Monday, November 20, 2017
Everything You Need to Know about Ice Skating in Boston
Winter in Boston is a long period of cabin-fever inducing hibernation, if you don't find a way to get outdoors. So it is no surprise that many Bostonians take an interest in winter sports. We grow up playing hockey, obsessing over the Bruins, and eagerly waiting weather cold enough for snow for skiing and freezing temperatures for the much romanticized outdoor ice skating.
Lydia Marie Child's famous Thanksgiving Day Poem published in 1844, "Over The River and Through the Wood" about visiting her grandparents house near Tufts University in Medford celebrates playing outdoors in the snow even as the wind "stings the toes and bites the nose".
And there's no more quintessentially Boston place to let the wind sting your toes and bite your nose than ice skating at Frog Pond in Boston Common. In fact, Bostonians have been skating on Frog Pond since 1848, a few years after Child's poem was published!
The oft painted idyllic scene of skaters at Frog Pond is in reality though, a daunting and chaotic place for young inexperienced skaters.
Even if your children are too young to skate, you and they can still enjoy the sport. These family-friendly spectator events all feature ice skating.
For Boston children who are ready to skate (recommended ages 4 and up) there are plenty of opportunities to learn before heading out to the Frog Pond rink.
Best Learn to Figure Skate Programs: Boston Common Skating School’s or The Skating Academy’s programs at the Steriti Rink are indoors, protecting you from inclement weather. Downside: These are the most expensive lessons, but for a child who just wants to be able to learn to have fun and is not aspiring to learn more complicated moves, it can be a short term investment.
Families outside of the downtown area have other options as well. Check out:
Should you buy or rent skates?
Jackie Mercurio, Director at the Boston Common Skating School recommends you rent skates for your child's first session of ice skating. While the rental skates won't fit as well, it is a good idea to get a sense for whether your child enjoys skating before investing in skates.
The pros of owning skates include; no cost to rent skates, no time waiting in line for rentals, and having a pair of skates that fit/lace properly. The pros of renting skates include; no need to worry about sharpening skates, no storing sports equipment in your home or needing to carry skates to/from rink, and no concerns about outgrowing them.
If purchasing skates, invest wisely. A cheap pair of ice skates may be ok for a beginner but they don't hold up well over time. Buying better quality used skates is a good way to save money and make sure you get a good product as well. Check Craigslist and local parent groups like GardenMoms and NEWMA for used skates. Or take a trip to a Play It Again sports store in the suburbs for a secondhand pair. Also, be sure to have new skates sharpened and for beginners once or twice per season should be fine. Fore more frequent/advanced skaters they will need to be sharpened more frequently.
Where to Skate
Once your child is comfortable skating there are tons of options for skating both indoors and outdoors. Here are some nearby options.
Charlestown:
North End:
Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Skating Season Boston Families!
 |
| Skating at Frog Pond by Sally Caldwell Fisher |
And there's no more quintessentially Boston place to let the wind sting your toes and bite your nose than ice skating at Frog Pond in Boston Common. In fact, Bostonians have been skating on Frog Pond since 1848, a few years after Child's poem was published!
The oft painted idyllic scene of skaters at Frog Pond is in reality though, a daunting and chaotic place for young inexperienced skaters.
Even if your children are too young to skate, you and they can still enjoy the sport. These family-friendly spectator events all feature ice skating.
- Boston Bruins, Regular season, October 4, 2017 – April 7, 2018
- Boston Common Tree Lighting and Skating Spectacular, Thursday November 30th – Skating show 5-6pm
- Holiday on Ice, Kendall Square Saturday, December 9th 2017 - Skating Show at 2pm
- Disney on Ice, Multiple Dates Dec and Feb
- Ice Chips, Show of Champions – April 2018, Date TBA
Best Learn to Figure Skate Programs: Boston Common Skating School’s or The Skating Academy’s programs at the Steriti Rink are indoors, protecting you from inclement weather. Downside: These are the most expensive lessons, but for a child who just wants to be able to learn to have fun and is not aspiring to learn more complicated moves, it can be a short term investment.
Best Priced Figure
Skate Program: If your little one doesn’t have their own skates, Community
Ice Skating at Kendall is your best price. For $24 per 40 min lesson with rentals
you can’t beat it. Downside: if the
weather is bad (raining, too warm or extremely cold, the rink is outdoors!)
Best Program for
Would Be Hockey Players: South Boston or Charlestown Youth Hockey League’s Learn
to Skate programs are specifically for
aspiring hockey players and at an avg cost of <$11 per lesson (~$16 with
rentals) for a 14 week season, you can’t beat the cost either. Check out this great article about Coach Teddy Cunniff who runs the SBYHL's program.
