There aren’t many things in this world more fun than a roller skating party – except, of course, a roller skating party with a theme! Because who doesn’t love an excuse to play dress up? If you’re considering hosting a roller skating party in Lanham, check out these ideas to help you level up your party with a retro theme that you and your guests will love. 

1950s Sock Hop Party

Channel the wholesome fun of 1950s drive-ins and sock hops by encouraging your guests to show up in their best mid-century styles. Here are some 50s fashion ideas to get you started: 

• Poodle skirts
• Cat-eye glasses and scarves
• Powder blue jackets
• Your favorite 50s celebrity: Elvis, Lucille Ball, Marilyn Monroe
• Or channel your favorite Grease characters and dress like a Pink Lady or T-Bird!

1970s Roller Disco Party

Roller skating has had many heydays, but the 1970s era of roller disco parties was a golden age for fashion and roller skating alike. Encourage your guests to arrive in these looks: 

• Gold lame, slinky jersey, boldly patterned silk, or any stretchy, shiny material
• Bell bottoms, especially with suede vests, jackets, or boots for a hippie look
• Jump suits, wrap dresses, or hot pants with tall socks or boots
• Don’t forget to add some bright blue eye shadow and big earrings!

1990s Skating Party

The great thing about a 1990s themed party is that you can take it in so many directions. From grunge and riot grrls to classic hip hop to club looks to the X Games, there’s something for everyone – and every closet! 

• Channel your inner Spice Girl or Backstreet Boy.
• Rock flannel, a band shirt, and baggy jeans like grunge musicians of the day.
• Break out those mini butterfly hair clips or wear your hair in space buns.
• Halter tops, spaghetti straps, snakeskin prints, metallic and holo fabrics, or athletic brands like Adidas.
• Emulate one of your favorite iconic 1990s movies like Clueless, The Craft, or Empire Records.
• Dress like your favorite character from Friends, Saved By the Bell, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, or Seinfeld. 

No matter what party theme you choose, you’re sure to have a ball at Lanham Skate Center! Check out our birthday party packages, or contact us to learn more about private events, fundraisers, and more. 

So, you think you can skate. You know how to get rolling, how to (mostly) stay upright, how to fall safely, and how to stop on skates. Maybe you’ve even learned to skate backwards or bust a move when your favorite song comes on. But you want more. You want to learn how to be a better skater – and you’ve come to the right place. 

At Lanham Skate Center, we love helping people learn how to roller skate and build their skills so everyone can enjoy the unique happiness that can only be felt cruising around a skating rink. Read on to learn the answers to some Frequently Asked Skating Questions, and give us a call today to sign up for skating lessons!

I see other people gliding around like they were born on skates. How can I skate like that? 

When learning to skate, you’ve probably been told by plenty of people to “Just relax!” That relaxation, that ease, is what makes experienced skaters look so graceful. But here’s a secret: They didn’t start out that way! Truly great skaters have logged so many hours on the rink that they have muscle memory – they’re not constantly worrying about their feet, so they can sort of “turn their brains off” and go with the flow. So while it might sound cliche, it’s really true: Practice makes perfect. Just keep skating regularly, and eventually it will come to you. 

I skate all the time and I’m tired of paying rental fees. What kind of roller skates should I buy? 

This depends largely on what you enjoy! Are you interested in competing in speed skating, roller derby, or artistic skating? Those activities all require specific types of skates. Take a look at our pro shop to see some of the different options in high top, low top, and inline skates to fit your needs. 

How can I learn roller skating tricks? 

First of all, take lessons! As mentioned above, our Lanham skating lessons are a great way to build your skills. Watch other skaters who have great moves and see what you can learn. And of course, don’t forget about the greatest educational tool the internet has to offer: YouTube! Just search for the type of trick you want to learn, like skating on your heels, doing the grapevine, or how to Moonwalk! 

Just like any new skill, learning to roller skate comes with its share of ups and downs. However, the “downs” of roller skating can be a bit painful if you’re not prepared! If you’re interested in learning to skate, or teaching your child/partner/friend how to skate, check out the benefits of wearing protective skating gear from your friends at Lanham Skate Center.

• First stop, helmets! Helmets are an important piece of safety gear for many sports, but you’ll want to make sure to choose one that is appropriate for the activity. While there is no “concussion-proof” helmet, they can prevent serious head and brain injuries caused by a fall or collision. Check out the CDC’s Helmet Safety page to learn more.
• Next up, elbow and knee pads. These protective pads are a smart choice for beginning skaters, especially if skating outdoors! While taking a fall on the hard floor of a skating rink might not feel great, concrete or asphalt will be even more painful. Wearing elbow and knee pads protects these fragile areas that often take the hardest impacts from falling.
• Last, but not least, don’t forget wrist guards! Learning to skate inevitably involves some falls, and it’s natural to stick your hands out to break your fall. Unfortunately, wrist injuries are one of the most common reasons skaters end up seeking medical attention, so it pays to protect them. Wrist guards provide both impact protection and bracing support to ensure that your tumbles don’t end in an ER visit.

