Peter G., New Hampshire YardRink Owner Since 2025

A young child wearing a helmet and winter gear balances while holding a folding chair on a backyard ice rink, with an adult holding a toddler ice skating in the background

Years ago, when my kids were young, we had a backyard rink. I purchased a kit and built it myself – and honestly, I dreaded it. 

The skating was great, but the setup was a battle. The liner always had holes, the rink needed constant maintenance, and there was a lot of frustration. I did it for years, but it was never easy. 

Now I’m retired, and with grandkids in the picture, I wanted to bring the joy of the experience back. Just without all the headaches!

I did a lot of research before deciding what to buy. I looked at used options and different kits, but the YardRink design stood out.

Having the tarp on the outside made a lot of sense to me, and it felt like something that would actually hold up over time. 

Setting it up with my son-in-law was straightforward, which was a huge change from what I remembered. Once it was up, it just worked. We had a fantastic winter, and the ice held up even through a few warmer days. My old rink would have drained out throughout the winter and needed to be refilled. Takedown in the spring was also a breeze. The stackable design of the boards made it very easy to drain and dry out for storage.

The best part has been watching my granddaughters enjoy it. One is just a year old, so we give her rides on the ice. The other is almost three, and back in December, she could barely move holding the chair. Now she’s skating around on her own. 

After so many years, it’s amazing to see how far rink kits have come. This time around, it’s something I actually look forward to doing. 

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A young child wearing a hockey helmet and a light blue "Timbits" jersey shoots a puck on a snow-bordered backyard ice rink.

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