Finding a session is only half the story. These guides cover what happens once you get to the arena: how drop-in ice time works, what to bring, how to help kids enjoy their first skate and how to fit into a pickup hockey game.
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Your first public skate: what to expect
How a public skating session works at an indoor arena, what to bring, the unwritten rules of the ice and how to get the most out of your first visit.
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Public skating, shinny, stick and puck: what is the difference?
The three kinds of drop-in ice time explained: who each one is for, what equipment you need and how to pick the right session.
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Taking kids skating: a practical guide for parents
Helmets, clothing, skating aids, parent and tot sessions and simple tips to make a child's first time on the ice a good one.
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Shinny etiquette: how a drop-in hockey game works
How teams are picked, the usual no-contact rules, what goalies need to know and how to be the player everyone wants back next week.
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Choosing, fitting and sharpening your skates
Rent or buy, hockey or figure skates, how a skate should fit, how to lace it and when to get the blades sharpened.
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Learning to skate as an adult
It is never too late: a realistic first-month plan for adult beginners, from standing up and falling safely to stopping and gliding.
Looking for ice time? Pick your city on the home page to see the next public skating, shinny and stick and puck sessions at every arena.