Parent & Tot
What is Parent & Tot?
Parent & Tot is a branch of our dynamic learn-to-skate program, CanSkate, which allows young children to learn basic skills with the direct support of their parents. This program strives to help young skaters become comfortable on the ice, learn through play, and discover what it’s like to participate in group sports.
Who’s it for?
For young children (typically 3-5 years old) who are not able to stand, move forward, and recover from a fall independently. In Parent & Tot, each skater must have a parent or guardian accompany them on the ice. Please note that any parent/guardian accompanying their skater on the ice needs to pay the $43.65 Skate Canada Membership Fee as well in order to be insured and allowed on our ice.
What do you need to participate?
Every ‘tot’ must wear skates, a CSA-approved hockey helmet, long pants, mittens, and a warm sweater or jacket. Parents must also have skates, and are required to wear a CSA-approved hockey helmet if they cannot adequately perform Stage 5 CanSkate skills.
Who teaches it?
NCCP-trained professional coaches, assisted by trained program assistants.
What will you learn?
The Parent & Tot program focusses on instructing kids on the 8 basic skating skills found at the beginner CanSkate level, PreCanSkate. These are balancing, falling & getting back up, moving forwards, moving backwards, making snow, twisting, turning, and jumping. If skaters can reach the standard for these 8 skills, they can begin to learn the skills taught in CanSkate.
What can you expect?
Action, movement and fun! Lessons are given in a group format with a coach-to-student ratio of a maximum 1:10. Skaters progress at their own rate and coaches make sessions active using teaching aids, upbeat music and a wide variety of activities that create a motivational environment and promote learning. Badges, ribbons and other incentives are used to benchmark skaters’ progress and reward effort and participation.
HELMET POLICY
All Skate Canada member clubs and skating schools who offer a CanSkate program must ensure all CanSkate and Adult CanSkate participants up to and including Stage 5 must wear a CSA approved hockey helmet while on the ice. Bicycle helmets are not acceptable.
Clubs and skating schools must ensure this policy is enforced during all skating activities including competitions, carnival days or any other special on ice activities throughout the season for this level of skater.