Now that you know safety gear isn’t just for roller derby, you may also want to consider skating lessons. We can teach you how to roll and stop, how to turn, and even how to fall safely! To learn more about roller skating lessons in Lanham, check out our Fun to Roll Lanham skating lessons or contact us at (301) 577-1733!

So you love skating, but you’re not sure whether you should rent or buy skates? Well, if you’re trying to decide, then let us help you by sharing the pros of each:

The Pros of Renting Skates

• • Growth Spurts Are No Problem – If you have a young child, then you know how quickly they can grow. When you rent your skates, you never have to worry about your child outgrowing them.

• • No Maintenance Required – When you rent, you’ll never have to rotate wheels, grease ball bearing, or otherwise clean or service your skate.

• • No Storage or Carrying – We always have a pair of skates waiting for you! You won’t have to carry your skates back and forth or find room for them in your home.
  • It Can Save Money! – Depending on how much you skate, it may be cheaper to rent then to buy.

The Pros of Buying Skates

• • Get the Right Skate for You – When you buy, you can select the perfect style of skate for you! Whether you’re a bit of a speed skater, or if you’re into rhythm or jam skating, you can get the perfect skate for your favorite skating style. You can also change your wheels and bearing to further customize your skates.

• • You Can Show Off Your Style – A nice flashy or colorful pair of skates is always fun, and when you buy skates you can express yourself!
  • It Can Save You Money! – If you skate often, then the money you save from not renting may just pay for a new pair of your own!

Regardless of whether you want to rent or buy skates, our Lanham skating center is here to help! Our Pro Shop is an excellent place to buy skates in Lanham and we keep our rentals clean and maintained.Contact us for more information about buying skates today.

When an invitation comes in the mail for your child, inviting them to a birthday party at a roller rink, what do you think? Are birthday parties the ONLY thing that people do at roller rinks? We’re here to debunk that myth and tell you about all of the happenings at Lanham Skate Center.

First, of course we can do birthday parties and do them well! We have private party availability Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Unlike many other roller rinks, our deluxe party packages include: invitations, goody bags, pizza, drinks, ice cream, skate rentals, and more. We also allow you to bring your own dessert.

There doesn’t have to be a birthday in order for you to party with us at Lanham. We have weekly events for family fun or adults only. Adult party time at Lanham comes every Monday and Wednesday evening. Tuesday nights are reserved for private lessons whereas Thursdays are family nights. The weekend is party time for any age, any occasion.

Other events we have hosted/can host at Lanham:

• Retirement parties
• Theme parties
• Sports team outings
• Office after-hours
• Church/Synagogue group outings
• End of the year parties
• Halloween parties
• Communion/Confirmation parties
• Holiday parties
• School outings
• School club outings
• Ladies’ or Moms’ Night Out
• Guys’ or Dads’ Night Out

If you want to celebrate it, we can help! So next time you are looking for a unique spot to take your child’s lacrosse team after they win the big game or your child’s youth group after finishing a community service project, think of Lanham Skate. We love to help celebrate any occasion, large or small. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions, party-related or not.

It may not be warm enough for roller blading through the neighborhood just yet, but why hibernate inside when Lanham Skate Center has plenty of fun to be had indoors?

With a fully loaded snack bar and events every day, there is something for any age to enjoy. For those that haven’t been on skates since the roller disco days or for skating newbies, we have skating lessons twice a week. For those looking for some kid-free fun, we have adults only night every Wednesday. For those that need to get their kids out of the house, we have open skate hours seven days per week.

If you are looking to host a birthday, team, classroom, youth group or any other kind of party, we have weekly availability. If you are interested in package options, available dates or more information, don’t hesitate to contact us.

If the weather does get too bad to get over to Lanham, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite indoor activities to do with or without kids.

Best Snow (or Rain) Day Family Activities:

• Bake something fun.
• Make slime.
• Let the kids raid your closet and do a fashion show with their favorites.
• Teach your kids some card game classics.
• Start a story podcast.
• Make a fort or pillow pallet, make some popcorn, and watch a movie.
• Make a marshmallow catapult and have marshmallow wars.
• Tie dye party.
• Arts and crafts.
• Science experiments.
• Learn origami.
• Make salt dough ornaments.
• Make Play-Doh.
• Indoor obstacle course.
• At-home bowling.
• Get all dressed up and have a fancy tea party.
• Indoor camp out with the fireplace, sleeping bags, and s’mores.

Although we would love to see you at Lanham all of the time, we care about the safety of all of our patrons. We hope these ideas help when the weather is too bad to travel, but we hope you think of us when the roads are fully salted.