Birthdays can be difficult to plan, especially for kids. As a parent, you have to appease the masses, but you also place high expectations on yourself to make this birthday the best one yet. Luckily, the team at Chester Skateland came to put in the hard work to make planning birthdays for your kids a stress-free experience.

Instead of planning something extravagant, why not do something simple your child will cherish forever? Here are some fun birthday traditions to incorporate into your child’s celebration this year.

Decorate their bedroom doorway

While they’re sleeping, grab some balloons, streamers, and tape and make an iconic birthday king or queen entryway.

Be a genie and grant them three wishes (realistic ones)

Do they want ice cream for breakfast? Done. Want to watch their favorite TV show ALL DAY? Done. Skip school for the day? Done, as long as there are no tests that day. 

Plan a present scavenger hunt

Once you have their present wrapped, hide it somewhere in your home. Create clues to help your child find it! Doing this will increase their excitement to open the gift you got them. (Bonus: it’ll develop their problem-solving skills too).

Interview the birthday kid

Every birthday, conduct an interview for your kid. Record it to create a movie for them when they’re all grown up. Not only will this be a good keepsake for them, but it will also be meaningful for you to look back on how much they’ve grown and changed.

Annual birthday outing 

Whether it’s camping, a shopping spree, or a trip to the rink, having a tradition of going somewhere or doing something makes a birthday extra special.

Everyone dress in his or her favorite color

Not only will this make the birthday girl or boy feel extra special, but it will also be interesting to see how their favorite color might change over the years. 

Mark their height

They grow up so fast, so why not document it? Seeing how much they have grown from the year prior will be a huge confidence boost.

Decorate the whole house according to their interests

Are they into unicorns this year? Make the whole house all rainbows and sparkles! They will feel so special that not only are their interests recognized, but also celebrated.

Birthday planning shouldn’t be so daunting. That’s why having special traditions are key components to a happy celebration. Whether you’re decorating the house for your little one or venturing out to the rink with your tween, it’s always a good time to celebrate your child and how much they’ve grown and changed over the years. And don’t worry, we can do all the planning for you if you don’t want to tackle it yourself. Just check out our party packages! Big or small, these fun traditions will create memories that will last a lifetime.

Maybe you skated as a kid and you want to get back on the skating rink. Maybe you’ve never skated a day in your life and you want to try something new. Or maybe you’ve always been the skater clutching a friend and trying not to fall over, and you want to feel more confident on skates. Whatever your reason may be, we’re glad you’re here, and we couldn’t be happier to share these beginner skating tips with you. You’ve got this! 

3 Beginner Roller Skating Tips

Yes, you’re going to fall—but it doesn’t have to hurt!  

One of the biggest obstacles that keeps people from trying to roller skate is the fear of falling. But guess what; everyone falls down, even experienced skaters. The best thing you can do is accept that you will take a few tumbles as you learn new skating skills, and learn how to fall so that you minimize your chance of injury. 

Practice going down on one knee and then the other, keeping your hands on your legs (NOT on the ground), and getting back up without using your hands/arms. If you feel that you’re starting to fall while skating, going into a controlled forward fall is preferable to falling backwards. Backwards falls can injure your tailbone, and if you put your arms out to catch you, you may injure your wrists as well. Experienced skaters fall all the time while practicing new tricks, skills, dance moves, etc. They just know how to fall, get up, and keep it moving!

Practice your stance. 

If you haven’t personally done this, you’ve probably seen someone who has: You take your first tentative steps out onto the skating rink, legs stiff and straight, arms out wide. As soon as you start to roll, you lose your balance, arms windmilling wildly, before falling over backwards. Unfortunately, your fall was almost guaranteed from your first step. That’s because roller skating requires a proper stance with a low center of gravity. These are the keys to a good roller skating stance:

• Feet shoulder width apart
• Knees bent like you’re doing a squat
• Lean forward slightly at the waist 

Remember, the lower your center of gravity, the harder it is to fall over, so try to maintain the squat-like position as you practice walking in your skates, and then pushing off and gliding. 

Take roller skating lessons and watch other skaters. 

