We checked three places to ice skate with little kids in and around Hartford and New Haven: two holiday or outdoor rinks and one indoor rink with public skating. Winterfest Hartford opens Fri, Nov 27. They’re spread over three areas, from Downtown Hartford to Simsbury.
Season at a glance
Every rink on one timeline, so you can see what’s open the weekend you want to go. Tap a rink for prices and hours.
Holiday season
Seasonal and pop-up rinks, soonest first. The four boxes are what parents ask first: season, price, skate rental and skate aids.
Bushnell Park, next to the Pump House · 60 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106
Opening day hours are 11am–8pm. The closing date isn’t posted yet. Free parking on Elm and Jewell Streets during Winterfest.
New Haven
Kids under 5 skate free but need to be registered in person. Session times shift, so check the posted schedule first.
Outdoor rinks close for warm or wet weather. Check the rink’s page the morning you go.
Any season
Public skate sessions open to families. Session times change week to week, so each card links to the rink’s own page.
Simsbury
Before you go
SafetyBring a helmetFalls are part of learning. A bike or hockey helmet protects little heads, and some rinks ask for one.Skate aidsAsk about skate aidsA walker-style aid lets new skaters push and glide on their own. Each card says whether the rink posts them.
FitThin socks, warm mittensOne pair of thin socks fits rental skates best. Waterproof mittens keep hands dry after a tumble.Keep planning
November: things to do in HartfordEvery dated listing for the month, by weekDecember: things to do in HartfordEvery dated listing for the month, by week
Free things to do in HartfordFree days, free events and places that never charge
Indoor play in HartfordIndoor playgrounds, toddler times, museums and classes, with prices
Library storytimes in HartfordBaby, toddler and preschool storytimes by day and branch
Thanksgiving weekend in HartfordParades, turkey trots and what’s open on Thursday
Noon Year’s Eve in HartfordKid-friendly countdowns, home by nap
Christmas parades in HartfordParades and tree lightings with dates and start times
Christmas trains in HartfordPolar Express, Santa and lights trains with datesThe Nutcracker in HartfordBallet and touring shows, sensory-friendly flagged
Christmas markets in HartfordChristkindlmarkts and winter wonderlands with hours
Christmas break in HartfordWhat’s open on Dec 24, Dec 25 and Jan 1
This week in HartfordDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every ThursdayGood questions
Winterfest Hartford (Downtown Hartford); Ralph Walker Ice Rink (New Haven); International Skating Center of Connecticut (Simsbury). Two are holiday or outdoor rinks, listed first; indoor rinks with public skating follow.
Winterfest Hartford: Opens Fri, Nov 27. Dates come from each rink’s own page, and warm or wet weather can close outdoor rinks for the day.
Winterfest Hartford: Free; skate rental Free skate rentals. Ralph Walker Ice Rink: $8 New Haven residents, $10 nonresidents; skate rental Available on site, first come first served. International Skating Center of Connecticut: $10 walk-in; skate rental $5. Prices are the rink’s own and can change on holidays.
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 30, 2026, and we recheck them every week from October through February. How we choose and check.
One short email every Thursday evening with the best things to do with little ones in Hartford that weekend, rinks included.
