First laps on the ice · Compare
First laps on the ice in China Grove: how it compares to other indoor days out
There is no shortage of indoor options. The useful question is which one suits your particular child.
The advice that helps most is the least technical: bend the knees, look ahead rather than down, and take short steps instead of long glides.
The nearest of the two centres to China Grove is the one to aim at - Concord Mills in Concord - and the drive is the ordinary sort rather than an expedition.
What it does differently
Falling is part of it and is less dramatic than parents fear. Ice is slippery at walking speed, which is the speed a beginner moves at.
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.
Where other options win
A first lap is mostly about the wall. Children hold it, let go of it, grab it again, and somewhere in the third lap they forget it is there.
Twenty minutes is a long first session. Confidence grows faster over three short visits than over one long one.
How to decide
Warm layers matter more than anything else. A cold child asks to leave long before a tired one does.
Count on the drive home being the conversation. Children tell you what they actually thought about twenty minutes after leaving.
The short version
The advice that helps most is the least technical: bend the knees, look ahead rather than down, and take short steps instead of long glides.
Falling is part of it and is less dramatic than parents fear. Ice is slippery at walking speed, which is the speed a beginner moves at.
Questions parents ask
What age can a child start skating?
Children start at very different ages. What matters more is whether they are willing to hold a rail and shuffle.
How long should a first session be?
Short. Twenty minutes of trying beats an hour of being cold and frustrated.
What should they wear?
Layers, long sleeves, gloves. Gloves are the item most often forgotten and most missed.
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 China Grove
A China Grove school holiday runs out of ideas by about day three. This is a day-three answer rather than a day-one one.
If it is the first time, do not also make it a birthday. Learning a place and celebrating in it are two different visits.
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 you are coming from China Grove, treat it as a cross-town outing rather than a day trip. Go with a return time in mind and the day stays easy.
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.