My five- and three-year old love ice-skating. My son can sort of get around the rink himself while hanging on the wall. My daughter, on the other hand, basically stands perfectly still while I hold tightly to both her hands and propel her around on the ice. Despite all the falling, dangling and cold, wet pants, they are crazy for it. I am ready to give my aching back and feet a rest far before they are willing to leave the ice.
My husband and I had told my kids that we would go ice skating at the Norman Outdoor Holiday Rink at Marc Heitz Chevrolet this Monday. That was before the temperature took an arctic plunge. We tried every enticement we could think of to get the kids to agree to postponing our ice skating trip until it was not quite so cold and windy…frozen yogurt, holiday lights displays, Yahtzee (our son’s new favorite game), cozy movie night in the warm house with a fire in the fireplace…nothing worked. “That sounds fun, but not as fun as ice skating,” my son would reply as he politely declined each offer. Ultimately, we promised them an ice skating trip and there was no better reason to cancel other than my husband and I simply didn’t feel like it, so we bundled up and headed out to the Norman Outdoor Holiday Rink at Marc Heitz Chevrolet.
By the time we arrived, the wind had died down and it was a beautiful, crisp, clear evening. It was still cold, but not painfully so. The rink was decorated with several trees all illuminated by lovely holiday lights. Christmas music played over the loud speaker. The kids were giddy as we laced up everyone’s skates and headed out onto the ice. My son held onto a traffic cone as he worked his way around the rink falling so many times his pants were soaked through. My daughter couldn’t keep her feet under her for anything and yet, they both begged for one more time around when it was getting late and nearing time to close.
Their excitement was contagious and our family had a lovely evening enjoying the outdoors, music and lights while spending some quality time together. Outdoor ice-skating is becoming somewhat of a holiday tradition for us. The OKC metro offers several outdoor ice-skating rinks for you to start a holiday tradition with your own family.
Note: Be sure to check with the rinks for weather related closures before you go and wear gloves, even if it is not that cold outside. Ice is cold when you fall.
Where to go:
Through January 6
- Express Ice Edmond Outdoor Ice Rink at Festival Market (1 & Broadway, Edmond). $10 with skates, $7 with own skates, $5 for 5 years & under. See website for hours. 274-1638, www.expressice.com/edmondok.
- Norman Ice Rink at Marc Heitz Community Complex (1221 Ed Noble, Norman). $10 with skates, $7 with own skates, $5 for 5 years & under. See website for hours. www.normanicerink.com.
Through February 3
- Devon Ice Rink at the Myriad Gardens. $10 with skate rental, $7 with own skates. See website for special extended hours. Monday-Tuesday, 3-8pm; Wednesday-Thursday, 3-10pm; Friday-Saturday, 10am-11pm; Sunday, 10am-8pm. 235-3500, www.downtownindecember.com.
Happy skating!
Sara
