best way to introduce snowboarding to my kids

[nrthest]

I've got 2 six year olds, a boy and a girl, and the boy has expressed interest in learning to snowboard. I would like to get both of them into it.. Any feedback advice etc. with similar experiences would be great. Things like..

Get them lessons or just teach 'em myself
Go to official mountain or just mess around in backyard / hill for a while first
Good places to get [used] equipment, etc.?

Thanks

 

[jlangdale]

My daughter is 7.5 now, been skiing for 2 good seasons, started on the 3rd year when she was 4 or 5. This was before I learned to snowboard. I'm trying to for the life of me to get her interested in snowboarding but she's comfortable skiing now so she wants nothing to do with going back to falling down. I guess I can't blame her. This is a common trend with skiers going to snowboard methinks.

I always start with minimal investment, renting can suck though. I usually hit a pawn shop for cheap gear to learn on. Last season I got a jeep k2 board with step in bindings for $70 bucks. Not to mention I had got a pair of $700 K2 merlin IVs w/bindings for $100 bucks. This season I upgraded to $900 snowboard setup once I figured I'm definately going to stick with it. I got my daughter new ski gear after she rented for a while and that worked out ok, but renting continually can suck. Sometimes like at Nashoba you can rent for the season which makes it easier.

I'm in the market for cheap tele-gear to learn this season. I'd get my daughter a cheap snowboard if I could get her to try it at least.

G'luck.

 

[Tyrolean_skier]

I've got 2 six year olds, a boy and a girl, and the boy has expressed interest in learning to snowboard. I would like to get both of them into it.. Any feedback advice etc. with similar experiences would be great. Things like..

Get them lessons or just teach 'em myself
Go to official mountain or just mess around in backyard / hill for a while first
Good places to get [used] equipment, etc.?

Thanks

My advice is to put them in lessons on a decent hill. They seem to whine less with instructors than they do with parents and that means they will learn better. My 6 year old would like to learn to snowboard too but I feel he should get much better at skiing before he tries it. He really enjoys skiing so far and I have him in the skiing program with the Killington Ski Club this year.

 

[nightingale]

My friend put his two oldest in a snowboard "camp" during a school vacation - 5 consecutive days they went from nothingness to accomplished boarders! They ride with us now wherever and whenever. I think the group/peer setting works well.

 

[SkiDork]

wow, nice bump from the past...

 

[Greg]

wow, nice bump from the past...

Far from his first... :roll:

 

[nightingale]

Hey I'm bored at work, what can I say? If they are "expired", should they not be archived or something? Exactly what is the "cutoff" before it is considered "old"? And what is the harm if it stimulates healthy discussion?

 

[Greg]

Hey I'm bored at work, what can I say? If they are "expired", should they not be archived or something? Exactly what is the "cutoff" before it is considered "old"? And what is the harm if it stimulates healthy discussion?

Not a big deal really, but how about starting some new threads? I've been known to bump old threads as well, but it seems most of your recent posts have all been bumps. Again, not a big deal, just a suggestion.

 

[Marc]

Now is that nightin-gale or nighting-ale?

Because the second would be way cooler...

 

[nightingale]

Now is that nightin-gale or nighting-ale?

Because the second would be way cooler...

How about the third way: NIGHT-IN-GALE - except you don't know my gender, so that could be a lil risky.

 

[marcski]

I spent many a late night listening to some good music and generally playing the merry prankster at Nightingale's, which used to be in the east village.