Glide
Every First Glide
Starts Here.
Open skate sessions, group lessons, and holiday clinics — all near you, sorted by age.
Sessions This Week
Slots update in real time. Tap any session to reserve — it takes under a minute.
Sat, Mar 1 · 9:00 AM
45 min
Sun, Mar 2 · 10:30 AM
45 min
Sat, Mar 1 · 11:00 AM
60 min
Don't see the right session?
We add new slots every Tuesday. Get notified first.
Meet Your Coaches
Local instructors who remember what it felt like to grip the boards for the first time.
Coach DeShawn Williams
Learn-to-Skate Director
11
years on ice
400+
kids taught
"I tell every nervous kid the same thing: the ice isn't trying to trip you. It's the softest fall you'll ever take. Within twenty minutes, most of them don't want to leave."
Next open slot
Sat, Mar 1 · 10:00 AM
Coach Priya Nair
Group Lesson Specialist
7
years on ice
250+
kids taught
"Parents always ask me if their kid is too young. I say: if they can walk, they can skate. The boards are their best friend for the first few sessions — and that's completely fine."
Next open slot
Sun, Mar 2 · 10:30 AM
From the Rink Boards
Real families, real first glides. Submitted by the Glide community.
Lily, age 4 — first day on skates!
— Sarah M.
The whole crew from Coach Priya's Saturday class
— The Okafor family
Dad's first time skating in 20 years 😂
— Jessica T.
Marcus turned 7 — best party idea ever
— Denise W.
First lap without the boards — she cried happy tears
— The Patel family
Grandma Rosie, 68, learning right alongside him ❤️
— Tom R.
Share your moment
Submit a photo to the community board
Reserve a Spot on the Ice
Four quick steps. No account needed. We'll text you the details.
Which rink?
We'll show you available sessions at that location.
What to bring
Helmet (required under age 12)
Mittens or gloves — no bare hands
Thick socks, not thin ankle socks
Patience — wobbly is totally normal
"I was terrified Caleb would cry the whole time. He cried for exactly four minutes — then I couldn't get him off the ice."
Rachel Owens
Mom of Caleb, age 5
3 rinks
Near Springfield
47 sessions
This month
2 min
Avg booking time
100%
Free to reserve
Questions & Answers
Written by parents, for parents. No corporate speak.
Honestly? Probably not. If they can walk confidently, they can try skating. Most rinks welcome kids as young as 3 for open skate — they'll be using the boards and those cute little walker frames the whole time, and that's exactly right. Group lessons typically start at 4. The main thing is: they don't have to be ready. They just have to show up.
Every rink on Glide offers rental skates, so you don't need to buy anything to start. Rentals usually run $4–6 per session. That said, if your kid skates more than once a month, a pair of entry-level skates ($40–60) is worth it — rental blades are often dull and harder for beginners to balance on.
Open skate is free-form — you pay, you skate, you fall, you laugh. Great for families who just want to have fun. Group lessons are structured: a coach leads 6–10 kids of similar ability through skills for 45–60 minutes. Most kids who do a session or two of lessons find open skate way more fun afterward because they actually know how to move.
Weekend morning group lessons for ages 3–6 fill up fast — sometimes within 24 hours of being posted. If you see open slots for a Saturday 9am Tiny Blades class, book it. Open skate sessions rarely sell out, but holiday weekends are the exception. Our weekly text alert (see the sign-up above) gives you a head start every Tuesday.
Falling is part of skating — and the ice is actually a pretty forgiving surface for little kids. We require helmets for all skaters under 12. Wrist guards and knee pads are optional but encouraged for first-timers. Every session has rink staff on the ice. Group lessons keep the ratio at about 1 coach per 8–10 kids.
Absolutely — and it happens all the time. Grandparents are some of our most devoted rink regulars. Just bring the child's age and any allergy info the rink asks for on their waiver. Some rinks have parent/guardian signature requirements for kids under 6 for lessons, so check the specific rink's policy when you book.