Anyone ever done the skating outside the V&A thing (London) at Christmas?

[Legacy]

Was it hideously busy i.e. lots of people getting knocked over?

It doesn't look a very big rink?

DH is keen to do it as part of a family day trip to London. I'm worried the kids are a bit young (7 & 4)

??

Ah - I guess not then....

Where are all the Londoners then???? Huh?

Last year we went ice-skating at the Natural History Museum with 3 children 8, 6 and 2. (We had to take a grand-parent to look after the little one - they had fun watching from the warm inside cafe drinking hot-chocolate and eating cakes!) My dd-6, had a marshall to take her round until she got the swing of it. My ds ventured on his own and we all had great fun. You have to book in advance and you get allocated a time slot. They have the skates there to hire (I think it's included) and it's all very organised and not over-crowded. It was very pretty with all the trees lit up and they played lovely music - quite romantic really! There is a small ice-rink for the not-so-brave to get started on and there are plenty of marshalls to lend a hand. We finished off with tea in Harrods! I'm defo booking for this year.

Have done somerset house it was fine

we too dd when she was just 2

we've done it for the last few years

first of all, ascertain whether dh can skate (I assumed dh could - when we got to the rink, I realised that it wasn't only ds and dd who had never skated but dh was clueless too!).

We really needed one adult per child last time - ds was 3 and we had to hold onto him all the time. Dd was 4 and slightly more confident, but not confident enough to go it on her own.

I must admit, it was bloody hard work - I had to hold ds in front of me between my legs to stop him falling backwards and it was back breaking!

What I think would have made a difference was whether you could hire those skates that had 2 blades rather than one. I don't know if they do those now. Your 7 yr old will probably be fine with the normal skates anyway.

I meant the 2 bladed skates for your 4 yr old.

Yes, it was busy (Natural History Museum for us also) but as mentioned before you're allocated time slots so its never so overcrowded that you're being pushed etc., Book in advance. Very Christmassy and I noted lots of parents taking small sips out of thermos flasks that I suspect had more than just hot chocolate in - brilliant idea. Only downside is skates hurt like hell but I've got chubby feet!!