Centre ice · Tips
Centre ice in China Grove: what experienced parents do
The things nobody tells you until you have done it twice.
It is also the best place to watch from the rail: the whole rink is between you and them, and every lap comes back past you.
Families around China Grove who have done it once tend to plan the second visit differently: shorter, earlier in the day, and with the machine the child liked in mind.
Before you leave the house
The middle of the rink is where the wall stops helping. Getting there is the milestone every new skater sets for themselves without being asked.
Space in the centre is what lets a child try a turn. Near the boards there is always somebody to avoid; in the middle there is only the turn.
When you arrive
It is also the best place to watch from the rail: the whole rink is between you and them, and every lap comes back past you.
The quietest hour of the week is the first one on a weekday morning in term time. The busiest is Saturday around midday.
While you are there
The middle of the rink is where the wall stops helping. Getting there is the milestone every new skater sets for themselves without being asked.
Space in the centre is what lets a child try a turn. Near the boards there is always somebody to avoid; in the middle there is only the turn.
On the way home
It is also the best place to watch from the rail: the whole rink is between you and them, and every lap comes back past you.
Feed them first. Every attraction in the world is improved by not being hungry in it.
Questions parents ask
How long before a child leaves the rail?
Some in the first session, some in the fifth. Neither is unusual.
Where is New Life Entertainment?
Two centres: 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214, and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027.
What are the opening hours?
10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday, and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.
Planning your visit in China Grove
If you are coming from China Grove, treat it as a cross-town outing rather than a day trip. Go with a return time in mind and the day stays easy.
Weekday afternoons in term time are the quietest slot in the week. Weekend middays are the busiest.
Warn a nervous child about the noise before you walk in. Knowing what to expect is most of the difference between anxious and curious.
If China Grove is home, this is the sort of place you end up returning to rather than ticking off. That changes what a first visit is worth planning around.
The practical details
- XCAV ZONE — 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214: four child-operated machines over a ball pit.
- ICE PARK — 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027: a real rink with bumper cars on the ice.
- Opening hours — 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.
- Phone — +1 (424) 387-6232 · +1 (615) 968-4925
- E-mail — info@newlife-entertainment.com
The two centres are at 433 Opry Mills Drive in Nashville and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd in Concord, open 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM most days and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.