Parenthood is a full-time job in itself, so how are you supposed to find the time to plan your kid’s birthday party on top of it all? It would be nice to have an extra hour in the day… But on second thought, that would just be another hour of work, wouldn’t it? Well, we can’t take all of the parental stress off your plate, but we can help you with the birthday party planning. Keep reading to learn some time-saving hacks for planning a birthday party. 

Birthday Party Planning Hacks to Save Time

Choose a party package.

At Chester Skateland, we make birthday parties easy, breezy, and FUN! Just choose the birthday party package that fits your needs, and you’re set. Basic parties include free admission for 10 people, plus free skate rental, a snack, and a free admission pass for the birthday kid on their next visit. Upgrade your package for additional features like pizza, tableware, goodie bags, and other fun stuff. 

If you’re more interested in a private party, we’ve got you covered there, too. Just give us a call at 804-748-0379 to book your party and learn more. (Please note that due to COVID-19, there are some changes to our party offerings.) 

Let us handle the heavy lifting.

Even a “simple” at-home party can be a lot of work for parents, with clean up and decorating before the party, arranging for food and entertainment, then cleaning everything up afterward. Instead of making all that work for yourself, leave the party to us. Not only will you save time and stress, but you’ll also be able to actually enjoy your child’s party instead of being on hostess duty the whole time!

Keep it simple.

Despite what you see on Instagram and Pinterest, it really doesn’t take much for kids to enjoy a birthday party. There’s no need for countless games, entertainers, fancy tablescapes, elaborate cakes, or handmade decorations. One fun activity is plenty for a kid’s birthday party, which is why roller skating birthday parties are so popular! The built-in entertainment is plenty of fun to keep kids occupied for the whole party and then some. 

Send digital invites.

Speaking of keeping things simple, let go of your inner octogenarian etiquette maven and just send digital invitations. Most people will lose a paper invitation anyway, but it’s a lot harder to lose an email, e-vite, text, or Facebook event invitation. It will also help you keep track of RSVPs.

Ready to make the perfect birthday bash happen for your kid? We can’t wait to party with you! Check our party availability online and save the date for roller skating fun with your special kid. 

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted a lot of things, but the disruption is especially hard for kids, who don’t fully understand why they may be missing out on playdates, recess, P.E. class, team sports, and trips to the pool, park, or playground. That makes it more important than ever to teach them these fun exercises for kids, so they can stay active and burn off the excess energy they’d normally get out of their systems from playing with friends. 

Fun Exercises for Kids

Family fun and fitness are our business here at Chester Skateland, because in addition to being fun, roller skating is fantastic exercise for people of all ages! Check out our schedule to see the upcoming sessions for the week, and remember to wear a mask. Masks are required by law at all times in our facility (except when socially distancing on the skating rink floor).  

Roller skating provides an aerobic workout that is good for the heart, strengthens the back, core, and leg muscles, and can even help increase balance and agility. Of course, life is busy and you can’t always get to the skating rink, so check out these exercises for kids to use on the days when a visit to Chester Skateland isn’t in the cards. 

Living Room Exercises

Even rainy days don’t have to keep your family from exercising. These 10 exercises for kids are easy to do indoors and can be done every day. Check out the video at the link if you’re not sure how to do each exercise. 

• Jumping jacks
• High knee jacks
• High step marching
• Ski hops
• Running man
• Windmills
• Forward squats
• Swing backs
• Scissor kicks
• Side squats

Backyard Exercises

If the weather allows, it’s always more fun to exercise outside! Researchers have even found that time spent in nature is beneficial to adults and kids when it comes to mood, stress levels, and mental health. The possibilities for backyard exercise are endless, but if your family needs some inspiration, these backyard exercise ideas can provide endless fun. 

• Make an obstacle course. Some people use pool noodles with wooden pencils stuck in the ends as stakes to create hoops for kids to crawl under, or hurdles to jump over. You can also use laundry baskets, sidewalk chalk, or even log slices to add some adventure. 
• Hang a basketball hoop, set up a volleyball or badminton net, or build your own soccer goal. 
• If you have a swing set or play set that your kids have outgrown, see if you can update it to be more challenging and age-appropriate. Replace toddler swings with regular sling seats, swap the ladder out for a climbing rope or net, add monkey bars or a trapeze rig so older kids can work on their upper body strength while having fun.

Birthdays are special, especially now that we’ve spent months not being able to gather with friends and family for in-person celebrations. Whether you’re still self-quarantining or have started to cautiously go out in public again, these are some thoughtful, budget-friendly birthday gift ideas to help you make the day special for the ones you care about most. 