School
|
Location
|
No. of Lessons, Days available
|
Duration of Lesson
|
Equipment Provided
|
Cost and Fees
|
Per Lesson Cost W & W/Out rentals
|
How to Register
|
Community Ice Skating
|
Kendall Square, Cambridge
|
5 wks, Wed, Fri, Sat and Sun starting Dec 7th
|
40 mins
|
Skate and helmet rental complimentary
|
$120
|
$24 per lesson with or without rentals
|
Book online here
|
Boston Common Skating School
|
Steriti Rink, North End
AND Sunday classes only at O’Neill Rink in Charlestown
|
5 wks, Tues, Sat or Sun, Session 1 of 3 starts Nov 17th
|
40 min lesson + 10 min free skate
|
Skate rentals $5
|
$125 + $20 membership fee, $45 off for signing up early for 2
sessions and $10 off on each add’l kid
|
1st child, $29 per lesson for 1 session, $22.50 w/ early
registration for 2+ sessions, add’l children $27 for 1 session and $21 w/
early registration for 2+ sessions (+$5 per lesson for skate rentals)
|
Print and mail check and form found here
|
The Skating Club of Boston Skating
Academy
|
Steriti Rink, North End
|
7 wks, Sat 10AM Session 1 of 2
starts Nov 18th
|
25 min lesson + 25 min practice
|
Skate rentals $5
|
$154
|
$22 per lesson, +$5 per lesson with skate rentals
|
Register online here
|
The Skating Club of Boston Skating
Academy
|
Frog Pond,
Boston Common
|
6 wks, Sat or Sun 8:30 am
|
30 min lesson + 60 min practice
|
Skate rentals
|
$150
|
$25 per lesson, +$6 per lesson for for skate rentals
|
Register online here
|
South Boston Youth Hockey Learn
to Skate for ages 5-8
|
Francis Murphy Rink, South Boston
|
14 Sundays, Nov 5th
– March 11th at 4pm
|
50 mins
|
Must have own hockey helmet, skate rentals for $5
|
$150 for the season
|
~$11 per lesson, +$5 per lesson for skate rentals
|
Must download form
and bring to rink
|
Charlestown Youth Hockey Learn
to Skate, Ages 4+
BU Fitness and Recreation Center |
O’Neil Rink, Charlestown
Walter Brown Arena, 285 Babcock St |
14 Saturdays starting Nov 7th, 12 noon
6 Saturdays, various sessions |
50 mins
50 mins |
Must have own hockey helmet, skate rentals for $5
Skate rentals |
$150 for the season
$110/ $90 for FitRec members |
~$11 per lesson, +$5 per lesson for skate rentals
$18/$15 per lesson, +$5 per lesson for skate rentals |
Families outside of the downtown area have other options as well. Check out:
- FMC Ice Sports with locations in: East Boston, Cambridge, Revere, etc.
- Bay State Skating School locations in W. Roxbury, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville, Quincy, etc.
- Skating Club of Boston Skating Academy in Allston/Brighton, Brookline, Somerville, etc.
Should you buy or rent skates?
Jackie Mercurio, Director at the Boston Common Skating School recommends you rent skates for your child's first session of ice skating. While the rental skates won't fit as well, it is a good idea to get a sense for whether your child enjoys skating before investing in skates.
The pros of owning skates include; no cost to rent skates, no time waiting in line for rentals, and having a pair of skates that fit/lace properly. The pros of renting skates include; no need to worry about sharpening skates, no storing sports equipment in your home or needing to carry skates to/from rink, and no concerns about outgrowing them.
If purchasing skates, invest wisely. A cheap pair of ice skates may be ok for a beginner but they don't hold up well over time. Buying better quality used skates is a good way to save money and make sure you get a good product as well. Check Craigslist and local parent groups like GardenMoms and NEWMA for used skates. Or take a trip to a Play It Again sports store in the suburbs for a secondhand pair. Also, be sure to have new skates sharpened and for beginners once or twice per season should be fine. Fore more frequent/advanced skaters they will need to be sharpened more frequently.
Where to Skate
Once your child is comfortable skating there are tons of options for skating both indoors and outdoors. Here are some nearby options.
Downtown/Back Bay:
- Frog Pond, Boston Common See website for hours. Skater under (4’10”) skate free. $6 admission for anyone taller. Skate rentals $12 for adults, $6 for kids. $4 for lockers.
- Boston Winter Skating Path at Government Center See website for hours.
- Boston University See website for open skate hours, $5 admission and $5 for skate rentals
- DCR Francis Murphy Rink See website for open skate hours. Skate rentals $5.
- DCR O’Neil Rink See website for open skate hours. Skate rentals $5.
- Steriti Rink See website for open skate hours. Skate rentals $5
- MIT Johnson’s Rink: See website for open skate hours. Temporary day pass to use recreation facilities is $15, $5 youth skate rentals, $7 adults.
- Kendall Square: Admission $1 for children, $3 for students/seniors, $8 for students/adults. Skate rentals $5 for kids, $8 for adults. $1 lockers.
Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Skating Season Boston Families!
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