Here at Chester Skateland, we offer roller skating lessons on Tuesdays and Saturdays. All ages and abilities are welcome, and we have classes for beginner, intermediate, and advanced skaters. The cost per lesson is only $8, which includes skate rental, the instruction time, plus free admission to the roller skating session following class! 
In addition to our roller skating classes in Chester, you should also head over to YouTube and search for any skills or tricks you’re interested in learning. There are tons of great roller skating videos out there that can help you perfect your moonwalk, learn to skate backwards, or just help you improve your basic skating technique. Keep at it, and join us at Chester Skateland for fun on the rink anytime!

It’s hard to believe we’re living in a whole new decade! The “roaring 20s” (2020s, that is) are here and this month is a great time to think about how far you’ve come and where you want to go. If you’re looking for ways to make this year amazing, check out these reasons to go roller skating at Chester Skateland! Our Chester, Virginia skating rink is here whenever you want to strap on your skates and feel like a kid again. 

Reasons to Roller Skate

Skating is a celebration.

As you plan the special days coming up this year, consider planning a roller skating party. From kids birthday parties and school fundraisers to corporate outings and team parties, you can’t beat the double whammy of built-in entertainment and a fun activity that is accessible to a wide range of ages and abilities. 

Skating relieves stress.

Our lives are busier than ever these days, and all of that hustling can be a major cause of stress. Fortunately, roller skating is a good way to take time out of the day-to-day grind and do something good for you. 

As a social and physical activity, roller skating kills two birds with one stone, so to speak. Researchers have found that strong social bonds are literally good for your health, and skating is the perfect activity to do with friends, family, teammates, neighbors, or church groups. Make a commitment to include time for de-stressing and socializing this year. 

Skating is a good workout.

Roller skating isn’t just a fun activity, it’s also a great way to incorporate movement into your life. It’s easy to get stuck on that dread-guilt treadmill; if your workouts are routine and boring, you dread doing them, but when you skip the workouts, you feel guilty for not achieving your fitness goals. The solution? Try new things and find activities you love doing! 

Roller skating for fitness burns calories, provides cardio conditioning, and strengthens lower body and core muscles. It’s also low-impact, so it’s easier on your joints—one reason that many folks like to mix in skating as a break from high-impact sports like running or tennis. 

Skating is affordable family entertainment.

We’d all like to have fun family outings as much as possible, but as any parent knows, even simple activities can get expensive quickly if you have kids. That’s one of the best reasons to go roller skating: A visit to the skating rink is affordable fun for the whole family!

Admission to our regular public skating sessions ranges from $2 to $7, and we also offer our guests specials and discounts like our roller skating Groupon. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to stay up to date on our latest specials and events. 

Skating is FUN!

Last, but certainly not least, roller skating is just plain fun! Few activities compare to the freedom and joy of cruising around the skating rink. We hope you’ll make time for fun, fitness, family, and friends this year and join us at Chester Skateland!

If you love to skate, it’s no wonder that you want to share it with your kids… But how do you get started? These are some of the most common questions we hear from parents: Can toddlers learn to skate? How old do kids need to be to learn to roller skate? How do you teach young kids to skate? 

Don’t worry parents, we’ve got your back! Read on to learn everything you need to know about teaching kids to roller skate from the pros at Chester Skateland. Your family is always welcome at our Chester, Virginia skating rink. 

When can kids learn to roller skate? 

Kids as young as two or three years old can learn to roller skate, but the answer really depends on your child. While you can find toddler-size roller skates (typically the ones that strap on over sneakers), you should really focus more on whether your child is developmentally ready to skate. 

If your child is particularly precocious, interested in skating, and has well-developed balance, they might be ready to try skating. However, if your child doesn’t seem interested, isn’t coordinated enough yet to get the hang of it, or isn’t able to follow directions and abide by safety rules, it might be better to give it some time before you try to get them on the rink. 

For most kids, age four or five is the best time to learn how to skate. Just remember that any kid under eight years old should still be supervised by an adult at all times in case of an accident or injury. 

How to teach kids to skate

The best way to teach kids how to roller skate is to start slow. Skates with big, chunky wheels are great for young kids/beginners because they make it easier to stay upright. You can also get your child started with a SkateMate—a plastic support on wheels, sort of like a rolling walker—to help them get the hang of skating without as much risk of falling. We rent SkateMates for $5, and you can rent them at any session. (SkateMates are rented on a first-come, first-served basis.)   

