Skates, helmets and tournaments – oh my, it must hockey season! Between driving your hockey superstar to endless practices, organizing fundraisers and maintaining equipment, there’s no denying that being a hockey parent is a busy – and rewarding – job. The team camaraderie is infectious and seeing your little one’s determination on the ice is priceless.
Last year we bought our youngest her first pair of skates. Now that it is starting to get cooler she is super excited about learning to skate. Like many Canadian children, playing on the ice is just a way of life.
Here are some ways to prepare for hockey season’s worst, to ensure it’s the best:
1) Develop a routine: Because the hockey season is so busy, establishing a scheduled routine is key. This includes making time for homework between school and practice, ensuring the hockey bag is packed ahead of time and coordinating carpool schedules. Pro tip: create a check-list for your child to follow so they can learn to manage their own time and ensure they’re well prepared to hit the ice.
2) Banish smelly gear: It’s always surprising how such a big smell can come from a small kid! Hockey equipment is bound to collect sweat when your kid is skating their heart off on the ice so make sure you stop odors before they start. First, air out all equipment after each use. Do not – I repeat, do not – leave everything in a zipped up hockey bag! Second, regularly wash items that can be machine washed. Pro tip: Use a detergent that’s up to the challenge such as OxiCleanTM HD Liquid Laundry Detergent and Arm & HammerTM Plus OxiCleanTM Cold Water Power Paks – they are my go-to favourites!
3) Maintain a positive attitude: The number one goal (pun intended!) for your child during hockey season should be to have fun. Whether it’s a “win” or “lose” in the end, each game teaches your child how to work as a team and participate in friendly competition. These important life values are the true prize at the end of the season!
4) Get to know your fellow hockey parents: Creating a network of other parents can add a fun social element to the experience for you. Plus, it’s a great way to stay connected and easily be able to coordinate carpools and call-in a last minute favour if you can’t make a practice.
5) Make some memories: Your before hockey advice and after hockey breakfast runs are the stuff memories are made of. Pro Tip: Create a pre or post hockey tradition for you and your son or daughter to share!
Where these tips are for hockey, they really can be used towards any activity your child is involved in all year long.
What are your tips for surviving the hockey season?
To help ensure you’re ready, we’re giving away some great hockey season essentials for at home and on the road games, The $35 value prize pack includes the following :
- OxiCleanTM HD Liquid Laundry Detergent
- Arm & HammerTM Plus OxiCleanTM Cold Water Power Paks
- Arm & HammerTM Baking Soda
- Arm & HammerTM SpinbrushTM battery powered toothbrush The Ultimate Spider-Man TM
- OrajelTM Spider-ManTM Anticavity Fluoride Toothpaste
Fill out the form for your chance to win. Good luck!
Disclosure- This post has been part of the Church & Dwight ambassadorship, all opinions are my own
Would love to win because they are all products we use and I liked to keep some extra on hand.
I love the Arm&Hammer laundry products. I buy them on a regular basis!
My best season hockey tip is to buy hockey gear secondhand if possible!
I would love to win so that I can try new products. Also, I would like to keep the extra product on hand to use when needed.
My best hockey tip is to open the bag and air it out. If possible – hang the equipment to dry and spray it with Febreeze.
I’d love to win these products because I know we’ll be needing more of them soon!
I would love to win this as I just love Oxi Clean!
My tip is to sprinkle some baking soda in the skates!
I would love to win to try the Oxi! Thanks!
I would like to win because I use the products regularly.
I would love to win because I would love to try the OxiClean HD Liquid Laundry Detergent
I would love to win this as I love OXi products, thanks
The only tip I really have is to make sure to hang everything up to dry out, you don’t want wet stinky equipment for the next day!!
I’d love to win these products because I use these product on a regular basic!
Would like to win so I can give to my daughter to keep my grandson’s hockey gear clean and less smelly.
My best Hockey tip is make sure you dry the hockey gear completely if you want to avoide bad smell.
I’d love to win this to try the Oxi Clean HD for my clothes. I have read some great reviews but haven’t yet tried. Thanks for the giveaway
I have so many stains – I could totally use Oxiclean and Arm&Hammer products!
I would love to win this fabulous prize because I already love Oxi products and use them all the time. I haven`t tried the arm & hammer,would love to!
I’d love to win to try out Arm & Hammer laundry products!
My best hockey tip is to throw a couple of dryer sheets in the bag. And definitely air out the equipment as soon as you get home, preferably in the sun.
I LOVE THESE PRODUCTS AND I CAN ALWAYS USE MORE
My hockey tip is to get a butt cushion/warmer for your bum for all those freezing cold stadium games to keep you a little warmer!.lol..I take my butt warmer to every game 🙂
I would love to win because I would like to try the OxiClean HD Liquid Laundry Detergent.
I would love to win because I love the products and would love some for free.
