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Kids on Slopes

Starting Your Child Skiing or Snowboarding

When I introduce myself as a ski and snowboard instructor, I inevitably get asked, "How old does my child need to be to start skiing or snowboarding?"

While I hate to not give a direct answer, it really does depend! Each child is different, so here are some questions to help assess your child's readiness:

  1. Is my child independent enough? With unfamiliar equipment to put on and handle, not to mention new (but friendly) faces to meet, will your child manage well on their own, or will they need a lot of help along the way? While non-skiing parents are welcome to assist their child with putting on boots and helmets in the equipment area, they may not accompany their child on the slope. Our young sliders will need to get on and off the slope on their own (while holding their skis). During the lesson, mom, dad and the rest of the family can relax and enjoy some downtime, or watch their prodigy learn!

  2. Can my child follow directions? The Instructor will introduce your child (and other children, if in a group lesson) to new concepts and movements. Your child should be able to play "Follow the leader" or "Simon says" to mimic the Instructor's movements and they need to be able to follow the Instructor's directions for everyone's safety.

  3. Is my child athletic enough? Skiing and snowboarding are sports, and children express interest in sports at different rates of enthusiasm and at different ages in their youth. If your child plays and enjoys other sports, that's a good indicator that they may enjoy skiing or snowboarding. Even children who haven't had much experience with other sports can be very successful in skiing or snowboarding too!

Nothing against snowboarding, but we do find that very young children have a more challenging time cognitively getting the hang of standing sideways on a snowboard. This is why many schools have an older minimum age for starting snowboarding lessons. Our minimum age for snowboarding is about 9-10 years old, depending on their physical size.

At The Alpine Factory, we have Instructors with many years of experience teaching children of all ages, and who enjoy introducing young people to their favorite sport. We use the fixed bar at the front of our slopes to get new skiers and snowboarders used to the sensation of sliding before trying to move independently. We also use a variety of props like balls, ropes and cones to introduce new concepts in fun and playful ways. And of course lessons on our revolving slopes take place indoors, so there are no frostbitten cheeks to worry about and you don't need to pack extra mittens!

If you have any concerns on whether your child is ready to take ski or snowboard lessons at The Alpine Factory, either send us a note on the Contact Us form or give us a call - we'd be happy to discuss your child, their needs and our options!