Skiing with Children: Everything You Need to Know
Skiing can be an incredible hobby for the whole family to share. If you already love skiing, you’re probably desperate to get your little-one out to the slopes with you and pass on that skiing bug! But before you start clearing out a spot for all their future ski trophies, there’s a few things you need to know to get your child to love skiing. We’re covering everything from first ski trips to beginning to participate in their first races and sharing all the tips and tricks to make skiing into a lifelong hobby you can share.
What’s the Perfect Age to Start Skiing?
You might be excited to start your child skiing as soon as possible, but it goes without saying that skiing can be a difficult and dangerous sport, not to mention tiring. If you’d like your child to become a ski racer, the earlier you introduce them to snow and skis, the better.
You can introduce your child skiing from as young as 3-4 years old, but it’s important to remember that littler children get tired easily. At this age, focus more on simply getting them used to the snow and the feel of the skis. Use play to build up their confidence and lay a strong foundation for learning essential skills.
Ages 5-6 are generally the best for starting to teach core skills. They’ve got better balance, longer attention spans, and will be better at following instructions which is especially important if you want to get them enrolled in a ski school. Older children are also a lot better at communicating how they feel, and can let you know when they get tired, hungry, or cold. Waiting a couple of years helps ensure your child gets the most enjoyment out of their skiing holidays with you.
If you’ve got a younger skier with you, it’s best to keep ski sessions to no more than 1-2 hours and build in plenty of breaks to rest (and use the toilet).
Every child is different, and you know them best, so it’s ultimately your call if you think your child is ready to be introduced to skiing. No matter how old your child is when they start skiing, it’s important to make sure they’re having maximum fun. A bad experience when they’re little can ruin their love of skiing forever.
Making Ski Lessons Fun
You might be eager to share your love of skiing with your little one, but skiing for the first time can feel extremely daunting.
Here’s our top tips for keeping skiing fun for children:
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Make it a game
kids learn better through play; this is true for both younger and older children. Turning skiing into an age-appropriate game works for all children. Well known tricks like “skis like french fries/pizza” are classics for a reason and will click with all ages of children (even your teenager will understand it, though they might roll their eyes). Over time, you and your kids will come up with your own unique ways of making skiing fun.
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Build in breaks
children get tired more easily than adults. Keep skiing sessions short with regular breaks and check in with your child to see how they’re feeling. They might be having a lot of fun and can quickly get over-tired without realising, especially for younger children. Regular breaks will keep your child from getting tired too quickly and will also help them focus their attention, making learning easier.
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Variation keeps attention
young children especially tend to have very limited attention spans. As a general rule, the longest you can expect a 5-year-old to concentrate is around 10-15 minutes. You might be able to get up to half an hour from an older child and a good hour from a teen, but all children will learn better if they’re engaged. Keep their attention with bitesize chunks and find several ways to teach the same skill.
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Do more than just ski
The mountain offers much more than just skiing. It might feel like a waste if you love skiing and want to hit the slopes daily, but for a child who is new to the experience, there’s loads more to do and see. Make sure to build in time to enjoy everything on offer.
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Consider a ski school
If you’ve succesfully started to pass the skiing bug on to your youngster, it’s time to consider a ski school. You don’t have to teach them everything yourself; ski schools have qualified instructors who will run sessions designed to teach progressive skills – look for qualified instructors teaching BASI standards where possible. The time away from you will give them confidence in their own abilities without mum or dad there to guide them, plus it’ll give you a much-needed break!
Essential Gear for Your Future Junior Ski Racer
It’s no secret that ski gear can get expensive. With the speed kids grow, you might be better off renting, borrowing, or buying second-hand. However, there are some items that are non-negotiable for both safety and enjoyment.
A Good Children’s Ski Helmet
A properly fitted helmet is non-negotiable. Your child might not like it, especially if they’re older and want to look “cool”, but safety trumps style every single time. A good helmet should fit comfortably without pinching and without sliding. Most children’s helmets have an adjustable slider to fit a range of sizes, meaning you can ensure a good fit for a few years before needing to buy a new one.
We like these Briko children’s helmets available in a range of colours, giving your child choices.
Comfortable Children’s Ski Boots
A properly fitted ski boot might be the most important asset to your child learning to ski. A good boot with a custom fitted boot liner will improve your child’s comfort whilst skiing, making the experience more pleasant, but it will also give them better control over their skis and allow them to master basics much more easily. Ski boots should be snug but comfortable without any pinching.
When it comes to your child’s ski boots the most important thing is to ensure they have a proper ski boot setup. We can fit your child’s ski boot and custom liner in person at our Sheffield ski shop.
Warm Children’s Ski Clothes
Layers are the name of the game when it comes to keeping warm when skiing. If your child spends their whole time cold, not only will the trip be miserable for everyone involved, but you also run the risk of them never wanting to ski again. Whilst you can rely on renting or borrowing for some ski clothes, thermal base layers need to be properly fitted. Most children’s thermals come in sets thankfully, which keeps the cost lower compared to adult thermals. You’ll also need to get them a pair of good quality ski socks to keep their tiny toes warm. Good ski socks will also improve comfort and contact with the boot, providing greater control.
When it comes to thermal wear, you can’t beat Falke branded products.
Optional Extras
As your child gets older and more serious about skiing, you might want to start investing in some more pieces of ski gear for them. If they’re racing, you may also want to get them a Dryrobe for easy changing and keeping warm between ski sessions.
Here’s some of our favourite junior ski gear:
The Final Verdict
Your child’s first ski trip should be about building confidence, having a laugh, and creating memories as a family. Don’t stress about technique – that’ll come naturally with time and practice. As your child starts to build confidence, you can begin gradually introducing skills and eventually train your child into ski racing if that’s what interests them.
Whilst it might not be time to clear out a spot for all those skiing medals yet, the foundations of a good ski racer come from a love of skiing. The memories you’ll make together on the mountain will last you all a lifetime.
At our ski racing supplies shop in Sheffield, we’ve got ski gear for the whole family. Simply pop down to see us and we’ll help you get your child kitted out and ready to ski, or you can get in touch and our friendly team will give you advice.