Claw excavator · Occasion
Claw excavator for a family day out in Goodlettsville
Here is how the day tends to run and what is worth arranging in advance.
The grab is the machine for the child who likes precision. Picking one ball out of a hundred is a different game from moving a bucketful.
Families searching from Goodlettsville are usually weighing one thing: whether it is worth the trip for an hour of something the children have not done before. The honest answer is that it depends on the child, and the rest of this page is about telling which.
Why it fits the occasion
Because it grabs rather than scoops, it works just as well when the crate has been dug over and the surface is uneven.
The claw excavator swaps the bucket for a five finger grab. Instead of scooping, it closes around a handful of balls, which changes the whole feel of the machine.
How the day runs
Children who have played claw machines at an arcade expect this one to cheat. It does not - the grab closes when they close it and holds what it holds.
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.
What to arrange first
The grab is the machine for the child who likes precision. Picking one ball out of a hundred is a different game from moving a bucketful.
Because it grabs rather than scoops, it works just as well when the crate has been dug over and the surface is uneven.
Small things that help
The claw excavator swaps the bucket for a five finger grab. Instead of scooping, it closes around a handful of balls, which changes the whole feel of the machine.
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
Is this like an arcade claw machine?
It looks similar and behaves completely differently. Nothing releases the grab except the child holding the control.
Which machine should a first timer start with?
Most start on a bucket machine and move to the grab once they have the feel of the arm.
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.
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 Goodlettsville
From Goodlettsville 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 one child is nervous, let them watch for the first ten minutes without being asked to join in. Almost all of them join in.
Photograph the machine as well as the child. In two years you will have forgotten what the room looked like.
Parents from Goodlettsville tend to ask the same first question: how long will this hold their attention. Long enough to be worth the drive, and short enough to leave while they still want more.
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
If a visit needs planning around a date, a group or a long drive, the centre is easiest to reach by phone: +1 (424) 387-6232 or +1 (615) 968-4925.