Can you make a ice rink in the yard without a tarp?

When I was young, my father flooded our back yard with water that, due to the cold temperature, turned to ice. To make a "rink", I believe he started with a light spray of water, then let that freeze. Every day he would add more water until it was great to skate on. When my brother and his friends messed up the surface playing hockey, my father would just spray on another coat of water. So the answer is yes, you can make an ice rink without a tarp. Just be aware that in the spring, the yard will be muddy and it's possible that some of the grass won't survive. I really don't remember much about the condition of the grass by summer, but I do remember doing cartwheels, having our own "carnival" and "sun bathing" in our back yard, so it couldn't have been too bad. ;) Hope this helps.

you'll have to have something to keep the water contained, and to prevent it from just seeping into the soil. You might be able to make a wooden frame of a desired size ( will have to be large unless for very young children ), put something - shower curtains, plastic drop cloths, etc. -- but tarps are not expensive -- you just have to have a frame deep enough to hold a desired level of water -- and continuously cold weather!

Make sure to outline you skating rink with something that will show thru a layer of snow....Red ribbon, stakes with lights, etc... some one cutting across your yard (if it is not fenced) could slip on the ice and fall badly if they cannot see the ice.

Yes as long as you get the ice thick, it is best to do on a day where it will freeze quicker then you would alleviate the need for the tarp to hold the water.

If you can have a barrier of snow for edges & bottom it helps with keeping the water in to get the first layer started, do this on a very cold day then after first layer is frozen add additional layers till you have a nice enough layer for skating.

Linda has got it! That is exactly the way I made ice rinks when my kids were growing up. Once it was below freezing construction started. Layering the water over ice made the smoothest and clearest ice rink.

Truthfully, I didn't care either. I was too young. What I remember the most was my brother & his friends playing hockey when I wanted to figure skate like Tenley Albright. To this day, I still don't like hockey. LOL

If your soil is well drained, you may have a challenge! I grew up where the soil was largely clay, and the heavy rains would pond in one area... and freeze when conditions were just right.