Another important part of teaching your kids to skate is giving them the skills to be safe right from the start. One of the first things you should teach them is how to fall, including how to keep their hands safe. Of course, the best way to introduce your kids to roller skating is through skating lessons! We offer beginning roller skating lessons here at Chester Skateland, as well as intermediate lessons for those who want to continue improving their skills. All ages and skill levels are welcome to participate, so we hope to see your family soon!

Can you believe that Christmas and New Year’s are almost here? It’s hard to believe that we’re about to start a whole new decade, but there’s still some time to have fun and make memories before we say goodbye to the twenty-tens. We’re so glad to have spent this decade with all of our wonderful customers at Chester Skateland, and we can’t wait to make new memories with you in the coming decade!

If, like many of us, you’re hosting family or friends for the holidays, you may be wondering how to keep the whole group entertained. Fortunately there’s plenty to do in and around Chester and Richmond, Virginia this holiday season. Check out some of the best holiday events and things to do with your family before 2019 comes to a close. 

Holiday Activities In and Around Chester, Virginia

New Year’s Eve Extravaganza

Ring in the new year with your friends and family right here at Chester Skateland! Our New Year’s Eve Extravaganza is the place to be on Tuesday, December 31st from 7:30 pm to 1:00 am. Hosts DJ James Acors and DJ Zack Kennedy will be spinning your favorite songs for a high-energy skate party fit to send you into the next decade. Admission is just $13 includes a midnight balloon drop, plus hats and horns to get everyone decked out in true New Year’s style. Be sure to RSVP and invite your friends on the Facebook event page!

Richmond Tacky Lights Tour

What are the holidays without some over-the-top lights?! The Richmond Times-Dispatch Tacky Lights Tour is a local tradition and must-see for anyone visiting the area for the holidays! Load your fam up in the minivan or SUV and head out on the town to see some real dedication to Christmas kitsch. 

Dominion GardenFest of Lights

You don’t have to be a horticulture nerd or an avid gardener to appreciate the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, especially during the Dominion GardenFest of Lights. Indoor and outdoor displays combine the garden’s plants with detailed light installations to tell stories from cultures around the world. You’ll definitely want to bring your camera (or at least snap some selfies) in front of the garden’s many incredible visual displays, like the light tunnel. 

The event runs through January 8th, and is open from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm nightly except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (December 24th and 25th). Admission is $13 for adults, $11 for seniors (ages 55 and up), $8 for kids (ages 3 to 12 years), and FREE for kids under 3 years of age. Garden members get an even better deal with $7 adult, $5 child admission. 

However you spend the holidays, we hope you have plenty of fun, food, friends, and family to celebrate with!

Corporate holiday parties are expected at most companies, but how often are they actually enjoyable for the employees (and possibly their spouses or partners) in attendance? If you’re in charge of planning your company holiday party, don’t panic. We’re here to help with some tips for planning a corporate holiday party that everyone will love, from the interns to the CEO. 

Skating parties to the rescue! 

Let’s be honest, no one wants to party in the office (except maybe Accounting). You spend enough time there as it is! While booking a venue may seem like a budget-buster, selecting the right venue can make or break your event. 

At Chester Skateland, we host all types of gatherings, from small birthday parties to large private events. You’re not just getting a physical location for your corporate holiday party, you’re also getting atmosphere and entertainment! With the built-in activity of roller skating, you don’t have to come up with tons of activities to fill the evening, and our skating rink is already a fun and festive environment, so you don’t need to worry about hiring a DJ or decorator. 

Give people plenty of notice. 

If you haven’t booked your company holiday party yet, it’s past time! Get in touch as soon as possible to book your event so you can nail down a date and announce it at the office. People may need to arrange for childcare or transportation, and you want to get them before they commit to other holiday social obligations. 

The food and music should both be crowd-pleasers.

No party is complete without great tunes and delicious food. Fortunately you can have both at our Chester skating rink. Unlike some venues, we do allow you to bring in your own food and drinks. When arranging catering for your event, you can go casual with pizzas (because who doesn’t love pizza?) or get fancy with a catered buffet. Just keep in mind that people want to have fun, so a multi-course gourmet meal is not required or appropriate. Instead, consider a taco bar, BBQ, or even a food truck! 

The music is another aspect you want to be sure to get right. Fortunately our private event bookings include a DJ who can spin whatever your crowd is into, from holiday songs to dance hits. 

