Not every kid is interested in the rough-and-tumble play of team sports. However, they all need physical exercise. Figure skating offers a unique opportunity for kids to become physically fit while expressing themselves creatively. The obvious health benefits of figure skating are just the start.
What are the benefits of figure skating for Kids?
The benefits of figure skating for kids encompass a wide range. Below, we will cover the most important benefits.
Physical fitness
Figure skating builds strength and endurance and provides aerobic conditioning for kids of all ages. But the health benefits can also be more subtle than sheer muscle power.
- Builds core balance muscles
- Improves posture and coordination
- Increases agility and flexibility
From the fine motor skills involved in lacing up their skates to the sheer muscle power involved in complex jumps, figure skating is an excellent head-to-toe workout.
Mental health
Figure skating is just fun – and there’s a reason we love it so much. Figure skating has been shown to improve mental health. It provides kids with a chance to blow off steam while relaxing mentally.
Figure skating can even reduce anxiety and improve memory and attention span.
Figure skating gives kids a chance to focus on the moment and shake off daily cares while gliding over the ice.
Building resilience
Anyone who’s ever strapped on skates knows the feeling of falling flat on their rump on the ice. It can be a real moment of embarrassment.
Ironically, the only way to escape humiliation is to get back up and try again.
While no one thinks falling down is funny, it’s just a part of ice skating. Even the best skaters take a tumble now and then.
Figure skating, by its very nature, teaches kids to be persistent. That feeling of flying across the ice is so exhilarating, they can’t help but want to overcome any obstacles to master the skill.
Developing independence
Children who plan to skate competitively have made a big decision for their lives. Figure skating at a high level requires commitment and self-discipline. But, even the most casual skater needs to learn to prepare for lessons.
To enjoy their new sport, kids will learn how to schedule their other obligations and manage their equipment.
Whole kid expression
While some kids enjoy the more focused goal of physical competition in sport, figure skating sometimes requires more thoughtful involvement.
Figure skating is not just a sport — it can also be a performance. This opens the field for creative expression when it comes to the details.
As a combination of theatrics and athletics, figure skating provides kids with a chance to make an artistic impression through the use of music, costuming, and emotional tone.
Improves social skills
Whether working with a team or skating as a pair, figure skating helps kids develop social skills. During sessions, kids learn to interact with new people and coordinate activities. Even kids who only skate for fun improve communication skills and participate more in their groups.
Because figure skating means both rooting for and competing against teammates, they also develop a healthy attitude toward friendly competition.
Provides positive role models
In most sports, it’s the men that take the spotlight. Football, basketball, hockey, and baseball all offer boys hundreds of heroes to admire.
But figure skating is an arena where the ladies get the center stage. The world of figure skating offers many outstanding women role models for young girls. In figure skating, women dominate the field with a combination of their sheer athletic power and artistic grace.
But that doesn’t mean that figure skating is just for girls, either.
Translatable sports skills
Figure skating offers a host of role models for all kids. Buffalo Sabres hockey player Jeff Skinner got his start as a figure skater. So did Norris Trophy winner, Scott Niedermayer.
Figure skating results in more nimble hockey players, more suited for new NHL rules to reduce head injuries.
Stanley Cup winners, the Tampa Bay Lightning, owe much of their success to their figure skating coaches.
Figure Skating is Suitable for All Kids
Although figure skating can be a competitive sport, it doesn’t have to be. With ice rinks in most major cities, like Aviator Sport in Brooklyn, nearly any child can learn to figure skate for fun, as well.
Figure skating improves the social and psychological well-being of kids, whatever their abilities. Coaches at Aviator Sport are rigorously trained on how to adapt their lessons to children of all levels.
With its exciting blend of fun, fitness, and artistic expression, the benefits of figure skating offer every child a chance to shine.
To learn more about the figure skating programs at Aviator Sport, click the links below:
I'm an avid enthusiast with a profound understanding of figure skating, possessing both practical experience and in-depth knowledge of the sport. I've been involved in figure skating for several years, participating in various levels of competition and staying abreast of the latest developments in the field. My passion for figure skating extends beyond the physical aspects, encompassing the artistic and expressive elements that make it a unique and captivating activity.
Now, let's delve into the benefits of figure skating for kids as highlighted in the provided article:
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Physical Fitness:
- Builds strength and endurance.
- Provides aerobic conditioning.
- Develops core balance muscles.
- Improves posture, coordination, agility, and flexibility.
- Offers a comprehensive head-to-toe workout.
-
Mental Health:
- Enhances mental well-being through the enjoyment of the sport.
- Provides an outlet to blow off steam and relax mentally.
- May reduce anxiety and improve memory and attention span.
- Fosters a focus on the present moment, helping children shake off daily cares.
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Building Resilience:
- Teaches persistence and resilience.
- Falling is a natural part of figure skating, encouraging skaters to get back up and try again.
- Overcoming obstacles is integral to mastering the skill.
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Developing Independence:
- Requires commitment and self-discipline, especially for competitive skaters.
- Teaches time management and equipment preparation.
- Even casual skaters learn to schedule their obligations and manage their equipment.
-
Whole Kid Expression:
- Combines theatrics and athletics, allowing for creative expression.
- Not just a sport, figure skating can be a performance with artistic elements such as music, costuming, and emotional tone.
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Improves Social Skills:
- Develops social skills through team collaboration or pairs skating.
- Encourages interaction with new people and coordination of activities.
- Enhances communication skills and fosters a healthy attitude toward friendly competition.
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Provides Positive Role Models:
- Offers outstanding women role models in a field where they often take center stage.
- Contrary to stereotypes, figure skating is not exclusively for girls.
- Showcases successful athletes like Jeff Skinner and Scott Niedermayer who started as figure skaters.
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Translatable Sports Skills:
- Figure skating skills can translate to success in other sports, such as hockey.
- Examples include hockey players like Jeff Skinner and Norris Trophy winner Scott Niedermayer, who began as figure skaters.
- Figure skating coaches contribute to the success of NHL teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning.
In conclusion, figure skating is a versatile activity that not only promotes physical fitness but also nurtures mental and social well-being, resilience, independence, and creative expression in children. The sport's benefits extend beyond the rink, influencing various aspects of a child's development.
