Explain to your students that wearing appropriate apparel while ice skating is important. Each child should wear ice skates that are snug but not tight enough to feel painful. A warm hat and jacket are also necessities. Although some children might not want to wear gloves, emphasize the importance of gloves for beginners not only to keep their hands warm, but also to protect their hands in case of falls.
Practice marching on the ice. Before you teach students how to glide, turn and stop, practice marching. Go slowly, and be prepared for falls. Marching helps students become comfortable with the ice and maintain control over their bodies. Since a march is such a short movement, a child can easily stop without having the worry of moving too fast.
Show your students how to stop. Avoid confusing or fancy stopping maneuvers, and instead show students how to do a simple snowplow stop. A snowplow stop is when a student moves his toes inward to make a "snowplow" or a "pizza." The movement will help a student slow down and stop without falling.
Demonstrate how to glide properly. Show your students how to start marching before they turn it into a solid glide. Practice standing on the ground first so that each student learns how to position their feet and body before you practice on the ice. Remind your students to check the position of their feet to ensure that their feet aren't too close together or too far apart. Practice stopping before their glide slows naturally to a stop.
Practice swizzles. It's important for your students to master swizzles as a way to prepare for more complicated moves they will discover as they become better skates. Have a student start with her feet apart and bring her feet together at the toes before they branch out again. Repeat this motion. Most children fall when they're first learning this move, so remind your students that they don't need to feel embarrassed if they slip.
Demonstrate how to do a proper dip. While this move may scare your students at first, it's important to help develop leg strength. Glide a few feet before you perform a squat during the glide. Each dip should extend your bottom out and down. You can hold your hands out for balance. Practice alongside your students, and make sure their knees do not extend over their feet during a dip.