Centre ice · Guide
Centre ice in Harrisburg: the practical guide
Everything below is the sort of thing you would want to know before the drive rather than after it.
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.
Coming in from Harrisburg with more than one child, the useful thing to know is that the room does not need to be rationed - there is more than one thing to do at the same time.
What it actually is
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.
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.
Who it suits
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.
Warn a nervous child about the noise before you walk in. Knowing what to expect is most of the difference between anxious and curious.
What to expect
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.
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.
Before you go
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.
Tell a nervous child what is going to happen in the order it will happen. Surprise is the thing they mind, not the activity.
Questions parents ask
How long before a child leaves the rail?
Some in the first session, some in the fifth. Neither is unusual.
How do I get in touch?
By phone on +1 (424) 387-6232 or +1 (615) 968-4925, or by e-mail at info@newlife-entertainment.com.
Where is New Life Entertainment?
Two centres: 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214, and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027.
Planning your visit in Harrisburg
The nearest of the two centres to Harrisburg is the one to aim at - Concord Mills in Concord - and the drive is the ordinary sort rather than an expedition.
Two shorter visits teach a child more than one long one. The second time they already know what they want to try, and that is when the good part starts.
If it is the first time, do not also make it a birthday. Learning a place and celebrating in it are two different visits.
Families around Harrisburg 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.
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
Anything time critical is worth a phone call first: hours are 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.