Tots expert Kayla Johnson explains a couple games for a tots class that build backward skating skills. The first game is the “bubble gum” game. This game is effective for a number of reasons. It involves candy which most tots can immediately relate to. It involves a song or chant. It involves participation by the skaters in making decisions. And the actual backward skating is incorporated seamlessly into the game so they don’t even think about skating backward. Kayla offers tips on changing it up to keep their interest for multiple repetitions of this simple game.
The second game Kayla explains is the “blast off game.” This game is also effective for similar reasons. There are imaginary cupcakes. There’s a countdown. There’s a fun destination like the moon or some planet. Kayla notes the game can be repeated by blasting off to different planets and blasting off the different planets back to earth.
The tips Kayla offers at the end of the video to help young skaters properly learn the back bubbles or swizzles and back wiggles are also clever. Pretending the skater has a tail can be really effective to get them to move!
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2 responses to “How to Ice Skate Tots Class – Backwards Games (Kayla Johnson)”
Two of my favorite games! I just played blastoff last night. In addition to the posture, I usually add in a reminder to bend their knees (and a practice) before pushing off the wall. You have to be really careful with the tots in hockey skates too, keep a special eye on them. I also sometimes add “aliens” into the game- I become the alien and trap a kid by picking them up and flying them around for a second or two. Then carefully putting them back on the ice and making sure they have their balance back before letting go. The aliens usually come out when the kids are already skating pretty well, or if they’re slightly older- the youngest kids are entertained enough with the regular rocketship game!
I also like the idea of saying the bubblegum rhyme for that game- and using an imaginary candy dish. We’re usually doing it with actual toy (playground balls) so I like this twist. At our rink sometimes circle up and use that as an opportunity for kids to say their names (if it’s the first week of class and I’m still getting them down) and what kind of crazy flavor their bubblegum is!
Thanks Kayla! I have used both of these games, but love calling the back swizzles “bubbles”! Thanks for your great ideas!