Youth Curling: A Parent’s Guide to Learn to Curl, Juniors and Helmets

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A Saturday morning at the club: a dozen kids in bike helmets and puffy jackets, a coach crouched by the hack, small stones lined up along the boards. One eight-year-old pushes off, wobbles, lets go, and the whole group screams “Sweep!” as the stone slides into the house. Twenty minutes later they’re playing a real end, and nobody wants to go home. Youth curling is one of the friendliest ways for a kid to try a winter sport. This guide covers Learn to Curl for kids, junior programs, helmets for beginners and kids, the path to junior nationals and college, and the questions parents ask most.

Where kids start: Learn to Curl and junior programs

There’s no single national age to start. USA Curling says every club, and every child, is different, and some clubs are better set up for younger kids than others, so the first step is to call your local club. As one example, the Granite Curling Club of Seattle runs a junior program for ages 7 to 18 and a Junior Learn to Curl Series for kids 7 and up: several weeks of basics, skill work and an introduction to strategy and etiquette that gets them ready for league play.

That club’s junior leagues show what a typical season can look like: 90-minute weekly sessions of drills followed by a short game (usually 4 to 6 ends), with beginners learning on lighter stones and experienced juniors moving to full-weight ones, and fall and winter sessions instead of one long commitment. Parents are asked to volunteer on the ice. Older, experienced juniors can sometimes join adult leagues, which may need a supervising adult. Clubs typically provide the brooms, grippers and sliders, so kids just need warm clothes, clean shoes and a helmet.

Helmets for beginners and kids

Ice is hard and kids fall. In a Canadian study of curling injuries treated in emergency departments, over 90% came from falls and 31.7% were head impacts. Curling Canada’s 2017 recommendation strongly suggests helmets for all curlers under 12 and urges clubs to bring helmet programs into beginner and novice programs. In the US, policies are set by each club. The Seattle club, for instance, requires every junior 13 and under to bring and wear a helmet, doesn’t lend them, and accepts properly fitting bike, skateboard, ski, snowboard and hockey helmets.

• Use a certified helmet that fits. Snug and level, with the chin strap buckled. A helmet your child already has for skiing, skating or biking usually works; ask your club what it accepts.
• Protective headgear is a step down from a helmet. Curling toques and headbands with a foam plate protect the back of the head in a fall, but Goldline, which makes one, notes there’s no test standard yet for headgear that protects only the back of the head. For kids, a full helmet is the better pick.
• Adults learning, too. Curling Canada urges helmets in beginner programs for all ages, and many adults keep wearing one.

If a child hits their head, follow the CDC’s HEADS UP advice: take them off the ice, watch for signs such as headache, dizziness, confusion, vomiting or seeming “off,” and keep them out until a healthcare provider says they’re ready. Call 911 for danger signs like repeated vomiting, a seizure, worsening headache, unusual drowsiness or one pupil larger than the other. Many clubs, Seattle’s included, ask families to sign a concussion protocol form before the season. Our curling injuries page has more.

What kids should wear

• Clean, flat-soled shoes. Sneakers or tennis shoes work best; the Seattle club says running shoes are less suitable. Bring them in a bag so they stay clean.
• Layers. The ice is cold at first, but kids warm up fast once they start sweeping. Stretchy pants such as sweatpants or leggings, not jeans, because the delivery is a deep lunge.
• Gloves, not mittens, so they can hold the broom and the stone handle.
• A helmet, as above.

When a child is ready for their own shoes, junior curling shoes such as the Asham Club Junior start at size 1 and come with a slider and a slip-on gripper (about $160 at Broomfitters). Until then, a step-on slider over a sneaker does the job. See our curling gear page for brooms and stabilizers.

Junior competition: U18, U21 and beyond

Kids who catch the competitive bug have a clear path. USA Curling holds national championships for under-18 and under-21 teams in junior girls and junior boys divisions. U18 teams qualify through regional playdowns; U21 teams through qualifying junior bonspiels, and the U21 champions represent the US at the World Junior Championships. USA Curling also runs a National Junior Development Program for ages 12 to 21, an off-ice virtual program with access to top athletes, coaches and sports experts through the year. A Youth membership with USA Curling is its own category.

After high school, curling keeps going in college. College Curling USA supports on-campus clubs where students play for their schools, and 16 teams reach the national championship each year. Many college curlers start from zero, so a junior background is a big head start. More in curling leagues and associations.

Who’s looking after my child?

USA Curling administers SafeSport and athlete safety training for its clubs and publishes minor athlete abuse prevention policies. At the Seattle club, all junior instructors are SafeSport certified, a parent or responsible adult must be in the building during events, and junior account emails must be monitored by an adult. Ask your club how its coaches are trained and what its policies are; a good junior program will be happy to tell you.

Parents’ questions about youth curling

What age can kids start curling?

It depends on the club. Many junior programs start around age 7, and USA Curling’s national junior program covers ages 12 to 21. Call your local club; some can take younger children with lighter stones and extra help.

Does my child need a helmet for curling?

Very likely, and it’s a good idea either way. Curling Canada strongly suggests helmets for everyone under 12, and many US clubs require them for juniors (Seattle’s club up to age 13). Bike, ski, snowboard, skate and hockey helmets are commonly accepted if they fit properly.

Are curling stones too heavy for kids?

A full stone weighs up to 44 pounds, but it slides on the ice, so kids push rather than lift it. Many junior programs start beginners on lighter stones and move them to full weight as they grow.

Do we need to buy equipment?

Not to start. Clubs usually provide brooms, sliders and grippers. You’ll need a helmet, warm layers, gloves and clean flat-soled shoes. Buy curling shoes and a broom once your child is sure they want to keep going.

Is curling safe for kids?

Curling has a low injury rate; in one study, injuries needing emergency care happened about 0.17 times per 1,000 sessions. The main risk is falling, so a helmet, proper footwear with a gripper and coaching on how to walk and slide make the biggest difference.

Can kids play in adult leagues?

Sometimes. Experienced juniors may be able to join regular club leagues, depending on age, skill and club rules, and some leagues require a supervising adult.

Curling gives kids a team, a skill and a sport they can play for life. Keep exploring: the curling rules, curling gear, the youth figure skating guide for another sport on the ice, and our curling hub.