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

[gorgonzola]

i started my 3 kids all around ages 4-5, i waited until then as i felt is was critical for everyones fun factor for them to be able to have that level of strength, direction following and communications abilitiies, and maybe most importantly - carry their own sh!t!!! i still get loaded down like a pack mule though..we did ski-wee/explorers programs at blue and had a great experience. it was a blast when they were young but i certainly don't miss the lower back pain from pole straddle (or harness with the youngest)!!!

 

[Smellytele]

I have 3 boys. The oldest started at 4.5 and was skiing everything by 6 - black diamonds, hiking over to Mittersil, bumps and what have you. My middle started at 3 and he is a little more cautious and took everything a little slower and still does at 8. My youngest started getting the gear on at 2 and is now 6 and can or at least tries everything. He was skiing double blacks just after his 6th birthday at Squaw last year. Each kid will be different and you just have to judge it and take it as it comes. Never force them but the hardest thing may be don't let them get in over their heads when they think they can ski anything.

 

[witch hobble]

The goal is always to foster a love of the sport. I won't get into the ages my daughters started because it makes me seem like I'm some sort of Earl Woods type trying to mold them into the next Picabo or Bode or whoever. I'm not. But they did start young enough that I carried a diaper bag to the hill and we would often ski in the morning and then head home for nap time in their own beds.

Techniques generally relate to the parent's own relationship with skiing. Do you live near the slopes? How flexible is the schedule? Are you willing to spend a bluebird afternoon snowplowing around the bunny slope, having conversations with lift operators and strangers and other kids, and occaisionally skiing in between hot chocolate breaks?

I was always scared that in the ski school or ski and play mountain programs they might be exposed to kids crying and complaining about all the clothes and how uncomfortable the boots are and generally whining about skiing. And I know whining is contagious. That fear might have been unreasonable, but they were to young for any of the programs anyway. I guess that sort of makes me like a home schooling parent when it comes to skiing.

If they can walk, they are never too young to have a pair of skis on. In the living room, in the yard, at the playground, or at the mountain.

 

[Greg]

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.

While I agree with most of what you say here, I think all kids are different so there is no set age range. I do think that any efforts before 3 years old are really just planting a seed for an eventual love of skiing. But again all kids are different and there are exceptions.

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.

...

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

Totally. And it's easy for everyone involved to have fun if you go into the day not expecting too much. The "snack break" is one of the biggest part of the ski day for my kids and that's fine. It's really about getting them into the skiing lifestyle as much as it is learning the skills on the hill. I never expect too much, yet I'm always impressed with the progress.

i started my 3 kids all around ages 4-5, i waited until then as i felt is was critical for everyones fun factor for them to be able to have that level of strength, direction following and communications abilitiies, and maybe most importantly - carry their own sh!t!!! i still get loaded down like a pack mule though.

Right on. My oldest started at 3 turning 4. The first season at age 4 was all magic carpet pretty much until her last day when I finally convinced her (actually carried her) to go on the chair. She can be timid at times so sometimes we need to gently nudge her to try things. She loved the chair ride after the first time and never looked at the magic carpet again after that. She's now skiing with poles and starting to link turns better. Still mostly greens with a blue run or two mixed in. She's not overly aggressive, but that's fine. She can take it at her own pace.

I started my youngest last year after turning 3. She immediately took to it quicker and was on the chairlift on day one. She's more aggressive and despite being a peanut, more athletic than her older sister by nature so I wasn't surprised. I suspect she'll be skiing independently by the end of December.

With both kids I did the Jim G. method of an Edgie-Wedgie on the tips and then I ski backwards in front of them and control their speed with a ski pole looped under the Edgie-Wedgie. Eventually you can start lightening up on the pole or removing it entirely on a flatter run-outs and just let them coast to a stop. I don't know why I never tried the harness thing but I just feel it makes them too dependent on the parent for speed control vs. figuring out how to wedge and dig the inner edges in. My oldest absolutely hated every lesson we tried to put her in. She just wants "to ski with daddy". So I've taken on the instructor role. So far, so good. I'll try to put my youngest in a lesson or two as she probably will respond different. As I said all kids are different.

The key for us is having a great hill so close. While it would be nice to be pass holders at a bigger hill up north, it's really overkill for little kids. Plus Sundown has skiing that I like too so when the whole family goes, I can watch the kids while my wife takes a few runs, and then we switch. I think this year we'll probably be able to all ski together off the top of the hill. Plus being so close we can zip up there for a few hours and not burn an entire day. I'm really looking forward to all skiing together as a family the next several years.

 

[2knees]

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


to never have them use the letter z as a replacement for s........

 

[Trekchick]

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


to never have them use the letter z as a replacement for s........

Mom, Iz dat U?

I had no idea you were on AZ!
:lol:

I agree with Greg that any child under 3 is just out there getting acclimated and will not likely learn much except for a love of it for a year or two.

