Tips for Raising Little Shredders
As a born-and-raised Banffite, I grew up skiing at Mt. Norquay. Contrary to what most mountain town kids say, I could not ski before I could walk. In fact, I insisted that my ski instructor ski with me in between his legs for my first ski school photo. Fast-forward a few years, and I became a proficient skier who competed in ski-racing events and dabbled in backcountry ski-touring.
Skiing is where I feel free and grounded at the same time.
Last year, my four-year-old, Ollie, was guiding me through trees that I used to think were the coolest growing up… And I cried tears of joy! Life has come full circle. I relish in sharing moments like these with my son, and I look forward to sharing them with my one-year-old daughter, Rose, someday too. In fact, it’s why I feel so passionate about introducing kids to skiing at a young age.
For tips on snowboarding, we asked our pal, Kate Ediger. She’s a tail guide/aspiring snowboard guide, Burton Ambassador and a rad mama based in Revelstoke, BC. Safe to say: She knows a thing or two about the sport, especially considering her 9-year-old, Timber, rips!
How should I introduce my kids to skiing/snowboarding?
Play dress up. In the weeks leading up to their first visit to the ski hill, pull out their gear and leave their skis/snowboards, boots, helmet and goggles in the living room near their toys. Let them play dress up with it! Put it on for a sled ride around the neighbourhood. Essentially, get them comfortable wearing the gear before hitting up the ski hill.
Start small. The magic carpet is best! Not only because it’s a suitably-graded slope, but because it’s most likely fenced at the bottom in case your kid goes into flying french fry mode. Most ski hills allow kids to ride for free up to age 5, and offer a cheaper “learning area” day pass for adults.
When Ollie was first learning, we found a small hill near our house with a flat run-out zone. With no other options at the time (thanks to COVID), we would often pack up our stroller, jaunt over and spend an hour lapping the hill.
Make a day out of it. Pack a duffle bag with everyone’s gear (including extra socks and gloves - those always seem to get soaked!), a diaper kit, lunch/snacks, and a thermos of hot chocolate. Load it, along with your skis/snowboards and a sled into your vehicle. Plan your departure to/from the ski hill around naps to reduce the chance of meltdowns. Then, hit the road!
We usually bounce out of town at 9:00 a.m. for Rose’s first nap, and leave the ski hill at around 2:00 p.m. for her second. As soon as we reach the parking lot, I place Rose in the carrier, strap the duffel bag on my back, and haul Ollie and our gear in using the sled.
Have zero expectations. Don’t go into it expecting them to love it and develop skills ASAP. Instead, prioritize making it fun. If you’re stoked, they will just think it’s a game. Play, build forts, start snowball fights, slip-and-slide down the snow.
Always keep pocket snacks. And make sure it’s their favourite kind! My go-to’s include: fruit pouches, fruit bites/leathers, goldfish/graham crackers and granola bars. If they’re older, candy is a handy option. Good thing Halloween leads into the ski season! After each lap, hook them up.
Switch it up at first complaint. As soon as you hear an “I’m tired” or an “I’m cold”, change the scenery. Go into the lodge to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and/or splurge on snacks. Chances are that once their legs have rested, their hands have warmed up, and their bellies feel full, they’ll want to get back out for more turns.
This down-time at the lodge is an excellent opportunity to trade off laps with any other adults in your crew (i.e. your spouse, parent or mom friend) and share the motherload. Make sure to unbundle kids, take them to the washroom/change their diaper, and offer them a feed/snacks before leaving for your turn on the slopes.
What skills should I focus on in the early stages?
When they’re confident walkers (i.e. 18 months-2 years), start by strapping them into their skis/snowboard and gliding them around flat surfaces to work on their balance. You can also hit up the magic carpet with them between your legs to get them familiar with the stoke. At this age, it’s truly more for you than it is for them! Once they’ve built strength and developed more gross motor skills, you can progress to skill-building.
For skiing:
To pizza/french fry. An Edgie Wedgie and a harness come in real handy! Once you’re confident they can pizza, remove the Edgie Wedgie.
To link turns.
To balance on an edge. Once they’re ready to go onto steeper terrain, teach them to balance on an edge with their body positioned perpendicular to the hill. Let them follow you across, then instruct them to pizza on the turns. You can use the harness when navigating steeper terrain.
For snowboarding:
To stop. That should probably be first and foremost. Otherwise, they’ll just straight-line everything! Hold their hands and teach them how to break.
To balance. Take them down tiny hills to help them learn to stand and practice their balance.
To pendulum. Once they’re ready to go to the top of the bunny hill, hold their hands again and teach them how to pendulum on their heel edge.
To carve. Then, progress to teaching them how to carve with really wide turns. Remember that showing them to break is essential!
If you’re insecure about your own skills, let alone teaching said skills (or lack thereof) to your child:
Take a lesson. Learn with them! Most ski hills offer private lessons for kids ages 5-6 and up. Ask to join and take note of what the instructor is saying. You will likely learn a thing or two alongside your kids.
Ask for help. Recruit a friend who is more experienced in the art of skiing/snowboarding to join you and your child at the magic carpet one day. Reward them with après hot chocolate (or beer!).
What gear should I get for them?
Let’s be real: Skiing and snowboarding are expensive sports to get into, especially when kids are young and grow out of gear so quickly. We found most of our used gear at sports consignment stores (like Sports Garage) or on Facebook Marketplace. In the early season, keep your eyes peeled for “gear swaps”. Also, Sports Experts has a trade-in program.
One thing we recommend buying new: A helmet! Make sure it fits comfortably. If it’s on sale… BONUS! We recently got Ollie a Smith hybrid helmet with a visor, and he loves it!
For skiing:
Skis. We found a pair of 90cm skis on Facebook Marketplace for $30. When purchasing used skis, make sure the edges don’t have rust and the bases aren’t dried up. A tune on skis can cost as much as the skis themselves!
Ski boots. If you plan on starting early, don’t expect the boots to fit. The smallest size in ski boots we could find was a 14 and we had to buy them new at Sports Experts.
Ski harness. We purchased the Lucky Bums ski harness used for $20. The harness allows them to cruise down the hill independently, but you can regulate their speed. We love that we can pack away the straps when we’re on mellow terrain, then pull them out when navigating steeper slopes. It also has a loop on the top that is useful for hopping on the chairlift without throwing out your back.
Edgie Wedgie: This teaching tool forces a permanent pizza for the cost of $20. We bought ours at the ski hill gear shop.
For snowboarding:
Snowboard. The Burton Riglet snowboard has an adjustable and retractable handle that can be attached to the tip or tail of the board, which is handy for pulling them around and letting them work on their balance. Additionally, it doesn’t have edges so they can’t catch an edge. See recommended sizing below:
80cm snowboard: Child weighs between 25 and 50lbs, with a waist width of 178mm.
90cm snowboard: Child weighs between 25 and 50lbs, with a waist width of 179mm.
100cm snowboard: Child weighs between 40 and 55lbs, with a waist width of 188mm.
Snowboard boots. Honestly, winter boots will do the trick!
Snowboard harness. MDXOne is the first and only harness that is specifically-designed for snowboarding. It consists of a small backpack with adjustable straps and three different attachment points for the leash, and of course, a retractable leash with a stop button designed to gently slow your child down to a complete stop.
As with any winter activity, make sure to dress your child properly so that they’re both warm and dry! Check out this blog post for more on that.
