First laps on the ice · First time
First laps on the ice in Midland: what happens the first time
Nobody arrives knowing how it works. That is fine - here is how the first half hour tends to go.
Twenty minutes is a long first session. Confidence grows faster over three short visits than over one long one.
Parents from Midland 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 first ten minutes
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.
Bring less than you think. Coats and bags are the part of the visit nobody enjoys managing.
What children do first
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.
What usually goes wrong
Warm layers matter more than anything else. A cold child asks to leave long before a tired one does.
Tell a nervous child what is going to happen in the order it will happen. Surprise is the thing they mind, not the activity.
Making the second visit better
Twenty minutes is a long first session. Confidence grows faster over three short visits than over one long one.
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.
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 Midland
Coming in from Midland 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.
Warn a nervous child about the noise before you walk in. Knowing what to expect is most of the difference between anxious and curious.
Bring a spare layer even in summer. Malls are air conditioned, rinks are colder than that, and a cold child is a child who wants to go home.
Plenty of the families in the room on a weekday morning have come from somewhere like Midland. 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.