The day after Christmas was cold and clear. It was a perfect day for trying out new ice skates at the ice rink.

Jay got new skates. He is a good skater. He learned to ice skate when he was three, before he and his family came to “Can Do” Street. Annie and Kathy are also good ice skaters, but Nellie and Willie and Arthur J. are just beginners at ice skating. They need to take lessons and get help from the other “Can Dos’ who know how to skate.

Here are some ice skating tips from Jay, Annie and Kathy to help you if you are new at ice skating:

• Don’t push. If you are not doing well, wait a while and try again.
• Bring a pocketful of small stuffed animals and if the rink’s not crowded practice bending over to pick them up.
• Play Red Light, Green Light to practice starting and stopping.
• Make sure to lace or cinch your boots tightly. If your foot wobbles in its skate boot, you won’t have any stability on the ice.
• Unless you are playing ice hockey, don’t wear knee pads. Instructors say they restrict moving too much.
• To improve your balance, don’t look at your feet and hold your arms out in front, as if putting them on a table.
•  Grab your knees if you feel a fall coming on. This will lower your center of gravity and may prevent the fall.

Keep practicing and you will get good at ice skating. It is great fun and good exercise.

Happy Skating!