Introducing A 4-year Old To Skiing

[ThinkSnow]

Hey all, I'm looking for some advice. I want to get my 4 year old nephew into skiing this year, and I have no clue the steps I should take (or the equipment). I've heard that getting them into lessons is a much better idea than trying to teach them yourselves.

 

If anyone has any suggestions at all, or training gear you're looking to get rid of cheap, let me know!

 

Thanks!

[AtomicSkier]

Hey all, I'm looking for some advice. I want to get my 4 year old nephew into skiing this year, and I have no clue the steps I should take (or the equipment). I've heard that getting them into lessons is a much better idea than trying to teach them yourselves.

 

If anyone has any suggestions at all, or training gear you're looking to get rid of cheap, let me know!

 

Thanks!

do what ski did, and get them Atomic junior race skis

[skigurl]

Lesson are good if you don't think you have the ability to teach them, my dad taught me from 18 months till I was about 3 and then they put me and my best friend in lessons(kind of as a daycare, because our parents were ski patrol) but if you're ganna teach them, for a four year old, I would teach him the basic wedge(call it pizza, they seem to like that, and once you get up to parallel skiing I called that french fries) but teach him pizza and then on a week night when the mountain is empty take them on the bunny slope(CB would be coolmoor or sunbowl) and just kind of let him go, staying at his side but with enough room to experiment. If he is a tiny 4 year old and you are comfortable enough you can try putting him in between your skis and do nice big wedge turns down coolmoor so he gets the feel of where his skis are going to be. Just some side information that I?ve heard from ski reps and ski instructors someone under the age of 5 shouldn't be on shaped skis, something about it messes the leg growth plates up or something (but I?m pretty sure skis' daughter's skis are shape so you might wanna look further into that) and the leashes can mess the child?s back up and later in life make them ski "in the backseat"

 

Hope this helps

[Ski]

Will he be 4, 4 /1/2, or almost 5?

 

Firstly, for about $100, you can get a seasonal rental for boots and skis (I'd advise you rent a helmet, too, which adds about $15). Also, don't bother with poles, they just get in the way.

 

Or, if you are skidudebay savy, there are deals like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=3684632017

Or even better, if you keep a look out.

 

A good size for a 4-year-old is 80cm skis.

 

Wanna have him skiing the first day? Get tip locks. They are Velcroe straps that are glued to the tips, then you clip the ends together. They keep the tips locks, yet flexible enough to steer the skis. A wedge lock, which is a bar that go behind the boot to keep the wedge shape, are okay, but not necessary.

Then comes the lift harness. It allows you to pick the child up with a handle on their back and drop them on the lift seat and hoist them off and away from the lift at the top.

 

Lastly, is the snowboarder's biggest enemy: the leash. A good leash, such as from Applerise, folds up into a pouch that the child wears around their hips, then you pull it out at the top. A kiddie leash is the most misused item; it's for turning the kid's hips, not lowering them down the mountain. When you need to come down a headwall, it's great to keep them under control, but a leash is meant to steer the kid's hips and get them to understand how to turn.

 

Here's the Applerise website:

 

http://www.applerise.com/merchant2/merchan...de=1000-1-DHSKI

 

It's my opinion that ski class lessons for any kids under 7 turn out to be babysitting in the Poconos. If you are headed to Okemo, the lessons are to teach them to ski; here, they are to teach them to play and kill time.

 

Make sure your kid is warm and has mittens or gloves that will stay on. Figure to keep their interest for two hours the first day, then more each subsequent day.

 

A baggie with Swedish Fish, Lifesavers, or Skittles for the top of the lift. It makes the whole process of going up the lift a good thing. When you get off and head to a place to get ready, reward them with a Skittle.

 

Coming down the left side of Sunbowl is a good starting point, with a good pitch, although the liftline starts in a crappy spot, where you end up poling and skating too much. It's a lot easier to stop skiing with him, pack up the leash, and pick him up in your arms while you still have enough slope to keep up speed to the lift line.

 

Skiing with a leashed kid means you spend a lot of time snowplowing behind him. Be prepared to have sore hipflexer muscles.

 

Lastly, I can loan you tip locks, the 1 piece ski bar, and the training video.

 

Any way to give a little back to Brown!

Edited August 3, 2004 by ski999

[Ski]

"I?ve heard from ski reps and ski instructors someone under the age of 5 shouldn't be on shaped skis, something about it messes the leg growth plates up or something (but I?m pretty sure skis' daughter's skis are shape so you might wanna look further into that) and the leashes can mess the child?s back up and later in life make them ski "in the backseat"

 

They actually found that shaped skis were no problem; that children who were vulnerable, had the same risk whether parobolic, or not. Shape skis work for kids just like they do for adults; they make an easier carved turn.

And Skigurl is 100% right about leashes: if you use them to "lower" the kid down the mountain, it teaches them to lean forward or backwards. A leash is MUCH safer than having the kid between your legs. But the leash is to be used exactly like turning a horse. Constantly pulling back just slows them down and teaches them nothing.

[ThinkSnow]

Thanks for the help guys, lots of good ideas for the winter to come, and lots of shopping to do. Ski, he will be about 4 and a half during ski season.

 

If I were to start him on the 80 cm skis, could I get more than a year out of a purchase? Just wondering if it would be more worthwhile to rent if I'm just going to be buying more next year.

 

I need some new gear this year, so I'll shop for the kid too... should be fun to get him out there.

[Ski]

If you buy them new, you can sell 80's for roughly the same price on EBay. 80cm skis hold their value and are a one of the most sought after ski lengths for kids. At 5 1/2, he'll likely be on 100's or 110's.

