A new year means a new chance to start the year off healthier, right? But sometimes as a parent, it can be difficult to keep up with a regular exercise routine. Plus, no one wants to be out in the cold this time of the year and time spent at the gym means more time spent away from your family. What if you could have fun, get a workout in, be inside, and with your family all at the same time? It may seem impossible, but it does exist – roller skating. Rainbow Roller Rink is a great place to come to for everyone in the family to get a good workout!

Skating isn’t just a fun way to pass the time, it’s an activity the whole family can enjoy and it has several health benefits. Of the several, here are 3 health benefits of roller skating:

1. It burns calories. 

An average sized adult can burn between 9 to 10 calories per minute of skating. This can add up quickly while spending at least a few hours at the skating rink with your family.

2. It builds muscles. 

Skating is a great all over workout, but it concentrates a lot on your lower body by working your calves, quads, and glutes. It also helps build your core strength as you keep your balance and keep your muscles tight while you skate.

3. It’s low impact.

Running, jumping, and climbing are hard on your body and joints, but skating is low impact and puts minimal stress on your joints. Say goodbye to aches and pains from the gym and hello to skating!

Roller skating is so much fun and a great workout while spending quality time with your family. Rainbow Roller Rink is here to help your family stay healthy and have fun while doing it.

‘Tis the season to plan your holiday party! If you’re looking for a great holiday party venue in the greater Buffalo/Niagara County area, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn about our awesome holiday skating parties at Rainbow Roller Rink as we answer some party FAQs and share holiday party ideas.

Who should plan a roller skating holiday party?

We have hosted all sorts of events at our skating rink; large, small, and everything in between! We have private and public options so you can find the one that fits your group and your budget best. Roller skating holiday parties are great for:

• Office/company parties
• Team parties
• School parties
• Youth group events and church events
• Fundraiser events
• Neighborhood parties
• Family reunions
• Birthday parties
• Bachelor/bachelorette parties
• And much more!

What is included in our group parties?

One of our most popular group party options is our 2-hour private party. This includes up to 100 guests, but you can add additional guests for $4 per person. Roller skate or rollerblade rental is $4 each. These parties are available on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays (any 2-hour window) and on Sundays from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm only.

Your party will include your choice of music, supervised programmed activities, fully stocked concessions and game room, and a light show extravaganza. For an additional cost, your group can also get access to the bounce zone (only for kids 54″ and shorter). We can also arrange to have a bar if you request it ahead of time.

Fun ideas for holiday parties

Take your party up a notch with a theme or purpose. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Fancy dress party

Have everyone dress up as their favorite Christmas movie or book characters. (Just remember that costumes must be safe to skate in – no long dresses, robes, scarves, etc. as they pose a tripping hazard.) The options for this are endless: For something classic, opt for Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, an elf, the Grinch, or Ebenezer Scrooge. You could also go with Ralphie from A Christmas Story, Kevin from Home Alone, John McClane from Die Hard, Clark Griswold from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, or Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas!

Fundraiser or charity drive

Another great way to set your holiday party apart is by leveraging it for the greater good! Hold a coat or canned food drive and get your guests to bring a donation. You could also incorporate activities like a raffle or silent auction to raise money for your nonprofit of choice.

Warming up and stretching are important no matter what type of exercise you’re doing. You probably know how to prepare for activities like jogging or weight lifting, but do you know how to warm up for roller skating? If not, don’t worry! You’re in the right place, because we’re going to share some pro tips to help you prevent injury and have more fun on the rink. Keep reading to learn some of our favorite roller skating warmup stretches.

Roller Skating Warm Ups 101

Why Should You Warm Up Before Skating?

Have you ever wondered why people “warm up” before aerobic exercise? Did you think the phrase was figurative? It’s actually literal! A warm up exercise literally warms up your body, as in raising your temperature. It also gets the blood pumping—again, literally—revving up your cardiovascular system by increasing blood flow to the muscles. 

Roller skating is an aerobic sport, so it’s great for your heart. Make sure to get the blood pumping before you hit the rink!

 Warm Up Stretches for Roller Skating

• Get moving. Jog in place, do some jumping jacks, or even just walk around for 10 minutes. Whatever you do, keep it slow and steady. When you start stretching, don’t rush it. Try to hold each stretch for 30 seconds or more. 
• Stretch your calf muscles. Stand with one foot in front of the other, keeping your feet flat on the ground. On your front foot side, lean forward, bending your knee while keeping your other leg straight and your foot on the ground. The more you lean forward, the stronger the stretch is. Start slow and gradually increase as you feel the stretch. 
• Add this hamstring stretch. Stand in your chosen spot and bend at the waist, keeping your legs straight, while reaching for your toes. Hold this for 30 seconds and switch legs. 
• Do some quad stretches. Stand next to a chair or wall for support. Place one hand on the chair, and use the other to grasp your ankle and pull it behind you. This stretches out the quadriceps, aka the front thigh muscles. Hold for a count of 30 and switch legs. 
• Loosen up your hips. To stretch your hips, kneel on the ground in the “take a knee” position, aka one knee bent under you on the floor, and one out in front of you with your foot flat on the floor. Slowly lean forward until you feel the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds and alternate with your other side. 

