Outdoor Ice Skating When it is Sunny and 65

One of the great wonders of modern technology, is the ice skating rinks that pop up during the holidays all over California. In San Jose, we have an ice rink (Downtown Ice) as part of Christmas in the Park. In San Francisco there is the Embarcadero Center ice rink. And although many critics complain about these warm weather wonders (choppy ice and being bumped into by small kids), with two small kids, it is great fun!

I also have to admit, that San Jose is a hockey town. We love our home team. Ice skating and hockey are very popular here. For the last two years our Saturday mornings have been spent at Sharks Ice, our local indoor ice skating rink where the boys take lessons. We are raising a little hockey fanatic in Caleb, and just this Fall Xander asked to start skating lessons again, and absolutely loves it this time around.

So why not take the boys to an outdoor rink during the Holidays?

The boys had a blast. There is the novelty of being outdoors, breathing "fresh-ish" air and gliding across the ice. I remember driveway ice skating in upstate New York when I was their age. I overlooked the rocks (it was a gravel driveway that my dad took the garden hose to), and enjoyed the complete freedom of skating the day away on my 5 by 6 foot private rink.

Now, these rinks are bit pricey. $12 a kid (skate rental included) and no in and out privileges, but worth it. You can also find great deals, for example, if you are a Sharks season ticket holder, or some Monday nights in January (free if you have your own skates), or if you plan to make a day of it by ice skating, and going to the Children's Discovery Museum and the Tech Museum.

As a side note, the indoor lighting and hockey glass at Sharks Ice makes for some pretty dreadful pictures -- and I appreciated capturing the moment in natural light. I think we'll go back again next year (January 1st or 2nd). Downtown Ice is open through January 29th (the Embarcadero Center rink is open through January 8).

Preschoolers on Ice

This last weekend was one of the first beautiful weekends of the year. The boys were in t-shirts and shorts ... so we thought what better time to take them to the ice skating arena and start ice skating lessons.

We are in San Jose, and besides being a little Sharks crazy right now ... the boys love Caillou and Caillou plays hockey. Since Xander was 3 and Caleb was 2 they have been asking for skating lessons. And so on beautiful Spring morning we headed to Sharks Ice, the San Jose Sharks practice facility.

Skating lessons are actually a pretty good deal. The cost is the same as swimming and the lessons go 12 weeks, but unlike swimming which is a half an hour, the boys get a full hour of skating fun.

For the beginners they get a pile of buckets to push around the ice like a walker. They have plenty of instructors, and the kids are delivered to their class.

Xander who is almost five was amazing. He was very fast on the ice, held his feet perfectly, listened to his instructor, maneuvered his bucket with skill ... and next week he will be moved to the boys class. Caleb on the other hand was very cautious, and turned his ankles in to balance. All as you'd expect for a three and a half year old and his first time on skates.

Xander also fell spectacularly. So ... on Sunday we got the boys helmets. Caleb wanted a hockey helmet with a wire mask, and we found some on sale ... well, it is Spring.

To say the kids loved skating is an understatement. Caleb is sleeping with his helmet. We even have some sticks and a net on route (they were also on sale ... well, it is Spring).