I know I have had my kids complaining about their feet hurting in their skates long after it was time to fit them with a bigger size. Sometimes kids are too young to remember to tell you when they come off the ice, or they just don’t put two and two together and realize that they have outgrown their skates! How do we know when to put them in a bigger size?

If the skate is not fitting properly, it will not perform well, and can make your hockey player form bad habits. Check your kids’ skates periodically to see if they need a new size. Skates that are too big will give the wearer blisters and not provide correct support for ankles and feet.

Skates that fit too small cramp the feet and put too much pressure on the player’s stride. Oftentimes, their circulation may be cut off as well. With so many factors to take into consideration, it can be hard to determine what the correct size is for our kid. Skates aren’t like a normal shoe, where you can put your finger on the toe and see if there is space!

According to Pure Hockey, a player’s skate size should be 1- 1.5 sizes smaller than their shoe size. That tip makes things a lot easier - there is a benchmark I can understand! Toes should be barely touching the toe cap and have no more than ¼ inch of space in the heel.

The skate should feel snug when standing. For younger children who grow faster, allow ½ inch for extra growing room.

So there is your Hockey Mommy tip of the day! Keep those piggies happy!