Once you complete your warm up and stretching routine, you should be feeling nice and loose. Shake it out and lace up those skates. You’re all set and ready to hit the rink. 

There’s a moment in every skater’s life when they decide to buy their own skates instead of just renting them at the rink. But once you’ve purchased your roller skates, it’s not enough to lace them up and break them in. Oh no, you’re going to want to take it all the way and customize your skates. There are infinite ways to customize roller skates, but today, we’re going to break it down for you with some fun, easy, and unique ways to personalize your wheels. 

Creative Ways to Customize Roller Skates

Show Off Your Style

The limits of how to customize roller skates are subject only to your imagination. (And practical concerns too, of course.) These are some of the easiest ways to add some flair to your skates. 

• Colorful, glittery, or patterned laces
• Furry pom poms
• Lace charms and “skatelets”
• Decorative toe guards and lace locks
• Fun and expressive socks (OK, so socks are not actually part of your skates, but they’re an important piece of the puzzle!)

Optimize Your Ride

One of the best ways to customize roller skates is to create a setup that is uniquely tailored for you and the way you skate. For instance, if you like to jam skate, you’ll want to remove the toe stops and install jam plugs (aka dance plugs). These skate accessories are usually made from rubber or nylon acrylic, and they protect your skates (as well as the skating rink floor) from damage when you’re doing your fancy footwork. You may also want to switch to thinner wheels for added agility and freedom of movement. If you’re planning on skating for roller derby, you’ll probably want to adjust things like the plate mounting, truck tension, and even the way you lace up your skates. 

Trick Out Your Wheels

Changing your wheels isn’t always about functionality and performance. Sometimes, you just want a wheel makeover for the #aesthetic. Enter glow-in-the-dark wheels, colorful wheels, and even flashing light wheels! 

No matter what style you want to achieve with your roller skates, we can help! Join us at the Rainbow Roller Rink pro shop on your next visit, and feel free to ask questions. You can also view our catalog online and give us a call at 716-693-1100 to place your order.  

So, what’s your personal skate style? Whether it’s classic, feminine, bold, retro, or something in between, you’re sure to look like a rock star on the rink.

It’s important to warm up your muscles before any vigorous physical activity, and roller skating is no exception. But how exactly should you do that? Keep reading for some roller skating warm up tips from the pros at Rainbow Roller Rink. 

Why Are Warm Ups Important? 

According to the American Heart Association, 

A good warm-up before a workout dilates your blood vessels, ensuring that your muscles are well supplied with oxygen. It also raises your muscles’ temperature for optimal flexibility and efficiency. By slowly raising your heart rate, the warm-up also helps minimize stress on your heart.

In addition to the cardiovascular benefits, warming up reduces stress on your joints and tendons. It helps you to loosen up and reduces the risk of sprains and strains. Plus, if you do these warm up exercises regularly, you’ll probably notice an improvement in your flexibility over time! 

Roller Skating Warm Ups

Basic Squats

Inhale deeply, then exhale as you squat, keeping your arms straight forward and your head and knees aligned over your feet. Repeat until you start to feel the burn, and remember to take it slow. After each warm up exercise, take a water break to stay hydrated. 

Jump Squats

This warm-up exercise is just a slightly different version of normal squats. For these, start in the squat position with your arms straight in front of you. Jump and inhale while swinging your arms back. As you land, exhale and swing your arms forward again. Keep doing this for several minutes, focusing on forcefully exhaling with each landing. 

Crossover Squats

Start by facing forward with your feet shoulder width apart and your arms at your sides. Take a wide step forward across your body, while lowering yourself into a lunge position. As you move, bring your opposite elbow close to your front knee. Remember to exhale as you lunge and inhale as you return to your starting position. Alternate back and forth several times, until you feel the burn in your inner thighs. 

Hamstring Stretch

After putting your skates on, start by laying on your back with your knees bent and your skates flat on the floor. Raise your hips and prop yourself up with your hands. Your upper arms should be flat on the ground, while your forearms are up at a 90 degree angle. Roll your right leg out straight in front of you while keeping your hips in place and level. Roll it back and alternate with the left foot. Once you’re all warmed up and ready to go, it’s time for the fun to begin! Check out our skating schedule to plan your next visit to the rink. You won’t want to miss our fun events like Adult Retro Skate (18+) or Skate & Dance Fridays!

