We’ve had great fun testing these skates and blades around the house and in our local park. In a few weeks, our kid-testers evolved from total beginners to eager, confident, independent skaters – and we’ve never seen them so excited to get out of the house. Before 8am, no less. Andreas Kolattek has been teaching rollerblading for the past 25 years and works with London-based Zebra Skate Camp, which runs camps and 1:1 sessions. He says: “The main reason we concentrate on inline skating in the camps is because most parents want kids to use skating as a form of transport instead of a bike. Rollerblading is much easier outside than roller skating.” Plus, these activities don’t require a parent to lug a bike around when a child decides they’ve had enough. It’s not too early for kids aged five and up to get started in skating (even three-year-olds who are keen, and proficient at scooting, can give it a go). Both roller skating and inline skating offer low-impact aerobic benefits, helping improve fitness much like jogging, while developing leg and core strength in kids.

In addition to being some of the most affordable inline skates available, they’re adjustable to three sizes, so will fit your child from one year to the next. And the one after that. Micro’s inline skates for kids are just amazing – and another favourite with our testers. Just make sure that you have a child who’s keen on rollerblading because these are a pricier upfront investment, however parents will be pleased to know that they’re built for the long haul, since you can buy replacement parts instead of purchasing a whole new pair of skates if anything goes wrong. Sizing on these is also good, as each pair spans three sizes.

The verdict: Kids’ roller skates and rollerblades

Taking your wheels outside? Find a smooth, flat, area away from traffic, without any unexpected inclines or declines. If you have a specialist offering lessons nearby, try one – rollerblading and skating require a higher skill threshold for kids to master on their own, compared to a sport like running.

Having half-heartedly attempted to teach the kids to skate a few times before, we’ve learned that it does take a bit of practice. And don’t let the cold stop you – in fact, ice skating and skiing will complement rollerblading beautifully. The Duality skates are our favourites of the three Micro pairs we tested: with exceptional attention to detail, stylish (and unexpected) embroidery and a cool colour combo, they elicited a few double takes from passers-by when our tester was doing laps around the park. The quality is evident from the construction and materials, as they feature a tough polypropylene casing, sturdy aluminium frame and breathable semi-soft upper. Another brand that makes kids – and their parents – squeal with delight when first taking them out of the box, Impala’s inline skates, with their candy-pastel colours and cute details (can you spot the stars?), are what every tween and teen dreams of skating around in. These are achingly cool rollerblades. Even the box, featuring a gorgeous graphic of a skater girl in micro shorts with blue hair, is aspirational.Choose from three colourways – lunar grey, scarlet red and magenta, each embellished with kid-friendly graphics. Suitable for newbie skaters, these have a foam-cushioned boot so they sit comfortably on the foot, and a rubber brake and wheels (rubber is longer lasting than plastic).