had a really good way to teach the kids, with games and lots of patient explanation of things. Sara first learned "safety knees" where you grab your knees, which leans you forward so you don't fall backwards. She also learned how to stand up like a cat with your butt up in the air, to get up from the ice.
Once out on the ice they first practiced falling and getting back up again lots of times. She was really shaky getting up at first the the teacher really encouraged her and praised her (video). Then the teachers played several games with them. During one, they rolled a large rubber die across the ice and the kids had to skate to it and see what number it landed on. For the next game, the teachers got out a marker and drew things on the ice that they had to interact with. It was a great way to distract them from the ice and just let their bodies figure it out, while they were not over thinking. I think that helped them not feel very afraid and they felt like it was more fun and games.
Sara loved it. She had a hard time standing up at first but once she got the hang of it she could stand up much faster. Then in the span of 15 or 20 minutes she was skating all over the rink. She was still falling quite a bit but she would get right back up again. After her 30 minute lesson, she gets a 15 minute free skate time. During free skate, she skated around the rink with three of the little girls she had just made friends with in her class.
Free skate w/ friends. She said she was hoping to make friends at the skating rink.
I expected for Sara to tell me in the car that she was a little afraid or that she didn't like falling but she didn't say anything like that. She just kept telling me how much fun she had. She is a great kid. I love how she will try anything and she is never afraid and also, she never gets discouraged or frustrated. If she falls down, she gets right back up. She is really an inspiration to me. I'm just glad she had fun and she is willing to go again. Her class is 6 weeks long but we might extend it depending on what she wants to do.
Also, this past weekend we took her cross country skiing. We skied on the Canal roads. She did great and really loves skiing. She got the hardest part down really well. She learned to straighten her skis and to uncross them if they got crossed.