[ERS]

195 Made'n AKs should do the trick!

 

But if you really think 80's are too small, why not try a pair of snowblades?

Edited June 26, 2004 by ERS

[AtomicSkier]

because they don't release...

 

greg, and don't get any ideas about bringin a little runt while we're skiing....the girlfriend is enough for me to deal with

[Ski]

Did the GF go to Vegas?

[AtomicSkier]

Did the GF go to Vegas?

yea, they both went

[Ski]

That would certainly limit my list of activities.

[skifreak]

I would get him a season rental or get the skis that you can get on ebay, like ski said. If you don't want axis skis if I remember correctly I think the seller also sells atomic skis. As much as I hate to say this I would get the kid a leash and a wedge lock. We purchased those items from apple sports and they had my little cousin skiing in one day so I highly reccomend them.

[skifreak]

I would get him a season rental or get the skis that you can get on ebay, like ski said. If you don't want axis skis if I remember correctly I think the seller also sells atomic skis. As much as I hate to say this I would get the kid a leash and a wedge lock. We purchased those items from apple sports and they had my little cousin skiing in one day so I highly reccomend them.

[skigurl]

the ski wedges work great but get a good one, the old ones they used to make wern't that great, at age 2 1/2 i learned how to get it off while going down the mountain

[skifreak]

I only know of one company that makes the wedge lock which is apple sports. Also check out this website www.kidski.com it has everything you need from equipment to the leash.

 

Sorry about the double post above I got an error when I hit submit.

Edited June 26, 2004 by skifreak

[sibhusky]

Definitely do the leash thing and DON'T do the between the legs thing. Most adults are too tall, and end up partially picking up the kid, throwing off his balance, etc. Make sure when you do the leash that you teach them to put their hands on their knees, this will help them with the balance issue. I don't really think you need the leash that steers the hips, the leash that just comes from the back and controls their speed is just fine as long as they have their hands on their knees. Also, you can tell them to push the left leg with their hand in order to get them to turn if they do that. I had my daughter for one and a half seasons on the leash until she could stop: 1) with a snowplow, 2) by turning uphill, or 3) falling down on my command. Once she proved she could control her speed all these ways, she was allowed off leash. I see these kids barrelling down the hill laying railroad tracks and I think their parents should be shot. Turning and speed control are integral to learning to ski.

 

One other thing, lay off any poles until the kid's form and rhythm are right. The poles throw them off of their form otherwise. I tried poles with my daughter and then took them back for a season and just had her watching the correct use of poles by other skiers in the meantime. It gave her terrific skating ability and when she started to use her poles she did it right.

 

Lessons for kids who are under seven are just a way of having your kid babysat while you have fun. Not every instructor can teach kids and not every kid is a good student at that age. If you are a good teacher, it will go a LONG way for your future bonding later in life to spend the time with the kid now. (I forget whether this was YOUR kid, tho.) You need patience, low expectations, and good humor. Only take them on warmish days and try to avoid unpleasant things like long lift lines. Assume they will have to pee one hour into it. Assume that there will be lots of hot chocolate consumed. And assume that you will be exhausted.

 

I'd do seasonal rentals myself, it's not that expensive and there are several places along Camelback road that do it. Then if something is too long/too short, etc., you just exchange it.

Edited June 27, 2004 by sibhusky

[insomniac]

My mom just had a baby in July, And of course I plan to teach him to ski. I wanna start as early as possible, but I don't expect much out've him. He should be around 1 year and 4 months when I first try. Is this too early? I'll haveto see if he can talk and walk at this age, I don't know much about kids. I tought my friend how to ski in a day or so, so I'm sure I can teach him (the baby). But I'll haveto find another method because I'm sure I can't just push him down the hill.

[ThinkSnow]

Let me preface this comment with the fact that I obviously don't know much about teaching kids how to ski.

 

1yr 4mo seems way early to me... most kids can't walk all that well and can barely talk if at all... I don't know, just seems like maybe wait another year

 

Ski? Sib? when did you start the young'ens?

[AtomicSkier]

didnt ski start his daughter at age 2? greg how olds your nephew?

[Ski]

Kids don't have to be able to walk when you use the Apple Rise gear. Their tips are locked and they are basically locked onto a pole with handles that wedges between their legs. It's like you are skiing down a slope as the steering back oarsman in a canoe. I'd get halfway down a slope and check to see if she was still awake. We started that at 18 months. They aren't really learning much at that age...it's just something to do for a couple of hours. Most kids need to be at least three to start picking up skills.

[skigurl]

everyone told my parents that it was to soon when i was a little over a year old, but my dad went and talked to a few pedatric(sp) doctors and they said it would be fine, I couldn't do much talking so they relied alot on facial expression

[SnowBunny]

because they don't release...

 

greg, and don't get any ideas about bringin a little runt while we're skiing....the girlfriend is enough for me to deal with     

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Excuse me Mr.! You think I wouldn't read your little comments. You are just jealous because you don't have a cute girlfriend with a cool name

[SnowBunny]

Did the GF go to Vegas?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Darn right I went to Vegas! It was my college graduation present from my man! We had so much fun that we want to go back TOGETHER real soon!

[AtomicSkier]

Excuse  me Mr.!  You think I wouldn't read your little comments.  You are just jealous because you don't have a cute girlfriend with a cool name 

 

haha! No offense to you, but i have no patience for n00bs whatsoever. btw, you do have the coolest name ever. Names like greg, well they're just cheesey!