Momz and dadz.....what's your goal with kidz and skiing?

[Trekchick]

I have a friend with a 2(almost 3) year old who was on skis last year within 3 weeks of turning two.
I have another friend who has kids that are not going to go skiing until they're school age, 5-6 years old.

This got me thinking, I'd probably be the kind of parent who had jr on skis as soon as he/she could .......much like friend A.

There are so many options when it comes to kids and skiing, day care, on slope programs, etc......

Thoughts?

 

[billski]

Your friend has an extraordinary kid. Most are not like that.

Our three girls started at age four. It really depends what side of "age three" they are at. Even at age four, it's mostly just "walking around on skis" for the first year or two. Of course, there are exceptional kids who really get with it early. In my experience with my own kids and many other families, most kids don't really get much out of it for the first couple years - it's just playing outside, so don't sweat it.

You will do whatever you want to do with your kids, but they have to be comfortable and ready to do it, otherwise no dice. The last thing you want is for them to have a bad experience. For the first few years, we spent more time eating junky pizza, hot cocoa and warming up than we did on skis. And for our kids, that was just fine. By the time they were early teens, they were woods skiing with me , doing black diamonds and going in the park. They were comfortable going anywhere, anytime.

Even with your good lead and enthusiasm, you have to follow their lead. My overarching goal was that they are having fun and enjoying a day outside and learning a skill they will have for their lifetime.

 

[severine]

We had Mags on skis at 2.5 years old, but not formally (no lessons here until they're 4 years old). She went on the magic carpet a couple of times last season at 3.5 years old and will have lessons this winter. Ethan... we had plastic skis for him last year but he didn't use them, just coveted them. This winter he will be on skis at 2.5 years old--in fact, that's his Christmas present! No lessons, of course, but I figure he can shuffle around on the flats while his sister is in lessons.

I will say that whether lessons will go well remains to be seen. My daughter is very shy and a group lesson may not work for her. If that's the case, Brian will probably teach her--I don't think I can. But I do not want her to be left with a bad impression. Right now she LOVES skiing and can't wait to go. I'd like to keep it that way.

 

[wa-loaf]

My daughter started at 3, but she hasn't made much progress, partly because she just hasn't been out much and she has some OT issues. She's behind her peers on things like cutting paper and drawing, which has her getting special help in school. But she enjoys being out there, so I'll keep it up until things click.

My son I took out a few times last year at 2, but that was just for some sliding around. He doesn't have the issues my daughter has so I have some hope for him to pick things up quickly this year.

 

[drjeff]

Both my kids were on skis within 2.5 months of turning two for their 1st turns (thank you Killington ski school and that they take 2 year olds for at least a familiarize themselves with the equipment/snow). Then as 3 year olds Mount Snow GREAT cub camp program took over, and now this year I'll have both of them in Mount Snow's snow camp. The oldest one (almost 6) is really turning into a good little ripper, the youngest one, if he takes after his sister's progress (and he has so far) will likely be making some parallel turns by the end of this season

I'm REALLY looking forward to filling up a quad chair with the whole family lots of times this season!

 

[RootDKJ]

Isn't the universal goal to keep the kids off snowboards? :smash: :lol:


(couldn't resist)

 

[4aprice]

Isn't the universal goal to keep the kids off snowboards? :smash: :lol:


(couldn't resist)

We were told that kids shouldn't snowboard till 6 or 7 due to bone strength. That being said we put both our children on ski's at 3 1/2. We started them in the Powder Pandas program at Buttermilk Colorado and never looked back. Today my 16 year old daughter is entering her 2nd year instructing at Camelback in the childrens program and love's it. She actually had lost her love for skiing until taking the job but we never forced her to ski and she said that was key in resparking her interest. Our son has been "into it" since steping on to a pair of skis. He's taken the competition route and is entering his first year in J3 classification after competing in the PA state championship last year as a J4. He is also a quasi Park Rat. Skiing has been a wonderful family recreation and we've had some quality family time and great trips. Its funny how now that they are getting older they ski with mom and dad less and less. While my wife is probably a little bummed about that I'm enjoying the quasi dating scene with her again.


Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[lloyd braun]

My child will be 2 on April 1st. He will be out there for his first time as soon as the weather gets nice in the spring.

 

[Method9455]

I don't have kids yet but my plan is to start early but selectively pick the right days and keep them short. Going up to the mountain for 2-3 hours in March is a lot better than dragging them along for hours in January. How many times do you see the kids having a miserable experience and the parents ignoring it? What an awful way to go about it.

 

[WWF-VT]

Both my kids were on real skis and took their first lessons in kid programs at Stowe and Sugarbush at age four. An instructor who focused on younger kids said that age four is a good age in a child's development to begin lessons. My youngest now skis in the Adventure Blazers program and older son switched to snowboarding and on the Freestyle development team. Both kids really enjoyed being out when they were young.

 

[Trekchick]

My Friend's little girl just slid on snow with the aid of mom, dad, friend(s), for most of the season, but she begged to go.
The idea, as per an instructor, was to have the person she was skiing toward, to move slightly left or right, but not so far that she was unsafe, to see if she instinctively steered toward the target person.

By the end of ski season, she started to do that a bit. We'll see how she does this year, eh?

Not sure if you can view this video link, but here is her first time skiing.
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=120825110017

 

[hobbes]

We started our daughter at 3+ in Bromley and Smugglers Notch. We followed up at 4+ last year and, especially at Smugglers, she made great progress. We got to ski with her after the "Cookie Race" on Thursday afternoon and were amazed she could get on and off the kids (lower) lift and ski right down the hill. I am very pleased with Smugglers, as they seem to really "get it" with young kids. Hoping we've started our daughter on the road to being a lifetime skier!

 

[marcski]

The only real key with kids and starting them skiing is to make sure they're having fun. You have to take your queues from the kids themselves.

My oldest (now 6) has a January birthday, I started her the winter she was turning 4. I tried a lesson and she had a good day. Then we went somewhere else and she saw a little kid with a leash skiing with her parents and wanted that. So the next weekend, I had her in a harness with a leash. She did quite well. She enjoyed being with Daddy and soon, I was able to keep a lot of slack in the leash. By the end of that season, I was able to convince her to let me take the leash off. This will be her 4th season, we already picked up her leased skis for the season and she is psyched. Depending on the terrain she was beginning to be a solid parallel skier. If the terrain or the conditions get a little more intimidating, she'll revert to a bit of a stem/plow. But last spring, when the snow softened and was more giving, she was psyched to ski some bump runs! I have put her in lessons here and there a few times a season but to be honest I think we both enjoy skiing together so that's what we end up doing. She's great and will ski all day with me. I take her pretty much at least one day a week all season long...sometimes we'll do weekends and ski 2 as well.

This winter, I just picked up the "baby" skis for the first time. She turned 3 in June. She is super psyched to start. We talk about it all the time. I am going to start her on the harness/leash again with me. I think what makes it so enjoyable for them is that they get quality time not only outdoors playing in the snow but also spending it with me and their mom.

Keep it fun for them....so it instills a love of the sport. I've skied my entire life...so I have no problems giving my girls a few winters of my skiing time to teach and enjoy them. It's something my Dad did for me and I still remember and cherish those days with him.

 

[crank]

My son is 16 and loves skiing. Last season was the year that he started beating me down groomers and glades. My years of experience still allow me to beat him in bumps and on real sketchy runs - but I have no illusions of that lasting for very long. I started him on little kiddie skis at 2.5 just in our yard and maybe at the base of a mountain or 2. No instruction or turning - just a bit of sliding and getting used to having boards strapped on. At 3.5 he had a week in a ski program out in Utah and a couple of days back east at Kmart and Flatton. No leash, but the Edgie Wedgie really seemed to help.

He soon grew an aversion to lessons so i spent a lot of time skiing with him. My philosophy was to make it fun and not overload him with instruction. There were plenty of teaching opportunities that I took advantage of - but the most important thing is mileage, that and the old tried and true method of learning by following.

Oh, I forgot, my goal was for my kid to love skiing and become a good all around skier...perhaps even more important to me was the goal of sharing my love of the sport with him.

 

[mikestaple]

Keep it fun.

