Remember the ’80s? When kids were somehow born knowing how to roller skate, and your mom sent you out with your skates, your friends and a warning to be back by dinner? Those days are over, but there’s no reason to put your Xanadu record away just yet (well, there is, but it’s got nothing to do with roller skating). Your kids might be newbies to skating, but it’s never too late to learn. Most roller rinks in NJ offer lessons, but if you spent your childhood on wheels under a disco ball, odds are you can teach them a thing or two yourself.
Roller Skating Basics
The Arenas at Woodbridge offers these tips when going skating for the first time:
- Stand next to or in front of your child. If you hold hands, encourage your child to put their weight on their feet, not your hands.
- Ask them to “march,” instead of walk or skate.
- Encourage them to hold their arms out for balance.
- Tell them to “freeze” if they feel like they’re losing their balance.
- Wait to take your child until they’re at least 4 years old.
Local Rinks
When the weather’s nice, skating the streets of your neighborhood or paths at a local park is a great way to get fresh air, exercise, and quality time together. You can also check out one of these indoor rinks, all of which offer quad skating (four wheels), rentals and public sessions. Keep in mind that all of them also offer rink time packages for birthday parties.
Atlantic County
Young’s Skating Center: May’s Landing, 609-625-1191
Bergen County
Inline Skating Club of America: North Arlington, 201-998-4722
Burlington County
Holiday Skating & Fun Center: Delanco, 856-461-3770
Camden County
Hot Wheelz: Cherry Hill, 856-795-1919
XL Sports World: Cherry Hill, 856-428-8588
Millennium Skate World: Camden, 856-757-9460
Cumberland County
Skate 2000 Family Fun Center: Bridgeton, 856-459-3666
Essex County
Branch Brook Park Roller Skating: Newark, 973-482-8900
Gloucester County
Sk8 47: Franklinville, 856-694-0600
Hunterdon County
Frenchtown Roller Rink: Frenchtown, 908-996-6313
Middlesex County
South Amboy Arena: South Amboy, 732-727-1122
Woodbridge Community Center Roller Skating Rink: Woodbridge, 732-596-4000
Monmouth County
Highline Arena: Aberdeen, 732-290-0003
Ocean County
United Skates of America: Jackson, 732-363-2222
Morris County
Florham Park Roller Rink: Florham Park, 973-377-0465
Warren County
Villa Roller Rink: Stewartsville, 908-689-6155
—Renée Sagiv Riebling is a freelance writer from central New Jersey. She, her husband and their two children are always on the lookout for new adventures.