Add something unexpected. 

Any good party includes a little something extra to surprise your guests. Whether you splurge on gift bags, set up a fun photo booth, or recognize select employees or teams for an outstanding accomplishment, make sure you have something in store beyond the expected. It’s also a nice idea to plan for some time for company leadership to make a speech or toast. The key is to keep it short and sweet! 

The turkey’s been carved, you’re stuffed full of stuffing, and there are only so many times you can compliment Uncle Jerry’s contribution to the dessert table … But your family’s in town for the weekend and you’ve got to come up with something to entertain them. What to do? First of all, don’t panic; we’ve got you covered! When it comes to fun things to do with family during Thanksgiving break, Chester Skateland is the place to be. 

5 Reasons to Go Skating During Thanksgiving Break

Whether you’re entertaining out of town guests or just trying to keep the kids occupied until school starts back, we’ve got the cure for your Thanksgiving break boredom. Check out these reasons to come skating with us, and get ready to have a blast! 

One of the Best Family Fun Deals in Richmond

When planning things to do with family during Thanksgiving break, cost is probably one of your top considerations. After all, some activities can really add up when you have to pay for multiple kids and adults! Fortunately there are ways to save money on family fun in and around Richmond, like our Groupon Deal. 

For a limited time, get admission, roller skate rental, and small sodas for four people for just $18! That’s a value of $50 for less than a $20 bill. We also have a 2-person deal, so head over to Groupon to learn more and get yours before they’re gone! 

Good for All Ages

Aside from the value of skating at Chester Skateland, we’re also a great destination when you want to entertain a mixed group of kids and adults. Skating is fun and accessible for everyone from little kids to teens to parents, and even grandparents. 

We play great music and the atmosphere is always positive and family-friendly. Turns out it’s pretty much impossible to be in a bad mood when you’re cruising around on wheels! 

Healthy and Active Fun 

While there are so many reasons to bring your family to our Chester, Virginia skating rink, one of the most important reasons is the physical activity skating provides. Roller skating isn’t just fun, it’s also a wonderful low-impact exercise that burns calories, tones muscles, improves stamina, and can even improve balance and spatial awareness. 

In addition to helping kids improve their coordination skills, skating is a great cross-training exercise for athletes who run or play soccer, basketball, etc. Because it’s low-impact (meaning it’s easier on your joints) skating can be a gentle way to stay moving even when you need a rest day from more intense forms of exercise. 

It’s easy to fall off the wagon with your fitness routine and nutrition during the holidays, but remember, you can enjoy seasonal treats and still stay active despite the cold weather and shorter days. We hope to see you skating with us soon! 

Did you know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month? All over the world, people are coming together to raise awareness and money for breast cancer research, as well as public health education and support for patients and families battling this all-too-common disease. 

At Chester Skateland, we believe that one of the most important principles we can pass on to future generations is the power of working together for the common good. That’s why we host Roller Skate To Raise events benefiting a variety of causes near to our hearts, as well as offering incredible private parties and fundraiser events that can help your organization raise money and visibility in the community. Check out these tips to learn how to put on a roller skating fundraiser and how to make your fundraiser successful! 

Plan ahead: Book your event venue early. 

One of the most crucial aspects to planning a roller skating fundraiser event is making your reservation early. It’s always best to lock down your event venue as far ahead as possible so you don’t lose out on prime dates or times. As the holidays approach and people’s social calendars get filled, it can be hard to ensure good attendance if you spring it on them last minute. Planning your fundraiser well ahead of time also ensures that you have adequate time to do this next part. 

Get the word out: Marketing your event. 

Arguably the most important part of planning a skating fundraiser is letting people know it’s happening! Low turnout means fewer people hearing your message and donating to your cause, so you want to shout your fundraiser from the rooftops. Create an event page on Facebook where you can post information and updates; invite your friends and neighbors, even try to get on your local news or radio broadcast! There are also lots of community resources you can use to spread the word—submit your event to local event calendars, newspapers, magazines, and parenting blogs; see if there are any local businesses who would like to cross promote or make a donation. 

Work smarter, not harder: Use these event planning tips. 

