Favorite Indoor Ice Skating For Philadelphia Families

Sue Krawitz Tandoc:  Power Play Rinks features public skating sessions for the family, as well as open youth hockey, open hockey and parent/child stick time.

Juan L.:  Oaks Center has relatively inexpensive public skating. It’s generally not too crowded and there are employees around the ice to keep kids safe.

Additionally, this rink offers a large number of classes in figure skating and hockey for kids anywhere from ages 3 and up. It’s great for those parents that don’t want to get out on the ice themselves.

Dawn Barger Wiggins:  IceWorks Skating Complex opened its doors in October of 1997 with two surfaces, one NHL sized rink and one Olympic sized rink. In 2001, IceWorks opened 2 more NHL sized surfaces to make IceWorks a state of the art four surface facility which includes a restaurant, Pub and Grill, pro shop, arcade, Phillystitich.com embroidery and apparel, hockey and figure skating training rooms, birthday party rooms and banquet rooms plus much more.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc:  The Haverford Skatium offers public skate sessions for the family. They participate in the Learn to Skate USA program and offer lessons starting at age 3. For more advanced skaters, they feature figure skating lessons and competitions. Open Hockey times are posted weekly and can be viewed on the calendar.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc:  Hatfield Ice offers a wide range of public skating and public hockey time slots on operating days to enjoy free skate and hockey play. If you are looking for additional services, check out their variety of skating lessons, skating teams, youth ice hockey leagues and teams as well as adult skate.

Juan L.:  Laura Sims is on the west side of Philly and provides year-round skate fun. In the summer, it's roller skating, fun family nights, and even skate camps. In the winter, it's all ice-skating, lessons and hockey.

One of the best parts is that the hours tend to line up better for working parents who want to bring their kids during the week. They have evening hours available during the week in addition to their weekend hours. They also have fantastic skate-centered activities for the whole family.

Tim Ponisciak:  This skating club offers a lot of different ice opportunities, one of which happens to be public skate times!

Juan L.:  This is obviously a very nice and well-maintained rink as befits college level athletics. It makes for a fun experience for the kids pretending to race around in the college leagues! The seating for parents is fantastic, with a bird's eye view and it's not cold at all.

They have affordable rates and skate rentals, the only downside is their public skate times can be limited due to University activities. Their skating classes (ages 3+) are some of the best in the city as the teachers are usually former athletes.

Juan L.:  Looking for a place for year-round, indoor ice-skating fun? Simon's Recreation Center is the place to go around Philadelphia. It's one of the few places open for year round ice-skating. Simons does a lot of work supporting hockey teams for under-served youth and after school activities. They also boast some of the longest and best hours to be open for free skate around the city. It's a sure-fire way to tire the kids out. And because they are so community based, it's free to skate!

Juan L.:  Rizzo Rink is a hybrid indoor/outdoor ice-skating rink founded with the aim of providing athletic programs and lessons to those that may not have access to them in South Philly. They have strong messaging about character development and sportsmanship, which is reflected throughout their arena.

Despite being centered on hockey, they have extensive public skate hours – and admission is free! Skates are available for rent. There's a feeling of community at this rink which makes it great for families and to make new friends.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc:  The Flyers Skate Zone offers daily public ice skating during afternoon and evening hours that are convenient for school kids and many working families. They also host holiday skating events, a Snack Zone with hot food, and much more.

Their Learn to Skate program is perfect for beginners with 6 weeks of lessons. Each lesson includes 30 minutes of instruction and 30 minutes of free skate. If your child is an active skater, Flyers Skate Zone offers birthday parties and summer camps.