I was talking with my dad (the real ski expert) about the best ways for kids to learn to ski. My kids are getting to that age and I was wondering whether I should teach them or send them for ski lessons. I thought he would tell me to just do it. He didn’t…
“Leave it to the pros,” he said. Today’s ski mountains and resorts are well-equipped to teach kids to ski. From getting them into their ski equipment to dealing with their “uniqueness,” ski instructors, and especially their assistants, have more experience, patience, and objective understanding than parents. Following are five great strategies to get kids excited about downhill skiing.
1) Make it fun. Kids just want to have fun – it’s that simple. So – don’t put their ski boots on, put on their “space boots.” I mean, you don’t tell your kids to eat broccoli – you tell them to eat their “special miniature trees.” You don’t just ski down the mountain, you “follow the leader” – you get the idea.
2) Leave it to the pros (at least at first). After kids get some basic ski instruction, you can then help them nail down the basics. See Online Ski Lessons for more on this….
3) Repetition. Kids learn best through repetition. Many ski resorts now have conveyor belts (rather than chair lifts). This gets them up and down the beginner area quickly and allows for multiple runs, over and over again. This simple repetition is critical as kids needs to find their balance and learn to turn and stop. More runs also equals more fun!
4) Planning. Pick your day. Mid-week is best as there are less crowds. Shoot for good weather if at all possible. Most ski mountains have specials and package discounts that include lift ticket, ski equipment, and lessons.
5) Keep is short. Start with a 1/2 day. Most mountains have morning and afternoon ski lessons. Choose whichever works best for your kids. The time will fly by and they’ll be sad to leave- that’s OK. They’ll be exhausted, but eager to try again.
In short, make it fun and learning to ski will happen naturally. I hope this helps.
What do you think works best for kids?
June 5th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
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