Snowboard or Ski

[lukenick1]

Introducing my 2 boys ages 7 & 9 to skiing and not sure which to put them on? I am a skiier and my husband has a snowboard (although not very good at it). I was thinking my older son 9 would like to snowboard due to the fact that he is big into skateboarding. My 7 year old who has no athletic interest, I'm not sure about him. What do you think would be easier for him? I've never snowboarded so I can't make an opinion on it and my hubby has never skied so he can't comment on that. What to do???

 

[Anjelica]

If you talk to most professional instructors of both sports the general rule is:

Snowboarding is harder to learn but easier to master while skiing is easier to learn but harder to master.

If the 9 year old shows interest in the snowboarding I would definetly steer him that direction - most snowboarders are young (because it does take more energy to move when not going downhill on the snowboards). If your 7 year old doesn't care either way I would start him on the ski's - so easy to learn at this age and most kids don't have the fear that we as adults do therefore the mental game has already been "won" for them.

I wanted to add that I keep tryin to get my daughter to try snowboarding but for some reason she is hesitant. She is VERY good at skiing and took to it very quickly starting last year when she was 6. My son started when he was 3 and is now 4. He is learning on ski's and isn't quite strong enough in his legs to not let the ski's spilt every time but I expect by this time next year he won't have to use the edgie wedgie (keeps the tips of the ski's from going past parallel) - he knows how to stop, etc.

 

[Pakey]

We started all of ours on skis (both my husband and I ski) as each reached the age of 4.

All switched to snowboarding. Here, all of the kids snowboard. One stayed on skis until 15, one until 13 and the youngest switched at 7. They were all excellent skiers and it took them one day to get decent at snowboarding (not great form but they were upright more than down).

We also took my niece and nephew (they are much younger than our boys). She wanted skis; he wanted to board. They were 8 and 5 when we started them. My nephew was the worst snowboarder in history; I give him credit for sticking with it. He was the toughest 5 year old I ever saw on the mountain. I thought he'd learn as quickly as our boys had but he had one brutal first season on that board.

With all 5 kids, we did private lessons. Although my husband and I are very good skiers, we are not good teachers.

 

[mickeyboat]

DDs 10 & 11 have taken ski lessons for the past three years - 6 Sunday lessons. After their first day they were able to go up on the tow rope and ski down by themselves. At the end of the season they were able to ski beginner trails by themselves.

Many of the poor snowboarders never got off the bunny slope - walked up the hill - didn't even get to use the tow rope - all season. Most of them got so frustrated they didn't come back the next year.

How much time do you plan to invest in skiing or snowboarding? If it is just a couple weekends here and there, you might want to get them up on skis first - so they at least have a sense of accomplishment that they are able to do it. Then try snowboarding.

 

[mrsv98]

Introducing my 2 boys ages 7 & 9 to skiing and not sure which to put them on? I am a skiier and my husband has a snowboard (although not very good at it). I was thinking my older son 9 would like to snowboard due to the fact that he is big into skateboarding. My 7 year old who has no athletic interest, I'm not sure about him. What do you think would be easier for him? I've never snowboarded so I can't make an opinion on it and my hubby has never skied so he can't comment on that. What to do???

DD is not a huge athlete, plays soccer but certainly not a sports star. When she was 8.5 yo, we went to Winter Park with my DSis and Nephew and enrolled her in snowboard school. She had a great time and was able to board down the smaller hills by the end of the day.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I started on skis when I was about 10 or so, and the next year I was on a snowboard and never looked back. (Oh god, that's almost 20 years ago. Yikes.) I'd like to get DD3 on a snowboard in a year or two. If they show an interest in snowboarding, I don't see why not! I think the DS that is interested in skateboarding will probably snowboard, it's pretty similar-- actually MUCH MUCH easier than a skateboard. Why don't you rent skis for the younger one and try it out. While you're at the rental counter, see if during the trip he seems to want to go for the snowboard if you can switch. I'm sure they've dealt with indecisive kids (as most of them are!)

 

[mamacatnv]

What do they want to do? That would be the direction I would go in.

DS started off skiing, then tried the snowboard, he went back to skiing and ski's to this day. He has no desire to snowboard. I'd say his friends are a 50/50 mix of boarders/skiers.

I live in Ski country, the Jr. Ski program here is still a healthy mix of both. I would ask them what they want to try

 

[Aneille]

My whole family snowboards. My 2 girls have never even been on ski's before. My 4 year old was on ski's a few times when he was 3 but as soon as he turned 4 last winter we bought him a snowboard.

The other thing to think about is if you put them in ski/snowboard classes they may want to be in the same class. If one is a snowboarder and one ski's they will be in different groups obviously.

I started my youngest at 4 on a snowboard, 1 girl was 6, the other had just turned 8.

My girls picked up snowboarding very quickly. But they are both very athletic and are great ice skaters. The oldest was able to hit the beginner and some basic intermediate trail after 2 days of snowboarding. The younger girl at 6 could do beginner trails.

On a side note she is extremely small for her age and did have difficultly getting off the chair lift because of her height and the distance from the lift to the snow. It would not have been a problem for her in ski's.

I would just let them choose. If they want to do it, whether they find it difficult or not they will get through it. If they do it one day and don't like it, they can always switch the next day.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

My sons learned to ski first and then snowboard.

 

[Wall-E1]

My son also likes to skateboard. He's been skiing and snowboarding. He prefers snowboarding because he likes doing the tricks on it.

 

[Kae]

DD is not a huge athlete, plays soccer but certainly not a sports star. When she was 8.5 yo, we went to Winter Park with my DSis and Nephew and enrolled her in snowboard school. She had a great time and was able to board down the smaller hills by the end of the day.

Make your DD my DS & we have the same story I say snowboarding it is what is "in" right now & most kids are in the Terain Parks areas.


Kae

 

[Carina]

I let my 3 kids choose

The 2 girls chose skiing, caught on quick and have never had an intrest in snowboarding.

My son ( the youngest ) chose snowbarding, caught on quick and has never had an intrest in skiing.

I do neither, hubby skis. I tried to convince all 3 of them to try the opposite one just once, just to see. But they all convinced me they were more than happy with what the chose and have no intrest in doing the other. They are happy and thats all that matters, so I dropped it.