Centre ice · Ages
Centre ice with a 4 year old in Monroe
What works brilliantly at one age is a shrug at another. Here is how it lands at this one.
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.
If you are coming from Monroe, treat it as a cross-town outing rather than a day trip. Go with a return time in mind and the day stays easy.
How it lands at this age
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.
Tell a nervous child what is going to happen in the order it will happen. Surprise is the thing they mind, not the activity.
What to plan for
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.
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.
What parents notice
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.
Agree the leaving time before you walk in, out loud, to the child. Announcing it later sounds like a punishment; agreeing it first sounds like a plan.
Worth knowing
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.
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.
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 Monroe
Coming in from Monroe 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.
Let the child lead the order of things. Adults optimise; children choose the thing that looks best, and they are right more often than they are wrong.
Bring less than you think. Coats and bags are the part of the visit nobody enjoys managing.
Plenty of the families in the room on a weekday morning have come from somewhere like Monroe. Nobody is local to a mall attraction; everybody has driven.
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.