Have you ever heard the saying “You have to learn to walk before you can run”? Well, the same principle applies to birthday parties—you have to get the invitations right before you can throw an epic skating party! Check out these party invitation tips to learn how to do birthday party invitations for a kids birthday party or an adult celebration.  

Party Invitation Tips: Do’s and Don’ts

Some of the most common birthday party mistakes happen before the party even starts. Fortunately, you know better… Or you will after reading these do’s and don’ts!

DO Send Invitations As Early As Possible

Look, we’re all busy, and between school, work, sports, family, and extracurricular activities, it’s hard to find time for everything. Do your guests a solid and give them plenty of notice about your party plans. Generally 4-6 weeks is fine for birthday parties. If it’s a big party (think Sweet 16, 21st birthday, or another major milestone) and you want to make sure certain people can be there, you may want to clear the date with them ahead of time, or at least give them a longer lead time with your invitations. 

Of course, you can go too far in the other direction as well. Don’t send your invitations out more than a few months ahead of time, or your guests may just forget about the party altogether! After all, can you find a particular piece of mail from 6 months ago? Probably not. 

DON’T Put Form Over Function

Remember that the main purpose of party invitations is to actually invite your guests. Cute, personalized, themed invitations are fun, and can get people excited for the party. Just make sure you include all of the relevant information in a clear, legible way. Invitations should include not only the time, date, and location, but also:

•  Your child’s name and age
• The party theme (if applicable)
• Any preferences regarding gifts if you have them… Keeping in mind that not everyone will follow your lead. (No gifts, bring a canned food donation for charity instead of a gift, educational gifts only, etc.) 
• The party duration (Give an end time, not just a start time)
• The dress code if applicable. For instance, a skating party invitation should include a note that kids need to wear or bring socks that hit at the ankle or above. 
• Parking information or directions
• Whether or not the party is a drop-off event, or whether parents and siblings can hang out during the event.

Ideally, you’ll want to send both a paper invitation and a digital one. That way if the physical invitation goes missing in a backpack or purse, your guests still have a way to see all of the party information.
Ready to get the party rolling? Make a reservation online now!

Has there ever been a summer break as anticipated as this one? After the hardships of 2020’s global pandemic, many places in the U.S. are finally getting back to normal, which means a return to the fun activities we all missed out on last summer. People are getting vaccinated, and they’re ready to make up for lost time…Especially when it comes to kids who missed out on birthday parties with their friends!  

If you’re looking for ideas to throw an awesome birthday party for your child this summer, you’re in the right place. We’re sharing some of our “pro tips” gathered from years of hosting birthday parties in North Tonawanda, specifically summer birthday parties.  

Summer Birthday Party Tips

While summer is the unofficial season of fun, it can be hard to plan a birthday party during the season. Summer vacation plans, camps and extracurricular activities, and even the weather can make it hard to pull off a summer birthday party, but with a little ingenuity, you can make it work! Here’s how:

Plan ahead.

Don’t wait until the last minute to plan any summer events. If you do that, your potential guests will no doubt already have full schedules and may have to miss the party. Instead, decide on a date and time as early as possible. Reach out to us at  716-693-1100 to go ahead and make your party reservation, or book your party online. 

Once you’ve got your party booked, you can go ahead and send out invitations. Even if you plan to send paper invitations, it’s not a bad idea to text or email your guests right away. Most people are fine with electronic communication (or even prefer it), and the sooner you let them know, the sooner they can RSVP. It’s courteous to your guests, and also makes it easier for you to plan your party since you’ll know how many people are expected to attend.

Play it cool.

Summer weather is unpredictable, and outdoor activities always carry the risk of being rained out. However, even a perfectly sunny day can put a damper on the party. Summer temperatures can reach the high 90s, not to mention the humidity. Add to that the potential for mosquito bites, sunburns, gnats, and other outdoor annoyances, and it’s easy to see why indoor birthday parties are so popular! 

When you book a skating birthday party at Rainbow Roller Rink, your group can enjoy gathering in our climate-controlled building. Unlike other indoor activities, roller skating is active and exciting, so your party guests are guaranteed to be entertained. 

Pad your party list.

As we mentioned, summer parties can be challenging due to scheduling conflicts. If you want to make sure there are plenty of people at your party, consider expanding your guest list a bit. That way, any no-shows won’t leave too big of a gap and you can still enjoy celebrating with a crowd. Our party packages make it easy to host a party, and you can add additional guests for an extra fee. Of course, always take your child’s personality and needs into consideration when choosing who to invite to a child’s birthday party.