Updated March 17, 2026
Frankenmuth, MI is a charming little village that stakes its claim to Christmas all year long. But come December the village comes alive with tree lighting ceremonies, traditional German food, sleigh rides, noliday themed historic house tours, and dinner with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Most importantly, the ice rink rated this nation's #4 skating rink glides into the Christmas spirit in Zehnder Park.
Frankenmuth is the perfect place to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year - and that's where we intended to spend it.
Stumped as to what to get Ashley for Christmas, I suggested to Jay that Frankenmuth had the #4 rated skating rink in the nation and since Ashley took figure skating lessons, why not bring her along? She'd probably love to skate on that rink. Long story short, 1 girl turned into 3 more girlfriends from Ashley's figure skating class going along as well.
We packed that Beast to the rafters with luggage, a Christmas tree, ornaments, Christmas presents, winter sports equipment...and off we set on the 6 hour drive to Frankenmuth.
Frankenmuth Township, MI, offers a variety of public transportation options for its residents and visitors. The Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services (STARS) operates regular bus services throughout the township, with tickets costing only $2 per ride or $4 for an all-day pass.
If you plan to travel outside of the town itself, you're best off having a car.
We booked into my favorite Frankenmuth inn - the Bavarian Inn Lodge. Jay and I had already reserved a suite so it was just a matter of adding a double queen room for the 4 girls.
Bavarian Inn offered a variety of (2024) specials and packages, We took advantage of their Stay, Dine and Play package that was available in booking the room for the girls, which included a family chicken dinner, mini golf, some gameplay, breakfast, passes to the waterpark and the girls room.
Jay also added the Extreme Family Fun Package for $195 (2026 current price.)
Because I'd stayed there before and become a PERKS member at that time, we got reduced room rates and other special offers. It costs $15 to become a PERKS member.
If you're a member of their PERKS club you'll get a discount on your room rate. We also took advantage of their Stay, Dine & Play Package, which included a family chicken dinner, mini-golf, gameplay, breakfast, and a room. Offered on Sunday – Thursday night stays.
The Lodge is downtown right across the street from the ice rink, and it has a HUGE family fun area with a waterpark, an arcade game room, an 18 hole mini golf course, rope ladder and climbing wall and two on-site restaurants to help keep the girls entertained.
The Inn is located at One Covered Bridge Lane. This beautiful covered bridge connects the Inn directly to downtown Frankenmuth.
Our accommodations at the Bavarian Inn
My other recommendations for accommodations
Located in downtown on Main Street. Provides a free breakfast serving up everything from scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, sausage and Belgian waffles to fresh fruit, yogurt and juices.
In the evening, enjoy a daily reception and mingle with your fellow guests while enjoying free beer, wine, soft drinks and snacks.
Holiday Inn Express Frankenmuth 926 South Main Street, Frankenmuth
Great location right on Main Street.
Serves a daily complimentary hot breakfast and this Frankenmuth hotel is just 1.9 mi from Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland.
A microwave, coffee maker and refrigerator are provided. Enjoy their indoor pool and fitness center at the Frankenmuth Holiday Inn Express.
River Place Shoppes can be reached in 2 minutes’ walk.
Fairfield Inn by Marriott Frankenmuth 430 South Main Street , Frankenmuth.
Right off Main Street. Free parking.
This hotel features a heated indoor pool and complimentary hot breakfast. On site fitness center and business center.
Every room at Fairfield Inn by Marriott Frankenmuth has a nice flat-screen TV with premium cable channels, microwave, small refrigerator and coffee maker.
Springhill Suites - Marriott Frankenmuth 530 South Main Street, Frankenmuth
Use your points if you are a Rewards Member!
Springhill Suites is right on the main drag, so you can walk to all the restaurants, events, shops and fun because you are in the center of it all!
Offers an indoor pool and a daily buffet breakfast.