Would love to win because these are all products we use weekly
I would love to win this prize because my kids would go nuts for the Spiderman dental products, I would love to try the laundry products, and I always have lots of uses for baking soda.
Arm&Hammer laundry products are fantastic and I’d love to win this 🙂
My best hockey season tip is wash item right away hang outside nice frosty night makes the colors nice and bright
My tip is ensure that your child has fun on the ice and buy used equipment until you know whether he/she would like to stick at it. I too had a butt warmer and a little wooden stool to keep my feet off the cold concrete in the stands. 🙂
My tip is to make sure the hockey gear is spread out or hung up to dry. Keep a baking soda in the hockey bag.
My kids are all in sports so good cleaning products is a must.
Put baking soda in smelly sneakers overnite then shake out in the morning to freshen shoes.
These are all products that I currently use. I would like to win because it would be great to have some more of these products.
LOVE OXI PRODUCTS
I would love to win this prize to try out these great products. Especially the OxiClean Detergent!
I’m interested in trying the cold water power packs and I know my son would love that toothpaste!
~Jonnie
I would love to win because I have not tried OxiClean and I have heard great things about it. I really want to try it.
I love the Arm&Hammer laundry products
I’d like to win this package because it contains lots of things I need everyday. (and I want to give the Spiderrman tooth stuff to a child who loves Spiderman).
Laundry is a never ending chore at our house, this would be perfect!
I would love to win because these products are some of my favorites! Also I am getting low on laundry products lol
These would come in handy at home!
I survive Arm & Hammer products!
I have never tried these products before!
I would love to win this prize pack because we’ve got camping and race gear about to go into winter storage and I want it smelling fresh before it goes away.
I’d love to win as I enjoy using OxiClean products and especially find the power paks handy.
I would like to win so that I could try these products out to decide if I will go on to buy them in the future.
My best tip is to have your kids look after their own equipment-teach them to air things out properly.
I would like the brush and toothpaste for my grandson because I think it would help him take care of his teeth. The laundry soap would help me keep my hubby’s clothes clean and fresh.
I would like to win because I like Oxi clean
I would love to win this prize because these are such amazing products.
One tip I have is to put a bounce or downy sheet in their hockey bag!
I want to win because between hockey, football, dance, skating lessons and swim lessons I really need a quality brand to get all the gear clean and stank-free
My hockey tip: Ask your local skate sharpener if they offer pre-paid multi-use punch cards for skate sharpening so you can get a discount
I would like to win because these are great products
I would like to win so I can try the laundry detergents. I would give the toothbrush and toothpaste to my nephew and it’s always good to have extra baking soda on hand.
haven’t ever tried these products before. it would be a good way to give them a ‘test drive’. thanks
I haven’t used a lot of these products (Oxi mainly) so I’d love to try it with our laundry!
many of the products i have not tried yet and it would be great to try them!
I would like to win because I need them
I would love to win because these are items that I can use and with 5 kids I always have stains and laundry, and every little bit helps. Thanks for the chance.
I would love to win because I can use everything in this pack and OxiClean is just the best!
My tip is to make sure you air out your equipment after every play!! Throw in some dryer sheets or old desiccant packets to help with the moisture and smell.
I haven’t tried Oxy Clean laundry detergent yet!
I would like to win because I use the products regularly.
I love Oxi Clean and Arm&Hammer products, they work so well
i would love to win this prize as these are products my family uses
I don’t have any children in organized sports, but I do a lot of laundry.
These products are great as my kids go through lots of clothes due to organized sports!
I’d like to win because these are all good products I can use.
I would love to win this prize package because Arm & Hammer makes good products. Thanks for the giveaway.
these are great products that will help my family through fall and winter activities!
I would love to win this prize because there is so many great products that my family loves and uses.
My best tip is to put dryer sheets in skates and gear.
….some of my favorite products! I’d love to win 🙂
Hockey gear might be stinky but is no challenge for Arm and Hammer!
My four year old is in love with Spiderman – so the toothbrush would be a huge hit. And with the volume of laundry we do, so would the detergent!
While hockey may not be our sport of choice, we love getting outside during the cold winter months and staying active. Getting dirty is a year round activity in my home, so the Oxy Clean products would be a great help to me!
I’ve never tried oxyclean and would love to see how well it works, love a good detergent
I would love to win because the products are amazing 🙂
I would love to win because these products are great!
My best hockey tip is to wash the hockey jersey, socks, etc., wipe off the blades on the skates and dry out all equipment ASAP, before loading it back in the bag.
I would like to win because I use some of these products and would like to try the others.
I would like to win this as I use the oxiclean and my little grandson would love the spiderman toothbrush and toothpaste.
I would like to win as I haven’t tried that detergent and I have a spiderman fan
My best hockey tip is to make sure they are doing it because they really want to. I have heard one child consistently tell his dad that he doesn’t want to play hockey … yet there is he is every time.