Here are the rules that my friend uses:

• Practice putting ski clothing and gear on before you take them skiing. - finding finger and thumb holes is not always easy.(or should I say EZ)
• If she put her gear on and decided not to go out, they never pushed it. This is supposed to be fun. - This only happened once because she loves going outside.
• When she was done, they said okay and took her inside - Don't forget that this is the seed. Little muscles and minds can get fatigued mucho quick
• They also made it clear that sometimes dad goes without her - let he know now that she is not always going, just because she wants to.

I think this is a pretty good foundation for starters.

 

[billski]

Mom, Iz dat U?

I had no idea you were on AZ!
:lol:

I agree with Greg that any child under 3 is just out there getting acclimated and will not likely learn much except for a love of it for a year or two.

Here are the rules that my friend uses:

• Practice putting ski clothing and gear on before you take them skiing. - finding finger and thumb holes is not always easy.(or should I say EZ)
• If she put her gear on and decided not to go out, they never pushed it. This is supposed to be fun. - This only happened once because she loves going outside.
• When she was done, they said okay and took her inside - Don't forget that this is the seed. Little muscles and minds can get fatigued mucho quick
• They also made it clear that sometimes dad goes without her - let he know now that she is not always going, just because she wants to.

I think this is a pretty good foundation for starters.

"I'm done" is subject to interpretation. When I thought she was done for the day, after that declaration, we sat in the lodge for nigh on an hour, pigging out on junk food. Then she puts down the candy bar and says, "I'm ready. Let's go out." Most important learning was to take their lead.

Finger and thumb holes? We only did mittens, which were far easier to slip hand warmers into (the secret weapon of success.)

If you find something they enjoy, stick with it. We spent all day once in the terrain park taking on air. She was all smiles.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

The goal...have fun and get them hooked young.

How's it working in my house...my 4yr old daughter asked me to put Ski Movie 2, High Society, in the dvd player last week. Her halloween costume is the Snow Princess...she picked it out herself. She was playing on plastic skis in the living room at 14mo, outside in the snow in the yard at 17mo and her first day at the mountain at 20months...it was a 50deg march day and she spent the whole time between my legs, mostly with me holding her. But she laughed the whole time and had a blast. At 2.5 she was into real boots and skis with bindings...skied with me 6 days (too young for lessons) on the leash, tip lock, etc...she did okay and we kept it short with the emphasis on fun...once she had enough I'd pick her up and finish the run with her in my arms...there's no point in telling a 2.5yr old that she has to ski to the bottom. Last year she was 3.5, second pair of skis and boots...had her out 10 times, she skied with friends, we had some ups and downs, but mostly ups. We ditched the leash and tip lock towards the end of the season. My brilliant wife saved the day by getting her to play "dragons" flapping her arms as she skied down the hill...we spent the next 2 days on the hill with her and us flapping away. One weekend in march we had the breakthrough...she learned how to turn and stop on her own...and we were only supposed to ski on Sat, head home that night...I asked her if she'd rather go home and see Mommy and the cat, or stay up and ski again...her answer brought a tear to my eye...and we had a blast playing follow the leader the next day. This year we're looking to put her into an afternoon program at a local hill and she's already got her pass for Sunday River and has been talking about skiing since August. I call her mini me.

 

[HD333]

Our twins who turn 6 in Dec have 2 seasons under their belt. Wa Wa Polar Kids Program the past two years. This year we are going with Gunstock, maybe a few private lessons, they asked not to do an all day program this year so no program for them. One wants to snowboard (like me) we told her after this season we she can try.

Goal:

Have fun and hang out as a family. Like Dr. Jeff said fill up the quad with the family. Apres' with a beer or 2 for Mom and Dad and some hot chocolate and swedish fish for the girls.

 

[frozencorn]

My son just turned two last month. I aim to get him in some boots and skis and sort of just have him walk around the mountain come spring when he'll be 2 1/2. Just sort of get him used to everything. Then next winter we'll see about getting on the bunny hills and go from there. Looking forward to it.

 

[TeleMac]

Kids

Slow and steady.

My son had a few hours intro at 2.6 years of age at a lil' place in the Catskills with mellow terrain, a furry mascot, plenty of hot chocolate, and lots of other friendly tikes. Come to think of it, he never did anything that day that you could actually call skiing. But, most importantly, he got the "idea" of it -- fun in the snow and cold. The rest of his "skiing" that year consisted of sledding and long hours at the local hills. Again, the focus was on sustained fun in the snow and cold. My point? Kids need to know that if they are dressed warmly and well cared for, there is nothing more fun than glisse in its many varieties.

When he was 3.5 we took him skiing again and he was ready to rock the 300 feet of vert at the local ski hill. For his 4th birthday, we went to Mt. Tremblant which has a terrific kids program. After three days of lessons, he was able to ski the long green and blue run (4 KMs long) from the top of the gondola. He was hugely proud of himself and has never looked back. At age 11, he still loves to ski with us and his friends.