Anonymous wrote:Tucker Road may be an option also.

Wow! I am ancient and had no idea that place was still around!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No rink recs but have hosted and attended many skating parties that everyone seemed to enjoy, including kids who have never skated. I mean based on these threads their parents would never take them skating on their own bc of the cold and danger so a birthday invite is the only way they willl get to enjoy this fun activity that has been around 100s of years.

This is DCUM— a board that is full of the most risk-averse people in the country. None of this is surprising.

That doesn't mean it's not insane.

Anonymous wrote:No rink recs but have hosted and attended many skating parties that everyone seemed to enjoy, including kids who have never skated. I mean based on these threads their parents would never take them skating on their own bc of the cold and danger so a birthday invite is the only way they willl get to enjoy this fun activity that has been around 100s of years.

This is DCUM— a board that is full of the most risk-averse people in the country. None of this is surprising.

No rink recs but have hosted and attended many skating parties that everyone seemed to enjoy, including kids who have never skated. I mean based on these threads their parents would never take them skating on their own bc of the cold and danger so a birthday invite is the only way they willl get to enjoy this fun activity that has been around 100s of years.

We did this for several years at the Georgetown rink (outdoors). It was great. We did it in the morning (in our view, much better because it's much less crowded), got big containers of hot chocolate and coffee, and reserves a bunch of the penguins for kids who didn't now how to skate.

Anonymous wrote:DS went to an ice skating party at Mount Vernon Rec Center. It’s a large rink and they have bumpers for beginners. Parents were welcomed to stay and skate or drop off.

Mt Vernon is closing for two years for renovation starting in January.

DS went to an ice skating party at Mount Vernon Rec Center. It’s a large rink and they have bumpers for beginners. Parents were welcomed to stay and skate or drop off.

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you have a few parents around. Ice skating parties are notorious for injuries. The two I've been to had kids fall resulting in one broken arm and the other stitches to face (chin meets ice)

This. Ice skating injuries can be horrific. Ask me how I know.

I don't think this sounds like a terrible idea. Does the place you're looking at have the walkers for the learners?

Make sure you have a few parents around. Ice skating parties are notorious for injuries. The two I've been to had kids fall resulting in one broken arm and the other stitches to face (chin meets ice)

Skating parties are tough for older kids who don't skate (at least, that's my observation having been to a couple). If you do one, try to rent out the ice so the kids aren't on during public skate, and rent the things kids can hold on to.

There is also a rink in Wheaton that does birthday parties. It's run by Montgomery Parks (same as Cabin John) and pretty easy to schedule.

As for whether this is a good idea or not, I think it can be fun, but you have to have a crew of adults prepared to help the kids. I found myself helping a bunch of 6yo's who were at the rink for some kid's party who had just been, effectively, abandoned on the ice. Their skates weren't tied, they had no idea what they were doing, and there were no grownups from the party there to help them. Don't do that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3rd grade is a tough age to do an ice skating party. Many kids will not have skated before. Parents may have to stay to help. Not really fun for beginners.

Disagree. We did it for preschoolers and it was fun. Parents did stay.

Ugh, my kid was invited to a skate party at 5 and it was miserable. She was so cold and her butt hurt so much. She hasn't wanted to go skating since and she's 9!

I would never do an ice skating birthday party, sounds like a terrible idea to me. As a parent, I don't like to be in the cold anyway.

Holy smokes you sound like a preschooler and you’d fit right in.
I don’t love Chuck E. Cheese either but my kids think its a great time and, if invited, I show up with a smile and a good attitude (outwardly anyways). Sorry you can’t suck it up and be in the cold. Try dressing your child warmly.
-dp

We had one years ago at the cabin john ice rink near Montgomery Mall in Bethesda.

Tucker Road may be an option also.