I would love to win this prize because as a mom of 3 kids we can never have enough of these products!
I recently tried a sample of these Oxy Clean pods and I love how they smell! I’d love to win, thanks for the chance!
I best tip is to be a good sport!! 🙂
I would love to win this prize because we are always doing laundry and the oxiclean would come in very handy. I think my son would also love the toothbrush.
I love Arm & Hammer and Oxi Clean Products!
Having these awesome products would help our family. Hockey is huge in our home.
Fully air equipment so it can thoroughly dry
Air the equipment and bag out as soon as you can.
I use all these items
I would love to win this prize as everything would be so handy with my baby that is now pretty much a toddler!
My best hockey season tip is to air out that equipment!
I would like to win because we certainly could use all of these products
I would like to win because I use most of these products and love them.
A bunch of new product (to me anyways!) to try!! Of course have used the baking soda but would love to try all the others because I love trying new ones!!
I’d like to win because the prize is useful. I really want to try the HD Liquid Laundry Detergent
I would like to win because I need all the help I can get with my laundry 🙂 stains are almost everyday occurrences with my kids
I would love to win because I would love to try the laundry care products
Best hockey tip is to have fun! Make friends and be a team player
I have used Arm and Hammer before and it is a wonderful cleaning agent. The Spider Man dental products would be very popular with my Great Grandsons.
“i have enough laundry detergent” says no mom ever!
I would like to win because these products would be well loved in my home.
I would love to win to try these products!
In particular my son would love a Spider-Man toothbrush!
I would love to win as these items are all must haves for moms , we are a large family on the go these products would be wonderful
Hockey moms are exhausted make sure you pack snacks and drinks for the in between moments of the sport
These would be awesome products to have for the house especially the brush for my son
I would like to win because we could really use them 🙂
would love to win this as so many products do not get the dirt out very good BUT I know for a fact Oxy Clean does
My best hockey tip is make sure that you buy equipment that fits properly at the time they are using it NOT to buy equipment a little bigger so they can use it for a few years does not work out well
Would love to win because these are great products and I want to try the Oxi Clean HD.
love to win so that I can try new products
I would love to win because I haven’t yet tried all of these products.
I’d like to win because all those products are really good and we would totally use them!
I like to wash their stinky gear every once in a while before it gets too overpowering. I use the washing machine on a gentle cycle and then hang to dry. Totally works
I would love to win because laundry never stops and Oxi is the best!
I would love to win because Oxy Clean us the best!
I think the spinbrush would be a great item to have for a child because it helps teach how to brush properly. Even I in the mornings am not really alert and I’m pretty sure I have not brushed long enough just because I’m still half asleep
I’d love this set because they are all quality products that I trust….and one can never have enough baking soda!
But used skates!
I want to win to try the OxiClean HD Liquid Laundry Detergent!
We could always use the items in this giveaway. Thanks.
I would love to win because they are awesome products
I like the power of Oxi Clean and would like to have it inmy laundry detergent.
I would love to win because my 17 yr old hits the ice many times/week and well… I’m one of those moms who washes that gear as much as I can (jerseys, socks, undergear)… yikes.
I’d like to win because I’d like to try new to me products. I haven’t tried a couple of these items.
would like to win because I like the Arm&Hammer laundry products
Would love to win for some new laundry products!
I’d like to win to try the new Oxi clean liquid detergent.
Find deals on second hand hockey equipment!
I would love to win this awesome prize because I love and trust these Arm & Hammer products.I would also be super excited to give the Arm & HammerTM SpinbrushTM battery powered toothbrush The Ultimate Spider-Man TM to my little grandson.He loves Spider-Man!! 🙂
My best hockey tip is to remember to get those blades sharpened before the next big game!!
I think it is important to buy the best and safest equipment that you can reasonably afford.
2 messy girls. Both in hockey. Enough said.
I’d love to win this as we always have endless piles of laundry around the house
My best hockey tip is have coffee, lots of coffee.
I would love to win because I want to try out these products.
I’d love to win because we use many of those products day to day already so I know how well they work!!
– amber y
I’d love to win because I’m married to someone who’s laundry obsessed and I think it’d make him happy to try some new products 🙂
I would love to win cause this prize pack are all great products.
I’d like to win because I’d love to try the OxiCleanTM HD Liquid Laundry Detergent and all of the products look great!
I would love to win because as a Mom of three and a hubby who is a heavy duty mechanic any help with stains and smells are a blessing.
I use these products on a daily basis. Winning them would be great, and free!
My best hockey tip: Restrain yourself parents. The kids are there for fun. I hate it when parents become competitive.
I would like to win because I love Arm and Hammer and am sure the other products will be just as high quality
All these products are very useful.
This would be useful for Christmas 🙂 and i love these products.
my best hockey tip is warm clothes and hot coffee!