Rinky-dinks

Jori Klein

Wollman Rink

Jori Klein

Take kids ice skating in the morning and you'll avoid both lines and teenage speed demons. Go on a wintry eve and you'll be gliding (or slip-sliding) on a frozen cloud amid a heavenly mix of stars, holiday lights and some of the city's most stunning night skylines.

Wollman Rink, Central Park

Skating after dark at Wollman Rink is like skating in a postcard—an elegant circle of white at the center of weeping willows, with those Manhattan towers rising above, all lit up. It's so fabulous, you might be able to convince your kids that waiting for an eternity in a ticket line that can snake to Sixth Avenue is a privilege.

How late? Wed, Thu till 10pm; Fri, Sat till 11pm; Sun till 9pm

Hot chocolate? The hot chocolate at the full snack bar ($2, $2.50 with whipped cream) gets rave reviews, as do the french fries.

Wollman Rink, Central Park, enter at Sixth Ave at 59th St (212-439-6900; www.wollmanskatingrink.com). $8.50–$11, children and seniors $4.25–$7.50. Skate rental (from kids' size 7) $4.75. Lock rental $3.75 (plus $6.25 returnable lock deposit). (Note that these '04–'05 prices may increase.)

Lasker Rink, Central Park

At Lasker, you take less with a smile. It costs less, there's less of a line and less hype. There's less of a view, too, but you've still got the stars. This simple setting provides lockers, a snack bar, room to skate and a well-lit path to the rink from the park's 110th Street entrance. What's more, Lasker has two rinks, one for hockey and the other for general skating, which means that your five-year-old won't have to cling to you when one of those fun-loving, fast-skating teens goes for the puck. In fact, when the hockey kids are speeding around their own rink, an evening at Lasker can be downright peaceful.

How late? Tue–Sat till 10pm

Hot chocolate? Lasker's snack bar has hot chocolate ($1, $1.50 with whipped cream), along with nachos, pizza and hot dogs.

Lasker Rink, Central Park, enter at 110th St at Malcolm X Blvd (Lenox Ave) (917-492-3856; www.wollmanskatingrink.com/lasker.htm).$4.50, children and seniors $2.25. (Note that these '04–'05 prices may increase.) Skate rental $4.75 (from kids' size 7). Lock rental $2.75 plus $4 returnable lock deposit.

The Rink at Rockefeller Center

Rock Center tops this TONY Kids survey for longest lines and highest price, so save it for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Although the rink's so petite that novices must battle tourists for a spot against the wall and fast skaters can feel like hamsters spinning in a wheel, your kids will feel like the luckiest hamsters on earth. The setting is incredible: From the rink, you have views of the lights of midtown, the largest lit-up tree this side of the Chrysler Building, that fetching statue of Prometheus and the angels in Conservatory Gardens, all aglow. Children love the romance. Extra plus: Rowdy teenagers are priced out.

How late? Daily 90-minute sessions through midnight

Hot chocolate? Hot chocolate is available nearby at Cucina y Co ($2.50, take-out $2. Closes at 8pm, 6pm for take-out)

The Rink at Rockefeller Center, Fifth Ave between 48th and 49th Sts (212-332-7654; www.therinkatrockcenter.com). Ninety-minute session $9–$17, under 11 and seniors $7–$12. Skate rental (from kids' size 6) $7–$8.

Kate Wollman Rink, Prospect Park, Brooklyn

On a cold night at Kate Wollman Rink, you've got Brooklyn's melting pot and a $1 hot chocolate to warm you up. The 40-year-old Robert Moses facility won't thrill you, but the family atmosphere, the stars overhead and the general convenience of it all might. Lines are fairly short, the ice doesn't get too crowded, it's affordable, and this rink is close to public transportation (there's even free parking in the adjacent parking lot).

How late? Thu, Sun till 6pm; Fri till 9pm; Sat till 10pm.

Hot chocolate? That $1 hot chocolate is available from the low-key snack bar.

Kate Wollman Rink, Prospect Park, enter at Parkside and Ocean Aves, Brooklyn (718-287-6431; www.prospectpark.org, click on activities and ice skating). $5, seniors and under 15 $3. Skate rental (from kids' size 6) $5.