Preschoolers on Ice

This last weekend was one of the first beautiful weekends of the year. The boys were in t-shirts and shorts ... so we thought what better time to take them to the ice skating arena and start ice skating lessons.

We are in San Jose, and besides being a little Sharks crazy right now ... the boys love Caillou and Caillou plays hockey. Since Xander was 3 and Caleb was 2 they have been asking for skating lessons. And so on beautiful Spring morning we headed to Sharks Ice, the San Jose Sharks practice facility.

Skating lessons are actually a pretty good deal. The cost is the same as swimming and the lessons go 12 weeks, but unlike swimming which is a half an hour, the boys get a full hour of skating fun.

For the beginners they get a pile of buckets to push around the ice like a walker. They have plenty of instructors, and the kids are delivered to their class.

Xander who is almost five was amazing. He was very fast on the ice, held his feet perfectly, listened to his instructor, maneuvered his bucket with skill ... and next week he will be moved to the boys class. Caleb on the other hand was very cautious, and turned his ankles in to balance. All as you'd expect for a three and a half year old and his first time on skates.

Xander also fell spectacularly. So ... on Sunday we got the boys helmets. Caleb wanted a hockey helmet with a wire mask, and we found some on sale ... well, it is Spring.

To say the kids loved skating is an understatement. Caleb is sleeping with his helmet. We even have some sticks and a net on route (they were also on sale ... well, it is Spring).