Centre ice · Ages
Centre ice with a toddler in Davidson
Age changes the answer more than anything else, so this one is written for a specific 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.
The drive back to Davidson is where you find out what they actually thought. Children review an outing about twenty minutes after leaving it, never during.
How it lands at this age
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 to plan for
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.
Feed them first. Every attraction in the world is improved by not being hungry in it.
What parents notice
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.
Worth knowing
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.
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.
Questions parents ask
How long before a child leaves the rail?
Some in the first session, some in the fifth. Neither is unusual.
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.
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.
Planning your visit in Davidson
The nearest of the two centres to Davidson is the one to aim at - Concord Mills in Concord - and the drive is the ordinary sort rather than an expedition.
Tell a nervous child what is going to happen in the order it will happen. Surprise is the thing they mind, not the activity.
Bring a snack for afterwards rather than during. Hungry children leave early and full children want to stay.
Plenty of the families in the room on a weekday morning have come from somewhere like Davidson. 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
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.