Does anybody have any experience with the beginner skates for small children? DD will 4 on her birthday in January and wants skates. She wears a size 11 toddler shoe and weighs 36 pounds. I've been reading a little about them. Some of the information says for ages 5-11 up to 44 lbs and shoe size 12. So I'm a little confused. Most 4 year olds I know are already at a size 12 and don't quite weigh 40 lbs. Who has a 10 year old that weighs less than 44 lbs and has a size 12 foot? And I think the ones that have the locking mechanism so they don't roll backwards would be good but I haven't found them. Any brandnames, good ones, don't-buy ones?

By Kate on Sunday, January 2, 2005 - 12:13 am:

Are you talking about roller skates or inline skates? I'd recommend roller skates as it's so much easier to balance on four wheels instead of two. My girls had Barbie boot type roller skates that only had shoe sizes on them, not weight or age. Now my eight year old has inlines that she still can't balance well on. I don't recall the name and they're in the garage. But they are size 1 to 4, adjustable. There was no weight or age listed...just shoe size. I got them at Toys R Us, but Target had a bunch, too.

By Feona on Sunday, January 2, 2005 - 08:55 am:

IF you can get adjustable skates those are good. They are slow.

By Imamommyx4 on Sunday, January 2, 2005 - 10:44 pm:

I was thinking roller skates although some of the beginner in-line skates have really wide wheels. I was just reading some toy reviews and all of the reviews that I read were negative about the beginner skates. I'm not looking for prfessional adult skates. Just little kid skates with wide wheels, latch well, can adjust speed wheel will roll or adjust it to keep it from rolling backward.

By Kaye on Monday, January 3, 2005 - 09:12 am:

We have had fisher price skates of both types. With beginner skates, they can play and have fun and skate a little, but you won't really be able to skate around the block in them, those hard plastic wheels just can't move that fast. We have taken them to skating rinks and did okay (the smooth floor really helps). My favorites were the inline adjustable instead of the four wheels. The third wheel pops out of line to help balance. Also skates we have had are the barbie, hot wheels theme ones. They adjust for length, but don't think the wheels do. Honestly skates are pretty cheap, 10-20 (and you can ALWAYS find them at garage sales!). Buy what you need now and don't worry so much about a year from now, because if your child loves them then you will know what to get, if your child doesn't then oh well.

By Children03 on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 - 06:35 am:

My dad bought our daughters inline skates this Christmas and they have two wheels in the back for balance for training and then once they get good at it they can move those two wheels in the middle for inline skating. My daughters are three and four. They enjoy practicing. Oh and I think the skates are Fisher Price - but they have the real rubber type wheels - not plastic.