• 0-18 months: infant (child with parent or support person)
• 18 months – 3 years: toddler, mature walker (child with parent or support person)
• 3 – 6 years: preschool independent (may require parent or support person) 
• Participants with an intellectual disability can enter at any age (with parent or support person)

In Active Start participants are identified by stage of development (not age). Each stage has a plus/minus 4 month expected minimum variant associated with the approximate ages listed above. There may be considerable overlap between Active Start and Fundamentals stages.

• Initiation of fundamental movement and development of physical literacy through general sport participation
• To introduce overall motor skills like balance, coordination, agility in a fun and safe environment that promotes self-confidence on skates.
• To introduce all fundamental movement skills, including skating
• To develop an awareness of ringette and create a welcoming environment for all participants  

• Fundamental movement skills, agility, balance, coordination and skating skills learned through the process of “play”
• Participation in community-based learn-to-skate programming that is well-planned and well-structured
• Create a stimulating, positive learning environment through active, creative, imaginative play.
• Activities are continuous and fun for all 
• Parents or support person should participate with the child
• Parents are important to introduce participants to a range of activities, provide encouragement and participate in activities such as parent days, winter festivals and parent/child classes
• Parents provide support and share a spirit of participation and a joy of learning new skills
• Encourage participation in a variety of non-structured supervised activities, including skating with family and friends
• Encourage participation in gymnastics, swimming programs to help develop physical literacy
• Encourage a variety of daily physical activities, at least 60 minutes of non-structured supervised activities every day
• Movement skills (adaptation to ice, snow, water, ground, air) – skating, passing, receiving, running, jumping, gliding, throwing, catching, wheeling, climbing, etc.
• Motor skills – agility, balance, coordination, speed, time/space orientation, etc.
• Technical instruction should be limited, with minimal feedback on skills
• Encourage movement exploration within a safe, structured environment
• Maintain a 1:5 adult/participant ratio (or lower to 1:1) to provide quality supervision. With children under 4 years, the ratio should be 1:1

• Programs focus on having FUN and becoming comfortable on the ice using simple group skating games and fun activities
• Maximum participation: everyone involved and active at all times
• Use modified or divided ice surface to allow more groups to participate at once
• Use modified equipment in keeping with the size of the participant (e.g. smaller nets)
• Including parents/support person provides additional supervision and allows for larger groups (10-12 participants)
• Develop basic skating skills (basic stance, falling and getting up, edges, balance on skates, start, stop, walking all directions, forward/backward stride and glide
• Introduce sticks and rings, playing fun games to learn how to send, receive and carry a ring (on or off-ice)
• For older children in this stage, introduce the concept of Ringette using the art of imitation
• There is no place for competition in an active start program. Activities should encourage the development of
  • group social skills (interactions, sharing, taking turns, helping)
  • showing what you can do 
  • confidence
    
• For children under 4 years of age: 30 minute learn-to-skate classes, once per week for 6-24 weeks (one or two sessions of 6 to 12 weeks)   
• For children aged 4-6 years: 45-60 minute learn-to-skate classes, once per week for 6-24 weeks (one or two sessions of 6-12 weeks)
• For participants with an intellectual disability: begin with 30-40 minute learn-to-skate classes and progress to 60 minutes once or twice per week

• Participate with their children in a wide range of activities
• Encourage unstructured outdoor and indoor play year-round

• Community Sport Initiation (CSI)
• SOC Community Coach