Planning a fundraiser event can be extremely time consuming, complicated, and stressful. Fortunately, at Chester Skateland, we make events easy! From birthday parties to charity events, we have experience with events large and small. Let us take some of the stress off your plate so you can focus on the other details. Don’t be afraid to delegate some planning jobs if you need help; people want to be helpful, so let them!

Are you planning a fundraiser event in Chester? If so, we can help you make it a success, so give us a call at 804-748-0379 or use our online form to contact us for private event inquiries. 

With October in full swing, we are seeing pumpkins, brooms, cobwebs and more strewn across our neighbors front yard. Children and adults alike have already begun thinking up a costume for Halloween. We are more than ready to celebrate Halloween at Chester Skateland and we want to help you prepare.

First, do your kids ever ask you how Halloween got started or what it’s about? Do you just ever wonder about the history yourself? Well, here is Halloween history in a nutshell with the help of the History Channel:

Halloween dates back to an old Celtic Festival over 2,000 years ago. The Celts celebrated the end of harvest and the beginning of a cold, dark winter they often associated with death. They believed on October 31st that the worlds of the living and dead collided. They would wear costumes and burn massive bonfires throughout the night to scare the ghosts away. From there the holiday just grew and morphed into what it is today.

After that holiday history refresher, let’s talk about the best ways to celebrate Halloween. First, we have our annual Halloween Spooktober Skate on October 25th at 7:30 p.m.. This fun night of music, skating and scares will be complete with a DJ and everyone in costume. If you want to plan your own Halloween Celebration, Chester Skateland would love to host and help! We have some awesome private party options with the ability to bring your own freaky food and drinks. Our private parties include a DJ to provide music to you and your guests for the entirety of the party.

Want to host a Halloween Party at Chester Skateland but aren’t sure of how to make it something different? We are here to help! Here are some fun ways to spook out your private party at Chester:

• Costume party (obviously).
• Pick a Theme (Day of the Dead, Zombie Apocalypse, famous killers, famous killer couples, Alien invasion).
• Since you can bring your own food to Chester, have everyone bring their favorite spooky or gross dish.
• Onesie Party. Onesies are surprisingly easy to roller skate in and are super comfy. Have your guests find their favorite at Wal-Mart, Target or Amazon for under $20 and see who the party favorite is.
• Start or end the night back at your house with a screening of My Super Psycho Sweet 16, a horror film centered around a roller skating rink.
• For an adult party, collect a few dollars per person and host a costumer contest voted on by all of the guests. Winner(s) get to keep the cash collected.

We hope you learned a little something about Halloween and all of the ways you can celebrate with us at Chester Skateland. Please contact us with any questions you have about our Halloween party, planning one of your own or anything Chester related. We hope you have a hair-raising Halloween and a fantastic fall season.

We live in a time when we have less activity and more screen time. Children are spending more and more time in front of a TV or device rather than up and moving. Schools are cramming in more class time and making less time for recess or PE, which is promoting a sedentary lifestyle.

But is this what’s best for kids? When children are active they’re able to pay better attention in class.  Studies have shown that there is a correlation between physical activity and children’s ability to learn. In Nebraska, a study was conducted of 12,000 students who were tested on their physical fitness through a timed run. Researchers compared the results from the run with students’ test scores and found that the students who were more physically fit had higher test scores. It has also been proven that when students are more physically active, they get better sleep. We all know that we’re not performing our best when we don’t get enough sleep. Better sleep helps kids pay attention in class and remain focused. 

Benefits of Activity for Kids:

• Improved Mood: When we exercise our bodies release endorphins, which are also known as the happy chemical. 
• Better Sleep: Our bodies become tired from exercise, causing us to fall asleep more easily rather than feeling restless right before bed. 
• Increased Memory: Studies have shown that those who exercise are able to distinguish and retain information better than those who don’t. 
• Exercise can be fun!: You can make anything into good physical fitness, whether that’s roller skating or running around outside. Exercise can be done with friends, which makes working out even better.

Here at Chester Skateland, we put a fun spin on exercise. Roller skating has so many health benefits. Just one hour of roller skating burns up to 600 calories! It works muscle groups such as the quads, glutes, abs, calves, and arms. That’s a full body workout! If you’re looking for a good after school activity for your kids, we have you covered. Not only do we offer open skating and roller skating lessons, but we also have a roller hockey program! Exercise is such a vital part of our kids’ health and success. Now let’s make it fun!