| Author |
Message |
    
Laur
Citizen
Username: Laur
Post Number: 50
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 - 11:49 am: |     |
Where is the nearest (and nice) skating rink? And, do you think having a 4 year old birthday party at a rink is a good or bad idea (are they too young?)
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Duncan
Supporter
Username: Duncanrogers
Post Number: 3736
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 - 12:14 pm: | |
west orange ice rink, by the Turtle Back Zoo. And four year olds bounce, I wouldn't worry.
And if it gets cold enough long enough our own flooded park becomes a nice rink in the winter. |
Soda
Citizen
Username: Soda
Post Number: 2276
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 - 1:10 pm: | |
I believe that both rinks at South Mountain Arena are currently being renovated, and I don't know when they'll reopen...
-s.
BTW: A party for 4-year olds doesn't sound too bad, IF there's a private area with competent instruction available at the rink you choose. |
Brett
Citizen
Username: Bmalibashksa
Post Number: 1386
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 - 1:31 pm: | |
I went to a party for 4-5 year olds at Montclair Collage. It's was a little hairy for the adults but the kids got a lession (10 min) and then free skate (20 min). If the kids were scared there was type of walker (skater?) that they could use. After there was pizza and video games. Not the worst party ever. Seeing as how my sister was pregnant I got a best uncle of the year award |
Wilkanoid
Citizen
Username: Cseleosida
Post Number: 292
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 - 2:14 pm: | |
The South Mountain arena is open. If you click on Winter Events in the middle of this page http://www.co.essex.nj.us/ you will get some general information.
My kid went to an ice skating party at about that age. It's ok, but you limit your 'audience' quite a bit, and make more work for the adults present whether there is a lesson or not. Not the kind of party where the adults can just hang out while the kids play. |
DeborahG
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 1143
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 - 2:27 pm: | |
Hi,
Just my two cents, but I think 4 is young for a skating party. Both my older kids skate seriously(one hockey, one figure), but my youngest is 4 and not yet ready to even get on the ice. Some kids are ready to skate by then, but many find it scary. They also need one on one instruction to really get anywhere, so it's not really fun for them at such a young age. Hope this is helpful, it's just my experience. |
Soda
Citizen
Username: Soda
Post Number: 2278
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 - 3:04 pm: | |
Wilkanoid: You're correct! Thanks for the fact-check.
-s.
BTW: I might also be wrong about 4 being old enough for a skating party... |
nan
Citizen
Username: Nan
Post Number: 1681
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 - 8:14 pm: | |
I also think 4 is way too young for skating. They will not be able to go out with out their parents and not all parents are able to skate. My son went to a rollarskating party when he was about 4 because the kid that invited him loved it.
It was a disaster.
The kids were terrified and the moms were not much better and the food was horrendous and in our case never came (the place is closed now for good reason).
I'm not sure what age would be good for a skating party, because it does take some getting used to it. I'd think older (at least 8) with the lessons included would be doable--in fact, thanks for the idea-- maybe I'll look into that for my kid this year! |
eliz
Supporter
Username: Eliz
Post Number: 933
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 - 9:18 pm: | |
I think 4 is way too young for a skating party. We had a similar situation as Nan recently - a classmate (6 and 7 year olds) had a rollerskating party - I assumed there would be instruction as my child can't rollerskate - and neither could most of the kids. There were no helmets or safety materials . I had planned to drop off 2 kids - I ended up staing with 2 six year olds flopping around on either side of me. One fell and hurt himself. There were several bouts of tears and I had a huge headache. |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 1743
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 5, 2005 - 9:19 am: | |
I once organized a successful ice skating party with older 6-year-olds (first graders toward the end of the school year, in April.) It was a Brownie troop event as opposed to a birthday party and we did require that each child be accompanied by a skating adult or older sibling, although there were several cases of two kids with one older skater. Also, we included a group lesson with a professional instructor as part of the activity. Based on that experience, I definitely wouldn't go any younger than that and I probably wouldn't do the "drop off" thing until age 8 or 9 as noted above. |
Joe
Citizen
Username: Gonets
Post Number: 585
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 5, 2005 - 2:49 pm: | |
Well, I guess there's always skeet shooting. |
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