Learn to Skate is a beginner-focused session designed for kids who are just starting their skating journey—including those born in 2021.

Through fun and simple on-ice activities, young skaters build foundational skills like balance, basic movement, and confidence—at their own pace, in a supportive and encouraging environment.

Skate & Play is a fun-first session where kids build confidence and sharpen their skating skills through engaging activities, playful games, and dynamic on-ice activities—including hockey play with sticks and pucks.

Our goal is to create an engaging, supportive environment where kids not only improve their skating but also fall in love with the joy of being on the ice.

Skate & Play is for kids who are eager to improve their skating and hockey skills—whether they are brand new to hockey or already have some experience. Players will be grouped by skill level to ensure a positive and supportive experience for everyone.

New Player (Beginner Group): For players who have some experience skating but are still very much developing their stability and control. This includes those who can move forward on their own but may still be wobbly or unsteady. Players in this group may struggle with turning and stopping and have little to no experience handling a hockey stick. **Note: If your child is brand new to skating and cannot yet move on their own, please register for the 30-minute Learn to Skate program instead (see details below).

Skill Boost (Experienced Group): For players who have developed some confidence on the ice and are continuing to build their skills. This includes those who can skate forward, turn, and stop with some control, even if they’re still refining their technique. Players in this group can skate with a hockey stick and have some experience handling a puck, but they are still in the early stages of building their overall hockey skills.

This is not a high-intensity hockey skills session—it’s about movement, fun, and developing confidence on the ice through creative games and engaging activities. Our focus is on confidence, friendships, and enjoyment on the ice!

At Learn to Skate, every session is built to help brand-new skaters feel comfortable, confident, and excited to be on the ice. Here's what a typical 30-minute session looks like:

🌀 Free Play

We begin with 5–10 minutes of unstructured free play, allowing kids to move at their own pace and explore the ice with support from our friendly coaches. This time helps kids build confidence and comfort on their skates, using skating aids if needed. 

🎯 Play-Based Skating Activities

After free play, we transition into fun skating games. These games are beginner-friendly and full of imagination, helping kids improve without even realizing they’re working! We focus on creating a positive first experience that sparks a lifelong love for skating.

At Skate & Play, every session is designed to be a fun, engaging, and positive experience that helps girls build confidence on the ice. Here’s what a typical session looks like:

🌀 Free Play

Each session starts with unstructured free play, giving kids the freedom to explore, move, and connect with each other in a relaxed, pressure-free environment. Free play is a core part of learning, boosting creativity, confidence, and social skills. When time permits, we’ll also wrap up the session with free play, ensuring a fun and memorable experience.

🎯 Play-Based Skating Activities

Rather than traditional drills, we use games and movement-based challenges that naturally enhance skating skills. Kids will improve their balance, edge work, speed, and agility—often without even realizing they’re working on technique! Activities may include:

-Obstacle courses for agility and control
-Tag and chase games to improve speed, quickness, turning
-Imaginative play that keeps kids engaged and active

🏒 Hockey-Inspired Games

We also introduce hockey play in a way that’s fun and developmentally appropriate for this age group. While the games may not always look like traditional hockey, they are thoughtfully designed to build foundational skills like puck-handling, skating with purpose, and teamwork.

To ensure every child is included and engaged, we adapt the game formats—using multiple pucks, adjusting space, or adding creative twists—to maximize touches, scoring chances, and fun for all players.

Research shows that when kids truly enjoy physical activity, they stay more engaged, motivated, and eager to improve. That’s why we take a fun-first approach—blending skill development with laughter, play, and social connection.

While we incorporate essential skating skills within these activities, much of the learning happens organically through play and experimentation. Our goal is to create an environment where kids:

✅ Build skating confidence
✅ Develop friendships
✅ Stay excited to return to the ice week after week

By making every session fun, active, and social, we help kids fall in love with skating.

A CSA approved hockey helmet and skates are mandatory. We suggest that children wear hockey gear to enable them to play more freely and safely, reducing worry about the discomfort from falls. If you prefer not to invest in a complete set or if your child is uncomfortable with full equipment, starting with shin pads and hockey pants can provide protection for their knees and bottom/hips.

