Are you planning to teach your two-year-old how to skate? Getting the right skate is essential to achieve that. So, what size skates are for a two-year-old?
Ice skates for kids are usually in junior sizes. You’ll need to determine the right skate for your kid by considering options such as hockey or figure skates, single or double blades, and new or used ones. Factors to consider include adjustability, ankle support, comfortability, and well-fittedness.
The right size skate will eventually depend on the kid’s feet. So, you’ll have to measure that and compare it with the size charts. Here, we discuss the right size skates for a 2 year old and what to consider in getting the right sized skates.
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Types of Ice Skate
If you’re thinking of getting ice skates, you’ll have to pick between several options. Skates could be single or double-bladed, hockey or figure skates, and new or used. All these options have pros and cons, which you need to be aware of before buying the skates.
1. Is Double blade ice skates a good idea?
A double-blade ice skate has its advantages. It’s one of the best ways to introduce your child to skating. It’s similar to when you get a bike with training wheels for a kid just learning to ride bicycles. The double-blade skates have a much broader blade, making it easier to achieve balance, build confidence, and ensure that kids develop the proper skating technique. It also makes learning more fun for kids. But for all its benefits, double blades are just like training wheels in that they’ll delay learning the proper techniques for the kid. So transitioning to single-blade skates might prove more difficult.
2. Hockey Skates or Figure Skates
Hockey skates are for skating activities involving speed, quick stops, and sharp turns. As a result, they are stronger and offer more protection. This is due to their stiffness, making them a better option against any collision or fall. But they’re also heavier due to this extra sturdiness. Beyond that, they have shorter blades and rockers, which makes it more difficult to get your balance in them.
The other option is figure skates which are built for jumps and spins. Figure skates have a toe pick and thicker blade, so they are easier to balance yourself in than the hockey ones. They are also much more comfortable to wear because they’re lightweight. In addition, the heel is usually woollen which gives it a soft feel against your feet.
3. New or Used Skates
If you’re hesitant about spending money on skates, you might wonder whether you could get used to skates since the child could grow out of them soon. But getting an adjustable new skate can help you avoid this. Used skates could be great, but they sometimes come with issues such as:
- Rusty blades
- Worn out or loose laces
- Worn out padding
- Ankle creases due to wear and tear
However, you could still get used to skates in good condition. In that case, they’ll be more economical and therefore represents a good option. But if your kid will be using the skates regularly, you should get them new skates. Used skates can also expose kids to risks of injury or even developing an improper technique; hence it’s rarely advisable.
Best Skate Size for Kids
The best skates you can get for kids are adjustable ice skates. They are suitable because they can easily accommodate your child’s growing feet. So, you won’t be forced to replace your skates after some time because your child has outgrown them. Thus, they’ll last longer and are more economical. But you should also be careful with the kind of skate you get. Make sure they have sufficient ankle support and the blade to foot ratio is balanced.
What To Check for When Picking a Good Skate for Your Kid
Getting the right skates for a two-year-old isn’t exactly a fun job. It requires a lot of work and consideration before selecting what you believe to the right one. Considering these factors could help you determine what’s good.
1. Sufficient Ankle support
This is the most important thing to look for in an ice skate. It’s the Mark of quality in skates, and to get one watt of the right ankle support, you can expect to spend some extra cash. Cheap ice skates usually have weak ankle support, which makes them flexible. Such skates are unstable and could lead to injury, especially for kids. Ensure that the ice skate you’re getting has enough ankle support to ensure they don’t get injured before even learning the basics of skating. Good ankle support offers more stability and makes it easier to develop the proper techniques. An ice skate with solid ankle support will not have any crumples around the ankle, and both the shin and ankles will operate as one unit. Generally, hockey skates have better ankle support by design.
2. Comfortability
Kids shouldn’t wear anything that’s not comfortable, especially when it’s an essential gear like skates. Thus, make sure the skates fit, have the right padding, are lightweight but strong, and give the room breathing space. You should ask for the child’s opinion to know just how comfortable it is before you go ahead to buy it.
3. Well-fitted
Skates have to fit snugly on the feet. Don’t go for skates based on estimation. You can tell when skates fit if there’s room for toe movement and growth, but there’s no room between the foot and behind the heel. Well-fitted ice skates will be exactly the kid’s size. When buying skates, don’t just get one that’s the same size as the child’s shoe size. This is because skates have smaller sizes than regular shoes, and each brand has its sizing. To get the ideal size, you can take your child to the place where you’re buying the skates. If not, make them wear skating socks and place their feet on paper, then use a pen to outline the shape of their feet. Then you can compare this with the sizing charts to get the ideal size.
In Conclusion
Getting the size of the right skate for your kids is very important. This is one area where you don’t want to make the wrong decision as the risks are great. So, do your due diligence before buying.