The nicely appointed rooms at SpringHill Suites Frankenmuth have a living area and kitchen facilities that include a refrigerator and a microwave.
Frankenmuth at Christmas
Arrive in Frankenmuth and get settled in your accommodations.
Because the girls wouldn't be home for Christmas we'd brought everything with us to set up our Christmas in our suite - including the Christmas tree. So we spent the time after we arrived setting up the Christmas tree. It was the girls job to decorate it.
If you plan on doing the same thing, then do it after you arrive.
It'll give you a chance to rest up a bit from your travels. Just make sure it's an artificial tree that's fire retardant - fire regulations.
We checked with the inn prior to our arrival that it would be okay to set up a tree.
Afternoon: We had lunch inside the Bavarian Inn at Oma's. 1 Covered Bridge Ln, Frankenmuth
Oma's Restaurant is a quaint Bavarian theme Restaurant serving Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Oma's (Meaning Grandma's) is located within the Bavarian Inn Lodge and hosts locals and day trip visitors as well as hotel guests. It is a "best kept" secret for having short or no waits at lunch time in Frankenmuth when other restaurants are lined out the door.
American and German fare are served and pizza is made from scratch to your liking - which of course was a big hit with the girls.
The food was good enough but not fantastic. Service was a little slow but we've come to expect that as a result of the Scamdemic so just take it in stride.
The servers in German garb was a nice touch and they were friendly and a lot of fun.
After lunch begin to explore downtown Frankenmuth.
Make your first stop downtown the Frankenmuth Visitor Center: 635 South Main Street, Frankenmuth
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At the Visitor's Center pick up a FREE Visitor’s Guide and FREE Coupon Book for travel tips, exciting experiences, deals, and more. You might also want to pick up a FREE map of the town.
The coupon book will provide you with discounts all over Frankenmuth. Make sure it includes the Peppermint Perks coupon. (I don't remember if it did or if Peppermint Perks was separate)
You'll also want to see the Visitor Center's stunning 44-foot Christmas tree illuminated with 23,000 synchronized lights. This daily light show runa from Thanksgiving through early January.
For the kids, pick up the materials to do the Gnome Hunt!
Your hunt for gnomes begins at the Visitor Center, where you’ll receive your gnome hunt sheet and find your first gnome. You have to find at least 9 more gnomes in the shops; it’s a great way to get know the town on a fun adventure.
Each gnome has a name, and you have to record the names and their locations on the sheet.
Once you have found at least 10 gnomes, return your hunt sheet for prizes; even the adults receive prizes too!
Visitor Tip: The gnomes are not all wooden! Some are ceramic, some are plush (like stuffed animals). You can ask store associates for hints.
One of the best ways to see the town is to take a carriage ride!
a nostalgic journey through the charming streets of the Bavarian village, highlighting its historic architecture and festive Main Street. The rides are available year-round, with the Fantasy Carriage Company offering tours starting just south of Zehnder's Restaurant parking lot.
The rides are 15-30 minutes long, and reservations are welcome.
For those looking for a more flexible option, H&H Acres and Carriage Services offers walk-up only rides on Thursdays through Sundays, weather permitting. These rides are perfect for couples seeking a romantic getaway or for anyone looking to enjoy the winter charm of Frankenmuth.
The New Frankenmuth Carriage Company is another option.
Not only will you get the layout of everything, traveling at the horse's gait takes you off the fast forward of daily life so you'll see things you'd miss otherwise. And the drivers will share the town's history with you enroute. You'll get a perspective you wouldn't have otherwise,
Families, on the other hand, will adore the Family Fun Ride. These carriages are larger, accommodating more passengers, and the guides tailor their narratives with interesting facts and stories that keep both the kids and adults engaged.
The girls loved the carriage ride - even if the girls did spend the entire ride picking out where they wanted to go shopping - much to Jay's amusement.
We paid $130/30 minutes but that covered up to 6 people.