Creative Birthday Gifts on a Budget

Flowers

Who doesn’t love flowers? This timeless gift is a classic for a reason, and is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. While ornate floral arrangements are nice, you don’t have to go all out and spend a fortune to have a florist deliver a custom arrangement. Just head to your local grocery store and you can find surprisingly beautiful flowers for $10 or $15. A simple bouquet of roses, tulips, or mixed flowers makes a lovely gift. 

If you want to get crafty, you can even buy a couple of different types of flowers and combine them into one large bouquet or arrangement. If you know their favorite flowers or colors, you can use that to help you customize the perfect bouquet for them. Need some inspiration? You can also get symbolic by choosing flowers with different meanings; for instance, red roses for love or sunflowers for friendship. 

If you don’t think the birthday guy or gal will be into a bouquet or arrangement of cut flowers, don’t worry— live plants also make wonderful gifts, whether you choose a cute succulent in a whimsical planter or a beautiful houseplant like pothos that they’ll be able to enjoy for months or even years to come. 

Personalized Gifts

As we mentioned above, you should use your knowledge of the person you’re shopping for to personalize their birthday gift. The great thing about this approach is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make it memorable and special. A framed photo of the two of you, a mug or shirt with their favorite catchphrase on it, or an engraved item like a money clip, flask, or business card holder can all show that you care (and that you took the time to personalize the gift) without busting your bank account. Some stores even offer free engraving if you purchase the gift item there. 

Thrifted and Vintage

If you love to go thrifting, vintage shopping, or yard sale hunting for yourself, keep an eye out for things that might make good birthday presents for friends and family, too! If you find an item that is in good condition and fits their interests, don’t be afraid to buy it just because it’s not brand new. A vintage or signed copy of their favorite book is sure to be a hit, as well as old vinyl by their favorite artists (if they have a record player). From barware, furniture, and housewares to clothing, sports equipment, and art, if you keep your eyes out, you may just find a hidden treasure that will knock their socks off. 

Fun Gadgets

Last, but not least, we have one of the simplest budget birthday gift ideas: Gadgets! A small, useful gift that actually improves the recipient’s life in some way can end up being a favorite, despite the modest price tag. Some of the best ideas include: 

• Quirky tea infuser that looks like a sloth, rubber duckie, or “manatea” 
• Multi-tool keychain or bottle opener keychain
• Nessie soup ladle
• Electric bottle opener
• Shower wine glass holder
• Cute/colorful phone charger, battery pack, phone stand, or wireless speaker 

We hope these affordable birthday gift ideas spark some inspiration for you! Keep in mind that we are open and booking birthday parties! Skating is a great way to have fun together while social distancing, so give us a call at 804-748-0379 to make a reservation.

After spending weeks under the stay at home order already—and no end in sight until at least June—many parents are wishing they could have a little social distance from their kids. While the lockdown has been hard on everyone, cabin fever is hitting particularly hard for families with kids, who just need to get some energy out, one way or another. Fortunately, just because P.E. class is canceled, doesn’t mean your kids can’t still be active and get some healthy exercise. Check out these indoor and at-home exercise activities to keep your kids moving, and hang in there. We can’t wait to welcome you back to Chester Skateland when the coast is clear. 

Exercise Activities for Kids During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Get Back to Basics

Hopscotch, hula hooping, riding bikes and scooters, roller skating, skateboarding, skipping, jumping rope, climbing a tree—there are so many ways your kids can get active right in your own living room, driveway, or backyard. Set aside some time every day for an “unplugged” activity session, even if it’s just a family dance party in the living room!

Follow the Leader

This activity is great because you’ll get a workout too. Be sure to include some calisthenics along with silly movements. For instance, stand like a flamingo, then do some jumping jacks. Other movements you can throw in include running in place, squats, lunges, hopping like a bunny, chair sits against a wall, toe touches, or pushups. 

Dance It Out

If your kids love the cool dances in pop and hip hop music videos, set up a “dance studio” (aka pushing the furniture against the walls) and have them follow along with one of the many choreography videos available on YouTube. Like roller skating, dancing is one of the most fun ways to get a workout in! 

Chill Out with YouTube Yoga

Speaking of YouTube, it’s also a great place to go for kid-friendly yoga! Check out Yoga with Adriene, We Heart Yoga, and Jessamyn Stanley for starters. There are also lots of great inclusive yoga videos to explore, like wheelchair yoga and body positive yoga. 

Keep on Rollin’

Roller skating is a wonderful full-body workout, whether you do it at a skating rink or in your driveway! Just because we’re temporarily closed due to COVID-19 doesn’t mean that you can’t still get your skate on—you’ll just need to change your skate wheels to outdoor wheels. Outdoor skate wheels are softer, with more give to absorb the bumps and rough spots you’ll encounter on sidewalks and paths. Remember to be safe and stay aware of your surroundings when skating outdoors, and be sure you’re practicing social distancing and wearing a face covering. 

