A Fresh Season on the Ice
The Rockford Park District is opening its doors to skaters of every age, delivering a full slate of ice‑skating and hockey lessons that run throughout the year at Carlson Ice Arena in Loves Park. Programs are designed for beginners and for those looking to sharpen their game, with each session meeting once a week and lasting either 30 or 40 minutes depending on the discipline.
Youngsters can start as early as 18 months in the Baby Blades program, which meets on Thursday evenings and provides helmets on site. For children aged three to sixteen, the district offers First Strides, a confidence‑building introduction to skating, and Super Strides, which blends skill work with playful games to keep learning fun. As players progress, Pre‑Hockey classes lay the groundwork for full‑gear hockey, while the Minor Hawks pathway bridges the gap to the Junior IceHogs Fundamental Hockey League.
Pathways to the Junior IceHogs
Hockey lessons, held on Thursday evenings or Saturday afternoons, require full protective equipment and run for 40 minutes each week. The district supplies gear for participants who need it, and all classes culminate in a smooth transition to the Junior IceHogs league, giving families a clear route from first steps on the ice to organized league play.
The next series of sessions kicks off the week of September 24, 2026, and interested families can find detailed schedules, registration forms and answers to common questions on the newly launched Ice Rockford website, which also lists information about the two rinks that host the district’s programs.