Money $aving Tip: Peppermint Perks Cards: Available at the Frankenmuth Visitor Center, these cards offer a $5 off $30 coupon for 40 businesses throughout town, including carriage rides.
There are so many cool, unique shops in Frankenmuth! (And I think the girls found every single one of them!)
Here's a list of them (scroll down the page).
There are over 40 great shops alone in the River Place shopping center. 925 S Main St, Frankenmuth
The girls couldn't wait to go shopping so we turned them loose and let them have at it until dinner time.
Evening: Have dinner at the famous Zehnder's,
The aroma of their infamous fried chicken and homemade bread will hit you the moment you walk in the door, as servers in period costume hustle past you.
Their meals are served family style and the food just keeps coming!
Their world famous Family Style Dinner enjoyed by millions features platters of golden fried chicken, generous heaps of mashed potatoes, egg noodles, vegetables, and much more!
I don't know what it is that Frankenmuth restaurants do to their fried chicken but it's the best you'll have anywhere.
Sunday 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM4:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM4:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM4:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Thursday 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM4:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Friday 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM4:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Saturday 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Zehnder's guests eat 950,000 pounds of chicken per year! That fact speaks to how good their chicken is!
They also have a Sunday dinner buffet that locals told us was the best thing going in town. We'll definitely be back to give it a try!
Have breakfast at La Crepe du Jour: 925 S Main St, Frankenmuth.
You can watch them make your crepes in front of you if you like.
Photo credit: Wanderlog
They make just about any kind of crepe you can think of! And they do it without using sugar for the most part.
I decided to go out on a limb and order an Almond Joy crepe: Chocolate, Marshmallows, Almonds & Coconut.
O...M...G! I'll just pitch a tent here in this little creperie and work my way through the entire menu, thank you.
The crepes are pretty large and most cost around $6.50 each.
After breakfast the girls went to spend the day at the skating rink.
This outdoor skating rink is open throughout the winter season and offers rentals, season passes, and opportunities to rent the rink for events. 784 South Main St., Frankenmuth, Michigan.
There is a $10 day-long admission fee to the rink.
Money $aving Tip: Buy 3 annual passes at $50 each and you get the 4th annual pass FREE. We found with as much skating as the girls wanted to do, buying the annual passes was much cheaper than buying $10 day passes each time they wanted to skate and we got one of the girls a free pass.
The annual pass gives you access to the rink all season long.
Jay and I made a 20 minute drive to Saginaw's Hoyt Park: 1574 S. Washington Avenue, Saginaw MI to do some snowboarding.
Hoyt Park offered only sledding and snowboarding hills during the winter season, however, in 2013 the park opened itself to much more. For the first time in a decade, Hoyt Park is now home to an outdoor winter ice rink for ice skating complete with a warming house, hot chocolate, and skate rentals.
You can also sled there too.
No admission fee but you do need to bring your own snowboard or sled.
This is a family friendly park the kids will like.
After snowboarding most of the morning we were ready to head back to Frankenmuth for some lunch.
Since we didn't have the girls along we went to
Prost Wine Bar & Charcuterie: 576 1/2, S Main St, Frankenmuth.
Photo credit: Wanderlog
Offering a wide selection of wine and beer from around the globe, along with perfectly crafted cocktails. Their menu encompasses the European culture from imported charcuterie and cheese, shareable plates, salads, paninis and heartier dishes.
We ordered the German charcuterie board which was more than enough for the 2 of us and delicious! $28 current price.
They also serve paninis, shareables, handhelds, soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees.
They do have a limited kids menu.
Monday-Thursday 11-10PM
Friday & Saturday 11-12
Sunday 10-10PM (Brunch served until 3PM. Kitchen reopens at 4PM)
After lunch Jay wanted to try his hand at blacksmithing. Head to the Bavarian Blacksmith Experience: 925 South Main St. Unit D6, Frankenmuth.
