Your first time ice skating can be fun or miserable, depending on how you approach ice skating. If you have never been on ice skates before, you will want to be prepared for what lies ahead. You want to have a good time with your family, not trying to figure out what to do next. The following list of tips should help you for your first time at the rink:

Skate Types:
When you go to an ice rink, they will have ice skates you can rent. Most rinks have hockey skates and figure skates available. Hockey skates often run with men's shoe sizes, although women can wear them. Hockey skates have a uniform blade underneath the skate. Figure skates have a series of barbs at the front of the skate to help you stop.

Clothing:
Your first time you will want to dress in cooler weather clothing. Even for rinks inside shopping malls, the ice itself gives off enough cold that you should bring at least a jacket. The costumed ice skaters you see on TV are exercising hard enough that their muscles are helping to keep them warm. You probably won't be working out to that level your first time.

Falling:
Be prepared, you will fall down a lot. Hanging onto someone else for support rarely works. Often, one person will begin to fall and take the other person down with them. When you fall, try to angle yourself to falling on your bottom. This area has a little extra padding and is a more comfortable place to land on than the rest of your body. If your family is at an ice rink for the first time, try to have contests to see who can go the longest without falling.

The side rail:
If this is your first time on skates, hanging on to the side rail long enough to get your bearings is a good idea. You will want to leave the rail as soon as you can, but going out onto open ice for the first time without a stable support can be unnerving at best.

Blisters:
Blisters on your feet are caused by wearing skates that do not fit perfectly or very stiff skates. If you are wearing rental skates, you may be able to get a close, but not perfect, fit. Try putting baby powder in your socks to help prevent blisters from forming.

If you find you enjoy skating and want to get better at it, check with your local rink about lessons. Figure skating and hockey skating lessons are frequently taught at most ice rinks.