Local · Guide · Havertown
Haverford Skatium for first-timers
What to know before a first public skate at the township rink on Darby Road.
The Skatium is Haverford Township's indoor ice rink at 2101 Darby Road in Havertown, a few minutes from the township library. It runs public skate sessions most days around the hockey and figure-skating schedule, and the schedule changes week to week.
Check the week's sessions first. The township posts the public skate times on its site and the rink answers the phone at 610-853-2226. When we checked on Nov 2 the township website was not loading, so we could not confirm this month's sessions or prices; the last posted rates were $8 for ages 7 and up, $6 for 6 and under, $3 skate rental and $3 for a skate helper (the plastic frame little kids push). Confirm before you go.
Bring. Warm socks (rental skates run cold), gloves for everyone, and a helmet for kids who are new; a bike helmet is fine. Snow pants keep a preschooler dry after the tenth fall.
Plan on about an hour. Most kids under eight are done after 45 minutes on the ice. Lacing up and returning skates adds twenty minutes each way, so a two-hour session is plenty.
Helpers. Ask for a skate helper at the rental window; they go fast on weekend afternoons. One adult on the ice per two small kids is the comfortable ratio.
After. The Haverford Area YMCA on Eagle Road and the township library on Darby Road are both close if you need a warm-up stop.
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