The blacksmith shop is just a few minutes walk from downtown Frankenmuth, and the famous Bavarian Inn Lodge and Restaurant!
This isn't a just watch the blacksmith at work experience! You actually make something yourself. You become your own blacksmith and take home what you make.
Since he was new to blacksmithing, he did the $35 Anvil Spot - Choose Your Item experience. I had more fun watching him than trying to make something myself - he was INTO it and made the coolest dagger with sheath.
After his blacksmithing lesson we were both beginning to feel the effects of our snowboarding so returned to our suite to soak in the whirlpool until the girls returned from skating.
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I'm told I make a wicked mint hot chocolate so I whipped up a batch for when the girls returned and we put out some various flavors of popcorn we'd gotten at Kernel Benny's to snack on.
Great way to spend a relaxing pre-dinner "cocktail hour" with four pre-teen girls!
Evening: Have dinner at Bavarian Inn Restaurant: 713 S Main Steet, Frankenmuth.
There's a running 'competition' between Zehnders and Bavarian Inn as to who has the better family-style fried chicken dinner so we decided to judge for ourselves. (Both are fantastic)
While famous for their chicken dinners, the restaurant also serves up other flavorful dishes. Visitors can also purchase their jams, spices, noodles, and Moms Michigan Made Cookies online or at the restaurant.
Local & seasonal produce is used in the food at this bar & grill restaurant with a German vibe.
Note: If you're a member of the Bavarian Inn PERKS club you get a free chicken dinner here. Our dinner that night was free.
Being no spring chickens anymore, Jay and I were beat. We hadn't told the girls we'd brought all of their Christmas presents along, that we'd hidden them in the Beast luggage compartment and still had all of those gifts to unload and bring up to the suite after the girls were asleep. But the girls were adamant we go with them to the ice rink to skate with them. (Groan) Oh to have their energy!
As full of fried chicken as we all were, I'm surprised we could even bend over to tie our skate laces!
Thankfully we only skated for about an hour before the girls were ready to call it quits.
Jay hauled all of the Christmas gifts up and played "Santa" while I made a breakfast casserole we could eat the next morning in our suite and stuffed Christmas stockings.
As sore as we both were we briefly considered another whirlpool soak but decided not to tempt fate. The girls finding us drowned because we'd fallen asleep in the whirlpool might put a slight damper on their Christmas morning and all that...
This is a free day for you to celebrate Christmas.
I spent the first part of the morning desperately hoping "Santa" had seen fit to stuff a big honkin' tube of BenGay in my stocking.
The sun wasn't even up yet when I head the girls' key card being inserted in our door and the door handle turning. They were trying to be quiet...at least until they saw the Christmas tree with their presents piled under it.
"YOU GUYS! LOOK AT ALL THE PRESENTS UNDER THE TREE!"
"HEY OUR STOCKINGS ARE HERE TOO! AND THEY'RE FULL OF STUFF!"
They were loud enough to wake the nearly comatose Jay. Not to mention everyone staying in the inn.
"Rise and shine, Santa," I sighed. "We have company and it ain't your elves."
In spite of our sleep deprivation and aching muscles we had a terrific Christmas morning. The girls were over the moon that they'd still had Christmas, which made all of our work worth it.
For those looking to explore the trail in winter, it is recommended to plan ahead and stay informed about the trail's current condition.
Jay had asked me to find a snowshoe kit on sale and I had, so "Santa" had left each girl a snowshoe kit to use on our trip.
Anxious to try out their new snowshoes the girls blazed their own trail in the vicinity of the Inn.
When Jay and I were a bit more awake and firing on all cylinders, we all piled in the car and drove to Saginaw to the Harger Line Rail Trail to snowshoe it.
Be Cautious: The trail is closed in sections through the end of November, and there are no amenities available - no water or restrooms. Trail users should exercise caution when crossing uncontrolled intersections and be aware of the lack of snowmobile access.
Evening: Make reservations ahead to have the Christmas buffet at Zehnder's.