Full hockey gear, including a neck guard, is mandatory. For quality used children's equipment, Herm's Sports is an excellent resource. If you have any questions about equipment, please feel free to contact me—I'm here to help!

If your player is new to hockey, here's what they'll need when we hit the ice:

✔ Helmet with cage

✔ Neck guard

✔ Shoulder pads

✔ Elbow pads

✔ Hockey pants

✔ Shin pads

✔ Hockey socks

✔ Jock/Jill

✔ Skates

The Learn to Skate cost is $60 + HST, and full payment is required to secure a spot. After registering, your spot will be held for up to two weeks while awaiting payment. Cash and eTransfers are the preferred payment methods. Credit card payments are accepted (with a 3% processing fee).

The Skate & Play cost is $80 + HST, and full payment is required to secure a spot. After registering, your spot will be held for up to two weeks while awaiting payment. Cash and eTransfers are the preferred payment methods. Credit card payments are accepted (with a 3% processing fee).

Each session will be run by myself (Kevin) and a few helper coaches. I have recently completed the "Coach 1 - Intro to Coach " with Hockey Canada, along with their "Respect in Sport" and "Gender Identity and Expression" courses.

I have spent over a decade in athletic development through my hockey training company. While that business primarily focuses on online coaching, my recent hands-on experience working with kids has ignited a deep passion for youth coaching. This interest has driven me to immerse myself in books, textbooks, and research papers on child psychology and athletic development, refining my approach to training young athletes.

That journey led to the creation of the ADG Method—a framework designed to help kids build confidence, develop athletic skills, and foster a lifelong love for movement through play.

At the heart of the ADG Method is the belief that joy drives motivation and long-term participation. Rooted in the principles of Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan), we know that when children experience genuine joy in their activities, they become intrinsically motivated. This intrinsic motivation fosters sustained engagement and leads to the development of healthy, lifelong habits.

To cultivate this joy, the ADG Method revolves around two key principles:

Engagement - By immersing kids in fun, imaginative activities, we not only improve their athletic abilities but also ignite excitement and enjoyment at every step. When children truly love what they're doing, their skills improve naturally, and they begin to look forward to physical activity every day.

Competence - As children experience success in these activities, they build the confidence needed to take on new challenges. This growing sense of competence strengthens their love for movement and fuels persistence, empowering them to succeed in any sport or physical activity they choose.

Together, this balance of engagement and competence creates an environment filled with joy where kids thrive, building athleticism and a lifelong love for physical activity.

In crafting our sessions, we also integrate:

Discovery Learning: Encouraging kids to explore and learn through their own experiences.

Games-Based Approach: Using fun and interactive games to teach skills.

Self-Determination Theory Components: Fostering competence, autonomy, and connectedness.

Ecological Dynamics: Considering the interaction between the child and their environment.

Implicit Learning: Allowing children to absorb skills naturally without explicit instructions.

Free Play: Providing unstructured playtime to stimulate creativity and joy.

By combining these principles, the ADG Method offers a holistic and innovative approach to youth athletic development. It's not just about building athletic skills; it's about nurturing a lifelong love for movement and empowering children to thrive both physically and mentally.

Here's what some parents have said about ADG programs:

"This was an incredible opportunity for the kids and we are so happy we were given the chance to join. I wouldn’t change a thing you have absolutely knocked it out of the park! Thank you"

"My daughter love love loved it. Said I don’t remember soccer being that fun, can I go back tomorrow!!!! Thanks so much again"

"Yesterday was maybe the first time she didn't pout at hockey and smiled the whole time. Thank you for this! She had a blast!"

"You did an amazing job! Great progress and very fun for the kids. The coaches were all great!"

"Such an amazing program! He had a blast - thank you for putting this together"

"I think this is such a wonderful approach to the first few years of learning hockey. Thanks so much Kevin. I think this is so valuable and hope that we can continue to participate!"

"We absolutely loved this program. It was the perfect intro to hockey for our non-competitive daughter. We weren’t sure if hockey was going to be for her, but since week 1 of ADG Intro to Hockey she has said “Hockey is my favourite sport I have ever played!” Big thanks to the amazing coaches for all of the fun drills & activities!"

To learn more about my coaching philosophy with young kids, you can check out my Athletic Development Games Instagram account. 

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