You might know hockey, the popular winter sport that involves hitting a ball with a stick. But did you know there’s another kind of hockey called ‘peewee hockey’?
The rules are a little different and it is played on ice instead of a field. But the fundamentals are the same: you have two teams of five players who circle a board, trying to score goals by hitting a ball with a stick.
It’s a great way for kids to learn the fundamentals of hockey while having fun. Plus, the smaller the hockey team, the more opportunity there is to improve your child’s social skills.
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The Origins Of Peewee Hockey
Like many winter sports, hockey was originally played outdoors. But as the climate changed and the seasons changed, people started having to find ways to play indoors. Some of the earliest hockey rinks were actually built above train stations – the perfect place for kids to play during the day while their parents were waiting for the train.
Indoor hockey has had several different incarnations. There’s classic ‘roller hockey’, where two teams of players use their skates to navigate a course. Then there’s ‘ice hockey’, where everyone uses their hands to grab and push the pieces of ice around.
And of course, there’s ‘peewee hockey’, where the goal is just to score as many goals as you can, using whatever means necessary.
All You Need
To play hockey, you need a puck (or ‘hockey ball’), a goalie, two teams of five, and some ice. You can either buy all of these individually or as a set which includes everything needed for an enjoyable game.
The puck is similar to a tennis ball, but with a hole in the middle. When the puck is in motion, it looks like a little solar system because everything in line with it will be affected by gravity. It’s a great way to introduce children to the concept of gravity and how objects with mass are affected by it.
Rules Of Peewee Hockey
Like other sports, there are set rules for hockey. But the most important thing to note is that the puck is a live ball and has to be handled with care. There are no penalties for handling the puck incorrectly, but it is worth noting that any actions that break the rules are subject to being penalized.
Hockey is a team sport and everyone on the same team works together to achieve a goal. When the puck is in the air, everyone on the team must work together to control it. Players can’t pick it up and run with it, they have to keep it in the ‘hockey zone’ – an area of the ice marked by a dotted line around the outside of the rink. If a player is outside of the zone when the puck is dropped, he must give it back.
The number of players on the field is not fixed and it can change during the game. There are never more than two players off the ice at a time (one goalkeeper, one defenseman, and three forwards).
Fun Stuff
Besides the important mechanics of controlling the puck, there are several other variations of the game that make it more fun for children and parents alike. One of the most popular aspects of hockey is the fighting that inevitably breaks out between players and, especially, between teams. Parents may get a little over-enthusiastic with the gloves and scarves after a little too much adrenaline pumping during a fight (or in the middle of one, for that matter).
The kids love this part, too. They get into it with their little fists and it’s a great way for them to develop their motor skills and social skills at the same time.
Other fun variants of the game include speed games and shooting competitions. For example, a goalkeeper will start the game and the first goal scored will end it. If the opponents score a goal before the goalie does, the goalkeeper will have to start again. Points are then awarded for each game won. This encourages both the children and the parents to keep active and compete to the best of their ability.
Shooting is another great way for kids to improve their aim. Instead of just using their hands to try and hit the puck, they get to use their legs, as well. And who knows, maybe one day they’ll even grow up to be professional hockey players and earn millions.
But for now, it’s time for the grown-ups to have some fun. And what better way to have fun than by playing hockey with children.