From tender Grill Specialties like Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chops and Half Roasted Duck to flavorful seafood specialties like Great Lakes Perch, each dish is expertly prepared to tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more.
After dinner we hit the Family Fun Center back at the Inn. The girls swam and played arcade games while Jay and I relaxed in the adults only pool, whirlpool and lounge. We were tired but it was all worth it when Ahsley came up to us and said "Thank you! That was the BEST Christmas I've ever had!" and gave us both a big hug.
Morning: Have breakfast at N'Orlins Beignets & Coffee:
925 S Main St D9, Frankenmuth.
Enjoy your French donuts with a cup of chicory coffee or a cup of Cafe’ au lait. You’ll think you’re on Decatur Street in New Orleans.
These delectable treats come with an array of dipping sauces for added flavor. Located at River Place Shops, this spot offers a sweet escape into the culture of New Orleans.
Warning: Take it from me...Beignets are addicting!
We gave the girls the choice of what they wanted to do and they chose to explore Bronner's Christmas Wonderland with us: 25 Christmas Lane, Frankenmuth.
This is the largest Christmas store in America. To fully browse the shop will take you hours. Pick up a store map so negotiating Bronner's is easier for you.
This is the largest Christmas store in America. To fully browse the shop will take you hours.
Making Christmas memories since 1945, Bronner’s is a shopper's dream - especially for Christmas lovers! Over 50,000 trims and gifts, with 8,000 styles of ornaments (including Bronner’s exclusive designs), personalized stockings and ornaments, lights, Nativities, Advent calendars, and a wide variety of collectibles in a complex the size of 1.5 football fields. Season’s Eatings snack area is available for light refreshments. Silent Night Chapel open daily. Christmas Lane illuminated nightly.
You can find anything Christmas here. Each of the girls bought an ornament as a souvenir of their trip.
Money $aving Tip: RetailMeNot has coupons and promo codes here
While at Bonner's stop by their Silent Night Chapel. Free to visit and open daily.
Bonner's Silent Night Chapel
Evening: Have dinner at Poblano's Tex Mex Grill & Cantina: 171 E Jefferson Street, Frankenmuth.
Large menu of Mexican fare at reasonable prices. The food is delicious, the service great.
Money $aving Tip: Check out Pablano's Specials page
After dinner we all returned to the ice rink to spend the rest of the evening skating.
Morning: Breakfast at Bavarian Inn Lodge.
After breakfast we returned to Main Street having seen something we wanted to try: the Ultimate Mirror Maze: 925 S Main Street, Frankenmuth.
The maze consists of over 2000 square feet of mirrors, endless hallways and dead ends. Your challenge is to get lost, and then find your way out. Backwards or forwards, it is never the same experience twice. It just may be the most bewildering experience you have ever encountered. We never laughed so hard or bumped into so many mirrors trying to find our way out...
The admission fee to the Frankenmuth Mirror Maze is $10, which is valid for the entire day. Visitors are allowed to return as many times as they want throughout the day.
Afternoon: Have lunch at Tiffany's Food & Spirits: 656 S Main Street, Frankenmuth.
Photos credit: Tiffany's
After lunch we went to Great Lakes Escape Room: 925 S Main Street, Frankenmuth.
There are 4 different escape room quests to play:
Lucky Duck Speakeasy, Black Beard's Brig, The Heist, Immunity Quest.
Tiffany's Food & Spirits is a vibrant bar and grill located in a historic hotel dating back to 1904.
The venue features stained-glass lighting, murals, and an inviting outdoor patio. Adorned with Tiffany lamps and original tiling, the restaurant offers a diverse menu including delectable options like the Garlic Bread Deluxe topped with melted cheese and served with pizza sauce.
Additionally, their selection includes pizzas, pasta dishes, and sandwiches.
