Ice Skating Birthday Party for 7-year-old

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Ice Skating Birthday Party for 7-year-old

We are looking into having an ice skating birthday party for our 7 year old at either Berkeley Iceland or the Oakland Ice Skating Rink. Has anyone had experience at either of these places? We are leaning toward the Oakland Rink because they provide you with a room, skates, party supplies and bags, pizza, soda for a fixed price per child. I have heard that the party room at Berkeley Iceland is not very nice and, at $50 an hour, expensive. The staff seems to discourage people from renting the room and suggest that you just take up a few tables in the public area. I do not like this idea - scrambling for tables and trying to have a party where others are getting ready to skate. Any suggestions? MK

Our invitation advised that a lesson was provided, and that if parents wanted to skate, it would be at their own expense. No one seemed to mind, and in fact, most parents opted to not skate given the lesson and the skater helpers. Also, for those parents who did pay to skate were very understanding of our decision since we gave them advance notice.

Iceland has a party room, but it is kind of funky (like most of the place) and didn't seem that the extra expense was worth it. So my husband got to the rink when the doors opened and managed to get two tables for our party in the snack room. We picked up pizza about an hour into the lesson/skating from a pizzeria nearby and brought our own drinks and snacks, etc. The rink will tell you that they want you to purchase from their vending machines, but I told them that I preferred organic juices and snacks (as opposed to the junk they offered) and I didn't have any problems.

It was great fun and I am hoping my daughter wants to do it again for her 7th birthday.

Good luck. Shoshana

As for the pizza and the room, that went fine. We were scheduled right after another party, but the switch over went well enough. I really liked that I didn't have to bring more than the cake and the party favors, especially since I had a babe-in-arms as well at the time. It was overall a good party, and we sure tired out those parents, I mean the kids! Caroline

We are thinking of enrolling our daughter (almost 3) in one of the classes at Berkeley Iceland. Has anyone experience with these skating classes for very young children? Are there any particularly recommendable and affordable classes in the area? We would appreciate any advice on this topic. Thanks.

Berkeley Iceland has a very nice 'Family Session' on Wednesday nights at 6:30 that we attend. They form a number of small groups for class lessons 7:00 to 7:30. You pay only for the weeks you attend - it is ongoing. They usually have a couple of skating pros that teach the little kids - I know many that started at age three. Each group including adults has their own teacher. You can stay free for the public session afterwards if you still have the energy. If you give that a try you can talk to the pros there about other classes you are interested in.

I was also thinking of taking my 2-year-old daughter to an ice skating class at Berkeley Iceland. The woman there said that I could sign up for the class, but my daughter may be too young for it to work. Parents are not allowed on the ice with the kids. She said that I could sign up for the class, and if it didn't work out for Diana, I could get my money back.

I decided to take Diana out for a trial run. We invited her best friend (another 2-year-old girl) and went out for an afternoon of ice skating at a public session.

I was able to get the skates on her (yes, they had her size) and get her out on the ice for about 2 minutes. Then she wanted the skates off. Then she and her little friend had a lot of fun running up and down the bleachers and begging for snacks out of the candy machines...

I think I'm going to wait until she's a little older. Berkeley Iceland is a great rink, and I've always enjoyed skating there. Maybe if Diana sees me skating she'll want to copy me eventually?

Iceland in Berkeley has Hockey and figure skating programs. -- Veronica