Rainy afternoons · First time
Rainy afternoons for the first time in Madison
A first visit has a shape to it, and knowing the shape takes most of the guesswork out.
The trick with a rainy day is picking something that burns energy rather than something that keeps children still. Sitting through a film leaves the energy in the tank.
The drive back to Madison is where you find out what they actually thought. Children review an outing about twenty minutes after leaving it, never during.
The first ten minutes
On a wet Saturday, going early beats going late. The same hour feels completely different before and after the rest of the city has the same idea.
Feed them first. Every attraction in the world is improved by not being hungry in it.
What children do first
Both venues sit inside shopping centres, so the walk from the parking to the attraction is under cover.
Rain turns a normal afternoon into a problem to solve. An indoor attraction inside a mall solves it without anybody getting wet between the car and the door.
What usually goes wrong
The trick with a rainy day is picking something that burns energy rather than something that keeps children still. Sitting through a film leaves the energy in the tank.
Warn a nervous child about the noise before you walk in. Knowing what to expect is most of the difference between anxious and curious.
Making the second visit better
On a wet Saturday, going early beats going late. The same hour feels completely different before and after the rest of the city has the same idea.
Both venues sit inside shopping centres, so the walk from the parking to the attraction is under cover.
Questions parents ask
Is it fully indoors?
Both venues are inside malls - Opry Mills in Nashville and Concord Mills in Concord.
What are the opening hours?
Monday to Saturday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Sunday 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
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 Madison
Nothing about the visit assumes you know the area. The centre is inside Opry Mills, which is signposted from everywhere in Nashville and impossible to miss once you are there.
Take the photographs early. The best ones happen in the first fifteen minutes, before anybody is tired.
Tell a nervous child what is going to happen in the order it will happen. Surprise is the thing they mind, not the activity.
If you are coming from Madison, 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
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.