We hope these ideas keep you entertained while we wait out the coronavirus. Stay well; once this is over, we will be so thrilled to see you back at the rink!

Quarantining and social distancing are hard enough for adults; for kids, they’re even more challenging. Imagine not being able to go to school, play with your friends, go to the playground, attend your soccer or baseball practice, go to your skating lessons, or even leave your yard—all while not really understanding why this is happening. We know that adults are struggling as well, with many people laid off from their jobs and others trying to figure out how to work from home while teaching their kids to use digital learning platforms. It’s a lot to handle, which is why it’s so important to make quality time with family a priority. 

You may be thinking, “Haven’t we had more than enough family time lately?” and you’re not wrong. But there’s a difference between existing in the same space and actually spending time together. The latter may help you all de-stress, and teach you to handle these unique daily challenges as a stronger team.

Fun Social Distancing Activities for Families

Go outside. 

It’s amazing how quickly cabin fever can set in when the whole family is home all the time. If you have your own yard (and your kids are old enough to follow the rules and stay in it), go outside and soak up some sunshine! A little vitamin D is good for you, and everyone can stretch their legs and get some energy out. Play a game of catch, hopscotch, or jump rope. Draw with sidewalk chalk and leave a message for your neighbors. Plant that herb garden you’ve been meaning to get around to, or spread out a picnic blanket and read books together. 

Connect online.

Just because you’re social distancing doesn’t mean you can’t be social. Schedule family chats with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, family friends, your church group or your child’s scout troop. There are lots of ways to do this, from Google Hangouts and Zoom to FaceTime and Skype. 

Get creative.

Novelty is your friend when trying to keep kids occupied. Try some of these ideas to use spaces in your home in unexpected ways. 

• Take all of the pillows off the sofa and create a comfy, cushy “screening room” on the floor. Hold a family film festival in which everyone gets to choose a movie, and don’t forget to make popcorn. For added fun, everyone can take turns giving their own made up Oscars speech or telling what their favorite thing was about each movie. 
• Set up dining chairs in a square, backs facing each other, and throw a sheet or blanket over the top to form a tent. Add a blanket and some pillows and tell stories while you “camp.” If you have the supplies, make some s’mores! 
• Help your child create a reading nook in their room or somewhere in the house. 
• Move your living room furniture against the walls and have a dance party, or do yoga. 
• Eat breakfast on the front porch and say hello to any neighbors you see. 

We can’t wait until this is over and we can see all of your shining faces at the skating rink, but until then, we hope these ideas keep you and yours entertained. Remember:

The wheels never stop turning, so we must remember to pick up our feet and skate forward—always!

Dear Valued Customers,

Tonight we will be joining rinks across our state and around our country in temporarily closing down for business under the new guidelines being implemented by the president, his task force and our nation’s governors. Promotions on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat have been suspended until further notice – that includes our podcast and newsletter.

For any further questions, comments or concerns, please call the rink at (804) 748-0379.

“The wheels never stop turning, so we must remember to pick up our feet and skate forward- always!”

The Chester Skateland Team

When you love to skate, you just want to share your passion with everyone—especially your kids! You already know that skating isn’t just fun, it’s also a really good way to get some exercise, strengthening your heart, legs, and abs; and best of all, it’s a low-impact activity that your kids will be able to enjoy well into their senior years if they want to. But when it comes to the details of sharing your hobby with your kids, you might need a little help getting it right. No worries, Chester Skateland is at your service! Keep reading to learn how to choose kids’ roller skates with our handy guide for parents.   

Choosing Kids’ Roller Skates

When can a child start skating? 

Many people don’t realize that kids can start skating as soon as they can walk! Of course, every child is different, so you’ll need to take your own child’s unique capabilities into consideration. Some kids take to skates like a fish to water at 2 years old, while others need a little more time to develop their balance, agility, coordination, and other gross motor skills. For many kids, 4-6 years old is the sweet spot when it comes to learning how to skate. Regardless of age, they should wear proper protective gear—knee and elbow pads, wrist braces, and a helmet.  

Which type of skate is best for new skaters? 

Most kids start out with quad roller skates, thanks to their more stable form. The wider distribution of weight makes it easier to control movement and balance. If your kid seems to be comfortable with the basics of roller skating on quads, you can let them give inline skates (aka roller blades) a try. Because all of the wheels are in a line (hence the name) some people find it a little harder to master inline skating.  

What size skates does my child need?

