First visit · Seasonal
First visit in the school holidays in Kannapolis
The season changes what a visit feels like more than you would expect.
Leave a little early. A visit that ends while it is still fun is the one they ask to repeat.
A Kannapolis school holiday runs out of ideas by about day three. This is a day-three answer rather than a day-one one.
Why this time of year
Arrive with time in hand. The first ten minutes are always coats, looking around and deciding, and rushing them costs more than they take.
A first visit works best with no schedule attached to it. Come, see what the child gravitates to, and let that decide the hour.
What changes
Watch what they choose before suggesting anything. Children pick the machine that matches their temperament with no help at all.
Tell a nervous child what is going to happen in the order it will happen. Surprise is the thing they mind, not the activity.
What to wear
Leave a little early. A visit that ends while it is still fun is the one they ask to repeat.
Arrive with time in hand. The first ten minutes are always coats, looking around and deciding, and rushing them costs more than they take.
Planning around it
A first visit works best with no schedule attached to it. Come, see what the child gravitates to, and let that decide the hour.
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.
Questions parents ask
What should we bring?
Warm layers for the rink, and the usual drink and snack for afterwards.
How long should we allow?
An hour is a comfortable first visit for most families.
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.
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 Kannapolis
From Kannapolis the practical question is timing rather than distance. Arriving in the first hour after opening is worth more than shaving minutes off the drive.
Warn a nervous child about the noise before you walk in. Knowing what to expect is most of the difference between anxious and curious.
A short visit that ends while they still want more beats a long one that ends in a meltdown, every time.
Coming in from Kannapolis 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.
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.