At Great Lakes Escape Game, you and your team are locked in a room filled with intriguing gadgets to explore, captivating puzzles to solve and cryptic clues to decipher. Manipulate everything that’s not bolted down as you search for answers. Act fast. You only have 60 minutes to escape. Either solve the puzzles and break out of the room or run out of time before exposing all the secrets concealed within the game.
The friendly staff provides guidance and support throughout your experience. They are on hand to help if you get stuck or need a hint, ensuring everyone has a great time. Don’t worry if you don’t escape in time; it’s all about having fun!
The cost per player is $30. Advance booking recommended.
The girls wanted to do a little more shopping, have dinner by themselves, then do some more skating.
We decided to ride the Golden Ticket Trolley for the Downtown Frankenmuth Light Tour. Starting with a pre-season light tour from mid-November to early January 2025, you can enjoy a trolley ride through Frankenmuth while listening to your favorite Christmas songs. The heated trolley provides a cozy environment as you soak in the holiday sights. With Christmas trivia and fun facts along the way, it’s a fun experience
Next year's prices for these rides won't be posted on their website until April.
It's definitely a ride that we enjoyed immensely and it's one worth taking.
Evening: Jay and I returned to the Inn to play 18 holes of miniature golf before enjoying some fine dining at The Station 100: 100 S Main Street, Frankenmuth.
They offered a 5 course meal for $99 that was scrumptious. You could also add a wine pairing for an additional cost.
Station 100 is top notch all the way and some fine dining was a nice break from pre-teen "We want pizza!"
Our last day in Frankenmuth.
Morning: Have breakfast at your restaurant of choice.
We all wanted more crepes so returned to La Crepe du Jour.
The girls wanted to spend their last day in Frankemuth doing their own thing so Jay and I booked booked a couple's massage at Serendipity Wellness Spa: 925 S Main Street, Frankenmuth.
This spa offers a wide range of services, from manicures to massages, providing more than just beauty treatments. Located within the charming river shops of Frankenmuth, it's an ideal place to unwind and pamper yourself. The friendly and expert staff ensure top-notch customer service.
We felt like we'd died and gone to heaven.
For your itinerary do anything you want to do but haven't fit into your schedule yet. We kept it low energy given the long drive home Jay and the girls would have the next couple of days.
Evening: We had our last chicken dinner in the Inn so we didn't have to go out anywhere.
Return home.
The great thing about winter skating parties is that most towns and cities have free public ice rinks to bring party guests to.
Since I live on a lake, we make our own skating rink on the lake every year. Even if you don't live on a lake if you have the room, you can make your own ice rink in your backyard.
The great thing about a skating party is that you can adapt it to almost anything - ice skating, hockey, roller skating, skateboarding, even skiing.
Over the years I learned to start decorating as though I'm decorating for a Winter Wonderland party, then add skating elements to that.
I'm going to let you design your own skating party staging before I show you what I did. Obviously you're going to need to stage a skating rink if you're holding your party indoors.
You could do something this simple. The "ice" is blue paper taped to the floor with a cellophane overlay.
You wouldn't even have to go to that much work. Inexpensive pale blue shower curtain liners from the dollar store would work too. If you want your ice to appear shinier then you could roll cellophane over that.
If it were me personally? I'd reverse the backdrop sheeting and use white sheets with black silhouette skaters affixed to them. Then I'd make some snowflakes to suspend from the ceiling in front of the sheets or hang some icicle light curtains in front of them. The snow is just fiberfill pulled apart to puff it up.
For my staging most of what I used was recycled or repurposed from other parties I'd done like my Winter Wonderland parties - like the wall background below made from corrugated cardboard. I constructed it to fold down flat when not in use.
I didn't like the look of the ice being too blue so used craft metal that comes in rolls or sheets.
The trees came from my collection of Christmas trees, the bench from my yard and those are my skates hanging on it. I made a simple A frame corrugated warming hut and covered the roof in snow blankets.
The 2 girls are cardboard stand up cutouts.
