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The fun and challenging process of learning how to ski is worth the effort! Skiing is a healthy full-body workout, a wonderful way to spend time with the family, and a great way to help kids develop balance, coordination, and confidence. While these benefits sound great in theory, overcoming the bunny hill safely and smoothly is the first step. In this simple breakdown of the basics, we’ll cover the gear essentials and how to approach your kid’s first lessons successfully.
Find the Right Gear
Even professional skiers would struggle with poorly-sized skis, foggy goggles, and poles that are too long! With flexible beginner skis that are the right length and width, turning is easier, stopping is simplified, and the daunting peaks of the bunny hill become a little less intimidating. On the attire side of things, kids ski accessories that are warm, protective, and look cool will go a long way in making the cold and windy days more tolerable.
While organizing your kid’s gear collection, here’s a quick checklist to guide your shopping list:
- Skis & Poles
- Boots
- Mittens or Gloves
- Helmet & Beanie
- Goggles & Face Mask
- Coat, Snow Pants, & Thermal liners
At the Ski Bum, we regularly have seasonal specials on all of the above. If you need help finding the perfect size or style for your kids, we’re happy to help. Additionally, our youth seasonal leasing program allows you to find the right size equipment and rent them for the entire season. It’s an affordable way to increase comfortability, confidence, and safety on the slopes for beginner skiers! When you visit our convenient ski shops in person, we’ll help you with the binding/boot fitment and other ski-related services to improve your child’s first few skiing experiences.
First Lesson Essentials
Unless you’re a seasoned skier, we recommend investing in lessons for your child’s first attempts. A qualified instructor knows how to keep the lessons fun and safe, which will reduce the stress and inspire little ones to continue learning and practicing. Whether you decide to handle the instruction or you hire a mountain professional, here are some basics that should be covered in the lessons:
- Learn how to get in and out of the bindings while in a standing and seated position.
- Basic stance and correct posture; keep a gentle bend in the knees and a slight forward tilt in the upper body to keep the weight and momentum centered.
- With skis on, practice traversing forward and sidestepping along a flat or slightly inclined surface. This helps new skiers gain a feel for the sensation of “floating” along the snow.
- Practice basic stopping and one-way turning maneuvers. Beginners will want to learn the “pizza and french fries” technique before progressing to parallel ski stops.
- Start practicing stops and turns on the bunny slopes. As your little skier becomes more comfortable with slow, sweeping turns across the hillside, you can gradually progress to tighter s-turns and increasing steepness.
Ask Our Experienced Skiers for Advice
To find the best boys and girls ski clothes, discuss other ski tips, or to find a great resort for beginners, our pros at the Ski Bum are your all-in-one resource!
