Winterlicious
We spent a lovely morning at Winterlicious at the Riverbank in Elder Park. We attended the 10am Sunday ice skating session and were lucky to be treated to some sunny weather. The ice skating rink looks to be the one used last year at Winter Wonderland in Glenelg. The winter village would look very different at night lit up with lights, but during the day you get to overlook the Torrens, the fountains, paddle boats and The Popeye. It’s a fabulous concept to be able to ice skate in the city in such a beautiful setting as Elder Park. We expected it to be very cold, and rugged up suitably, but instead we found it pleasantly warmer than we anticipated (the sunny morning maybe kept the marquee warm). We didn’t really need thick parkas or beanies today.
Our session was booked out but we didn’t find it overcrowded. It was generally all families there and we found everyone to be very considerate of each other. We saw plenty of falls, but no tears – it amazes me how tough kids are when they are having fun.
After the 45 minute ice skating session we went to the tipi for some chips, churros, hot chocolates and coffee. It’s not a big menu here but if you are here during the day the Elder Park cafe is also right outside the Winterlicious village and has some more food options. You can sit around log fire pits and there are some free activities for the kids such as a big Connect 4 game, wooden stacking blocks etc. There is also table tennis but unfortunately the grass was a bit too muddy there so this was sectioned off today.
While you are in Elder Park you may meet some residents up close, as we did below. The Popeye and paddle boats are also fun to do. For only $5 per person for ice skating, we think this is pretty good value for family fun. If you go on a Sunday the car parking around Kintore Avenue and Victoria Drive is much cheaper than other days, or you could catch public transport. Be careful to check if there is a football game at Adelaide Oval too as this would make parking harder.
Some notes if you have little ones
An adult is required to accompany a child aged 2 to 5 years on the ice and will be required to pay admission. Children under 5 need to wear enclosed shoes for the learning skates. These are little skates that are velcroed onto the child’s normal shoes. Instead of one steel blade in the centre, they have 4 smaller blades, which is much easier for younger children to balance on. See pics below.
The smallest size shoe for children in the normal ice skating shoes is Children’s Size 12. All kids with feet smaller than this can wear these learning skates. Make sure your child wears enclosed footwear suitable for these eg sneakers.
IcePal Penguins are available to hire for $5.00 to assist new skaters to learn how to skate. Please note there are a limited number of these available so we recommend pre-booking. They are very sturdy and just the right size for little ones.
OUR PLAY & GO TIPS
- Wear layers. That way you can take things off if you get too warm, which often happens after a bit of skating.
- If there has been rain, the grassy areas leading to the ice skating tent and parts of the village can get very muddy (as we found today). Wear appropriate shoes (I wish I’d worn by gumboots actually) ie not those beige suede boots you just bought this season. Be prepared that shoes may get muddy.
- Wear a beanie/hat or hooded jacket/top; scarf and gloves.
- Often your legs can get cold, so wearing a pair of tights under jeans or pants can help, fleecy pants for kids are a good idea too.
- Gloves offer both warmth and protection. Remind kids to try and keep their fingers tucked into a fist quickly if they fall over, rather than having their fingers spread on the ice, just in case someone skates too close.
- Ice skates are not comfortable to wear for long. Wear thick long socks to prevent the skates from rubbing and hurting. Take a few bandaids with you in case of blisters – it can help reduce the whining and whingeing after (a lesson learnt from previous ice skating sessions). If you do wear thick or two pairs of socks you may need the next size up in skates.
- Kids learning to skate will inevitably have a few falls. Therefore their clothes, particularly their pants will get wet. Take a change of clothes or at least pants, otherwise they will get very cold afterwards, and especially if you are considering exploring Elder Park or going for a meal or treat afterwards. A cold wintry wind and wet clothes will certainly get chilly.
- Ice skates are not easy to get on or off. Most kids will need help getting them on, pulling them off and doing up the clasps eg my 10 year old still needs help with this.
- Make sure you have enough Adults to adequately assist the number of children you have. The penguins are helpful but little ones may not feel confident going out on the rink by themselves with so many people on the ice whizzing around them. If you are not confident skating yourself, perhaps go with friends who can, so there are other adults who can help your child. Some older kids will not want to use the penguins but still need assistance until they feel more confident….maybe the whole time you are there.
- Public Toilets – you will find these in the Adelaide Festival Centre.
Skating sessions will be priced at $5 per person for everyone (including skate hire). Each ice skating session is on the hour and lasts 45 minutes. The ice rink is enclosed to protect you from the rain and wind so you can enjoy it day and night this Winter.
For more information, visit the Riverbank website here. Scroll down their page to find Frequently Asked Questions.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK TICKETS
DATES AND TIMES
Winterlicious runs from Monday 27 July until 9 August 2015.
It is open at the following times:
- Monday to Thursday: 3pm to 9pm
- Friday: 3pm to 11pm
- Saturday: 9am to 11pm; and
- Sunday: 9am to 9pm
Presented by Renewal SA on behalf of The Riverbank Authority.
For more information and all enquiries please visit the Riverbank website here.
What: Winterlicious | The Riverbank | Ice Skating at Elder Park
When: Monday 27 July until Sunday 9 August 2015 | see session times above
Where: Riverbank Precinct | Elder Park | King William Street, Adelaide
Who: Everyone
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
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