The tab and slot system makes construction easy and accessible.
Here are some Pinterest cardboard huts.
Project Little Smith came up with a brilliant cardboard hut you can use as a skating warming hut - and you can fold it flat and unfold it as many times as you want.
The pieces of your hut can be easily painted, drawn on, or customized to your own unique tastes.
Use a thicker corrugated cardboard for a sturdier hut.
Google "Corrugated Cardboard Huts" or "Corrugated Cardboard Playhouses" and you'll find any number of tutorials for making a cardboard hut, including video tutorials.
More skating party staging:
Another alternative: Use an ice rink photo backdrop and winter colored balloon arches. Construct the rink skating wall out of styrofoam sheets. Use your stand up cardboard cutouts of skaters again.
Giant Snowflake Wall Collage
Icicle Curtain Lights
Frozen window clings are inexpensive and can be used to decorate your windows.
Use glitter glue or craft glue to draw snowflakes and icy swirls on wax paper, then peel them off once dry.
Stick them directly to your windows.
Tablescapes are so easy to do for any winter theme including skating parties.
Use whites, blues, silvers.
Glitter tablecloths add class while making your table look "snowy".
Refurbished skates make great table centerpieces.
A couple of coats of white shoe polish, some faux fur, some silver sparkle bootlaces gives old skates new life. Add sprigs of small faux flowers and/or berries in the skates.
You can use plain white plates or even blue plates.
I found some melamine snowflake dinnerware at auction - 8 person place setting for $10!
I found these figure skate printable favor boxes.
You can fill them with silver and blue Hershey Kisses...but since figure skaters are always watching their weight, I filled them with things figure skaters actually use...
Peppermint Mocha
Hot Chocolate
White Chocolate
Hot Chocolate Buffet
Frosted Berries
Skate Cookies
Frozen Bark
Winter Ice Cibes
Winter Cakesickles
Ice Skate Cupcakes
Blueberry Yogurt Parfait
WALKING TACOS
Easiest meal for kids ever and they love eating out of the bag!
Super easy cleanup...just throw the bag and the fork out.
This contribution from Ashley, her figure skating friends and Ice Skating Guru.
You can download and print out the FREE skating moves charts here.
Popcorn & Movies
One of the things the girls liked doing on our trip was after a day on the rink, dig into some Frozen popcorn and a mug of my mint hot chocolate while watching skating movies:
Ice Princess
Cutting Edge series
Blades of Glory
Ice Castles
Ice Girls
Have some skating movies on hand for your future Olympians, especially if your party includes a sleepover.
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Red Light, Green Light
This simple playground game is perfect for practicing skating stops. Have all the skaters line up and then the coach says “green light,” all of the skaters’ race down the rink.
When they hear ” Red Light” they have to stop as quickly as they can. The first skater to the end of the rink wins!
Freeze Skate
This is the ice skating version of Musical Statues and it is a lot of fun.
Everyone skates around the rink while music plays. Randomly stop the music, and everyone has to freeze. The last player to “freeze” when the music stops is out.
Repeat until only one skater is left standing. They win.
Mini Olympics
Set up a mini obstacle course on the ice. You can tailor this according to your skaters ability.
Some ideas for your obstacle course:
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Mini hockey sticks (you can buy mini hockey sticks and use cones as a goal).
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Mini curling
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Crawling through a tunnel on the ice
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Weaving in and out of cones
Four Corners
Number each corner of the ice skating rink. Write the numbers on pieces of paper and place them inside of a bag or pot.
Play some music and have the kids skate around the rink. When the music stops, everyone must skate to one of the corners. Pull one of the notes out of the ice skate and call out the number or color.
Everyone in that corner is out of the game. Put the paper back into the skate, start the music again and continue playing until only one skater remains. That player is the winner.
Indoor Curling
This is a game you can play anytime, not just at parties and it's great fun!
You can purchase an indoor curling game here.