First laps on the ice · Ages
First laps on the ice in Landis: is it right for a 7 year old?
Same room, completely different visit depending on how old the child is.
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.
If you are coming from Landis, 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 advice that helps most is the least technical: bend the knees, look ahead rather than down, and take short steps instead of long glides.
Bring less than you think. Coats and bags are the part of the visit nobody enjoys managing.
What to plan for
Warm layers matter more than anything else. A cold child asks to leave long before a tired one does.
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.
What parents notice
Twenty minutes is a long first session. Confidence grows faster over three short visits than over one long one.
Take the phone out of your pocket before they start rather than after. The moment worth filming is usually the first one.
Worth knowing
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.
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.
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.
Where is New Life Entertainment?
Two centres: 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214, and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027.
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 Landis
Families around Landis who have done it once tend to plan the second visit differently: shorter, earlier in the day, and with the machine the child liked in mind.
Bring a snack for afterwards rather than during. Hungry children leave early and full children want to stay.
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.
The drive back to Landis is where you find out what they actually thought. Children review an outing about twenty minutes after leaving it, never during.
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.