ROCKPORT — For the past few years, the Midcoast Recreation Center has been working hard to create an array of skating and hockey programs specifically focused on teaching children how to move well while being safe and having fun on the ice.

Since September, when the ice was put in again, MRC has been offering its newly arranged programs, including a total of five classes designed just for the 6U kids, which are those who are ages six and under. Learn to Skate Hockey for Tots, Learn to Skate Hockey, Learn to Play Hockey, Snowplow SAM for Tots, and Snowplow SAM are each programs created just to get young kids interested in staying active while learning how to skate.

Knowing that it can be difficult to get a child to try something different, MRC has done its best to keep costs as low as possible so that parents can feel more at ease when they sign their child up. Each of the five classes for the 6U kids are only $20 for the month, and there is no cost to rent equipment or skates for any of the programs.

In addition to the low price, each child who is signed up for the Learn to Skate Hockey specific program gets to try the first month for free, and for the Snowplow SAM program participants, each kid gets a free pass to all public skates held at MRC for the month their session runs.

As well as working to keep the programs affordable, MRC has also done its best to ensure that there is a class time that works well for anyone interested. Each of the U6 programs are offered multiple times a week, with only the exception of the Snowplow SAM for Tots and the Learn to Skate Hockey for Tots, which are both held Mondays between 11 a.m. and 11:50 a.m. for 25 minutes each.

The new 6U programs have already begun to gain momentum since they were introduced in September of this past year. Already, over 100 kids have participated in one of the 5 programs, and most of them are returning month after month to continue learning.

“As frozen ponds get snowed over, coming inside to join one of MRC’s skating and hockey programs are a great way to keep active in the middle of winter,” said Jesse Simko, Arena Director at MRC. His invitation is open to everyone who is interested in learning to skate, as there are classes available at MRC for all age groups.

The ice at MRC will only be available for another three months, so time is running out to get involved in skating. Anyone can sign up for a program at MRC’s website, midcoastrec.org, or by calling MRC at 236-9400, or by stopping in at the front desk. All program participants will need to fill out and sign a waiver before heading out on to the ice, which can be found again either online at MRC’s website under the facility waiver tab, or at the front desk.

Reach the sports department at: sports@penbaypilot.com.