Anyone Ski ? - How & when for kids to learn.....

[pixie3]

We have a 3 1/2 year old and we are thinking about taking him with us on our ski trip this year. We think we should do some lessons with a resorts ski school. Some resorts have a class with the parent, which sounds like a good idea, because they teach you how to teach the child to ski. Some resorts have half day lessons with a group of kids the same age that sound pretty good.

Some of the resorts that looked like they had good programs were Deer Valley, Steamboat, Smugglers Notch, and North Star @ Tahoe.

What has anyone else done?

 

[Papa Deuce]

Well, I plan to have my kids learn this winter. They are 5. When when they were 4 it was hard finding a place that would teach them. We did find a place - Jack Frost - but even that was not a sure thing. We have found LOTS of places that will take them now that they are 5.

Good luck!

Oh, BTW, they all INSISTED kids be 100% potty trained.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My DD did ski school last Christmas when she was 5 1/2. Our youngest was 3 and not old enough (I think they had to be 4).

She had lots of fun and would do it again. And it made me feel better as I didn't know how to do anything--and couldn't as I had knee surgery recently and the Disney half in just a couple of weeks. PT said NOPE to that request.

She was in ski school for 4 hours. This was in Riudoso, NM.

We rented her ski boots, skis, and bib from a place in town. They were cheaper than at the resort.

 

[Nicolepa]

Some of the resorts that looked like they had good programs were Deer Valley, Steamboat, Smugglers Notch, and North Star @ Tahoe.

What has anyone else done?

My friend spends a week at Deer Valley every year. She swears by their ski school. Her son has been skiing since he was 3.5 I think. He loves the program there as well.

For me I took my kids to an indoor place where they learn on a revolving carpet. My dd was 4 my son was 2. That was 2 years ago and we literally didn't have a ski season that year. I took them both up last year (5 & 3.5) and they both did great. We did 9 Saturdays, 2 hrs a day. My daughter is skiing on some easier Black Diamonds, my son can do the Blues, but he will only ski if I go w/him. He will protest if he has to go w/just the teacher.

 

[Mskanga]

We signed up my oldest with the school ski program for 7 weeks in the winter when she was 9 , she was not interested before that , or I should say she was scared to death before that.
I used to ski but I quit when I got pregnant and didn't start again until she decided she wanted to give it a try , I chaperoned for her ski club and my youngest one ( then 5 years old ) tagged along with us. I bought their ski equipment at ski swaps , paid for my youngest ticket every week and between my friend and I taught her to ski while the oldest was having the lesson with the rest of the class.
Both kids can ski very well now with the difference that the oldest has some fear and the youngest one doesn't , we always remind them that skiing is not about speed , it's about being safe and enjoying the slopes. My husband was very shocked to see how fast the youngest one took to it but delighted to see that both kids could ski , we now can all go skiing and have a great time and since we live and ski country we go everytime we can.
A couple of years ago we went to Killington and we had a blast.

 

[aunt kelly]

My daughter was 5 when she went to ski school in Santa Fe. After only one day the instructor told us she was ready to go up the mountain w/ us. I couldn't believe she was ready to go up the mountain after only one day, but we headed on up to give it a try. She did great on the beginner slopes, I could hardly keep up with her.

I'm glad we started that young, because she had no fear at that age. I think she would not be as fearless now that she is 11.