One reason many parents are wary of buying skates is because their kids’ feet grow so quickly. Any parent can tell you that keeping kids in shoes that fit is much easier said than done, so how can you possibly hope to keep up? 

First, measure your child’s foot. Skate sizes are the same as shoe sizes, for the most part. You may be tempted to buy a larger size for your child to “grow into,” but don’t. If the skate boot is too loose, your child’s foot will end up sliding around and chafing. Too tight, and your child could develop painful blisters or lace bite. 

For very young kids, you can consider buying the type of skates that strap on over tennis shoes, many of which are adjustable in order to grow with your child.

When planning a party, there are so many different aspects that need to be considered. When planning a party for a tween, there are so many different aspects to be considered while also wondering if they’ll like any of it.

We’re here to help you focus on what’s important while party planning. Most of us aren’t hiring a party planner and creating a theme park for our children’s birthday parties, so we want to focus on what is important when celebrating our kids. Not ready to invest time and energy into party planning? Focus on your kid! Chester Skate can handle it all while you sit back and relax.

How to Plan a Perfect Celebration

Planning a party is tough. It’s easy to get bogged down in the details. Like, what kid is going to remember you had themed straws for the sodas? Try not to sweat the small stuff and really focus on the big details. We think these are the main aspects to put your time and effort into when planning a party:

1. Food. We know tweens eat us out of house and home. But they are growing kids, so we can’t be too mad. However, good food is one of the most important factors when planning a birthday party. Our snack bar is not open during private parties, so you have the ability to bring in whatever food you want. Most skating centers don’t give you this freedom! This gives you more creativity when it comes to theme planning. For all our birthday packages during normal business hours, we include teens’ and tweens’ favorite food: pizza.
2. Theme. A party doesn’t always need a theme, but it does tend to get kids more excited. For example, color wars themed. You can send out invites in the color each child should wear, have only food of those two colors, and really make it your own. From invites to goodie bags to attire to food, a theme can really make a party come together seamlessly.
3. Music. Good music goes hand-in-hand with any kid’s sugar high and making sure they get their energy out while still at the party. Our private parties have a live DJ that will have the kids on the skating floor the entire time. With awesome music and DJ interaction, your kids will have the time of their life. Want to see how good our music really is? Come down for our next event or weekly theme nights.

Party planning is a lot of fun but can be very stressful. You’ll be happier if you remember that, when it comes to kid’s birthday parties, it’s not “all in the details.” Don’t get wrapped up in small aspects like party hats and straws. Just focus on making the basics great and we promise your party will be one to remember.

Take simplicity one step further and check out our party packages for stress-free party planning experience with all-inclusive pricing.

How many times throughout school and office life have you heard the term “team building”? If you are already on a team, then how are you building it? Why is team building so important? How can team building help you personally? How can you do your own team building?

We have wondered these same questions and decided to dive deep (well, write 500 words) on the subject. According to Forbes Magazine, team building is the most important investment you will make. They say, “It builds trust, mitigates conflict, encourages communication, and increases collaboration.”

The definition of team building is the action or process of causing a group of people to work together effectively as a team, especially by means of activities and events designed to increase motivation and promote cooperation. When referring to a team, they are not just talking about your middle school soccer team. All of us are in several teams whether we realize it or not. A team can be our family, our work family, church group, sports league, networking group, PTA, neighborhood, gym family . . . and the list goes on. Team building does not have to mean ropes courses, human knots, and breakout groups (see picture below).

So, what are some different activities in the Chester, Virginia area that also are great team building exercises? We’ve picked our favorites:

1. Obviously, Chester Skate Land. Whether it is a group trying roller skating for the first time together or a team picking a theme and dressing up for one of our open skates, you all will have a blast while building your relationships. Check out our different themed open skates here.
2. Room ESC or any other escape room. You are literally stuck in a room with these people and you have to work together to find your way out.
3. Tree Time Adventures. This may be a little bit of a drive but well worth it. This ziplining adventure course in the woods has seven ziplines, 50 obstacle bridges, two nature trails and more. If you can conquer the fear of heights together, you can definitely share a cubicle.
4. Rage RVA. These smashing rooms seem to be the new trend and we are not mad about it. Had a really rough month at the office? Take your team out and let them smash some printers, copiers and telephones.

Now escape rooms or smash derbies can be fun, but they are also pretty intense. So if you want to just get in some old fashioned giggles with the team of your choosing, we suggest Chester Skateland. Whether you decide to decide to do team jerseys or tacky sweater themed, you will all be roller skating together to some great music. What is wrong with that? Contact us with any group inquires or any other questions you may have. We look forward to seeing you and your team here soon!

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.