Oldest two started skiing at 6 and 4. Dedicated ski lessons (all day) at the Loaf. They loved it and were soon making me chase them down the long greens at Bretton Woods (note - if your child is fearless, they will love the speed and won't want to turn, no matter how much pizza wedge they think they know).

The oldest is now 10, is a very cautious kid, but still looks for the glades and moguls and parks - just to have fun.

The 4 year old is turning 8 and is quite a jock. She started snowboarding last year and used her confidence in her crazy gymnastic skills to demand that she start doing it.

The youngest was on the leash at the Loaf at 2.5. Has great balance and the mentality of a linebacker - loves to wipe out and no problem planting his face in the snow. He can get up by himself when he wipes out, but even at the age of 4, he hasn't figured out the pizza wedge. So you never know. As the youngest he is totally motivated to keep up with the older siblings and initially hates the idea of going to ski school when the others aren't, but does like it once he is there. In general, though, I think 4 is the age when they really start to become teachable.

So, it really is a matter of 1) let them have fun. And 2) let the kid and their personality be your guide.

 

[gladerider]

my 12.5 years old and 11 years old started at 4 and 3.5 respectively. i tried the 11 years old when she was at 2.5, but did not really work out. both of them were taught at tremblant ski school for 4 years. they both love skiing. i'd say it's about leg strengths. i think my daughters had enough leg strengths when they were around 4-5 years old. they can pretty much ski any terrain. they both switched to snowboarding 2 seasons ago. they both enjoy riding.

 

[KingM]

My 9 year old twins still lack a lot of stamina. They were big on skiing last year but started to whine about midway through the year, when they'd been up around 10 times. My 14 year old is good to go whenever he can, but isn't so into it that he bugs me to go skiing when I haven't brought it up.

The little guy was begging to go two years ago ("Me 'ki too?!") but last year he had second thoughts. This year he just turned four and has been asking about it whenever the subject comes up so we're going to give him a shot, see how he does.

 

[tarponhead]

My philosophy was to make it fun and not overload him with instruction. There were plenty of teaching opportunities that I took advantage of - but the most important thing is mileage, that and the old tried and true method of learning by following.

Oh, I forgot, my goal was for my kid to love skiing and become a good all around skier...perhaps even more important to me was the goal of sharing my love of the sport with him.

That pretty much sums up my approach. A little different for us however as I just turned them onto skiing last year so as a 11 and 14 yo, I do not have the issues parents of toddlers have to work with. The 14 yo is cautous (go figure) so I know not to push him to much. The 11 yo (now 12) is fearless. He wants to try snowboarding this winter which is fine (after I already picked up the seasonal rentals :smash: ). But I want him to get acclimated on skis again before dabbling with the darkside. :flame:

 

[SkiDork]

like drjeff, we let Killington ski school take care of things. They started skiing at 2. The 2 year olds just go out once on the morning and once in the afternoon for about 45 mins on the magic carpet. They always made it fun for them, the key to it all.

At 3, they would go out for a little longer. I would sometimes take them out on the leash for an afternoon (3 was the optimal age for that) and just let them go as fast as they wanted, not worrying about turns. Again, just let them have fun.

Killington Ministars started at 4, and they both did for 2 years. Full day programs but back then K had a season pass for those which was quite a bargain. THey had great instructors all the way through, and being at the top end of the program usually had small class sizes.

They both did 2 years of racing training at KSC age 6 and 7, then transitioned into freestyle.

Now, the older one (age 12) is going into his 1st year of A level mogul competition. The younger one (age 9) is starting her 2nd year of B moguls.

If not for the excellent training they did at K and KSC, they would never be where they are today. My wife and I both realize we would never have been able to train them ourselves.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

we started both of our girls at 2.5 years...the first season was me and the wife using the kid-ski system, having fun, having plenty of snacks in the jacket...we started them at smuggs for the formal training (best left to the experts, your kids wont push their buttons as they will yours...any you get some quailty ski time in) by the end of age 3 they were snowplowing making their way down the hill (with harness) and by age 4 they were skiing on their own,,,now the 7 yr old is with pole and parralling....its awesome when the 4 yr old walks into the workshop, grabs her skis off the rack and says "daddy, can we wax my skis??"....keep it fun