Centre ice · Tips
Centre ice in Kannapolis: what experienced parents do
None of this is complicated. All of it is the difference between a good hour and a difficult one.
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.
For a Kannapolis family the trip works best folded into something else - the shopping that was happening anyway, a birthday that needed a venue, a Saturday that needed a plan.
Before you leave the house
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.
Let the child choose what to do first even when it is the thing you would have chosen last. The order matters less than the choosing.
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 middle of the rink is where the wall stops helping. Getting there is the milestone every new skater sets for themselves without being asked.
While you are there
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.
Bring a snack for afterwards rather than during. Hungry children leave early and full children want to stay.
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.
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.
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 Kannapolis
From Kannapolis the practical question is timing rather than distance. Arriving in the first hour after opening is worth more than shaving minutes off the drive.
If two adults are coming, split up rather than shadowing the same child. One at the rail, one free, and everybody has a better hour.
Check the day of the week against the closing time before you leave. Sunday finishes earlier than the rest of the week and catches people out.
If Kannapolis 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
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.