Outdoor Sports: Deciding on Kids' Ski Lessons

By Michele Blandino

Most of us would agree that children tend to pick up new skills faster than adults. For that reason, many parents, particularly those who already know how to ski, may be tempted to teach their own children how to navigate the slopes.

Leave it to the Pros

While it may be personally rewarding, not to mention fun to teach your child how to ski, in reality, it's probably better if you left the lessons to a qualified teacher. First, children tend to feel more pressured when learning a new skill from a parent; having an impartial third party do the teaching removes this pressure and allows your child to better enjoy the learning experience.

Another consideration is the parent's ability to teach. While learning how to ski isn't much different from learning how to participate in any sport, a strong foundation in the basics is needed before you can send your child on their way down the mountain. Unfortunately, most parents don't have the skills needed to teach these basic skills in the correct sequence and as a result, often find themselves frustrated with their child's lack of progress.

As a result, while you should certainly enjoy the slopes with your child, it's best to leave the teaching to certified professionals.

Things to Consider

Before enrolling your child for lessons, however, you should ask a few questions.

One of the first things to consider is your child's age. Resorts have differing policies regarding the minimum age for skiers, particularly if you are planning to rent equipment. If your child is between the ages of three and five, you should check with the rental department before booking your trip to see if they stock equipment small enough for your budding skier. There is nothing worse than geting to your ski vacation destination and finding that the rental shop does not stock equipment in tiny sizes.

Another consideration is the ski school's instructor-to-student ratio. With smaller kids (under the age of 5), a smaller ratio of, say, 1 instructor per four children is best. This will allow the instructor to be as attentive as possible to each of the children. Older children who have the experience of being in a group setting will do fine in slighly larger groups, ideally no more than 8 students per instructor.

Ski classes, even those for beginners, are usually segregated according to the students' abilities. If you are not sure which class to enroll your child in, ask one of the instructors. They will probably ask you a few questions regarding your child's abilities before suggesting the proper level.

Next, ask about the instructor's class management strategies. How do they ensure the class remains together during the duration of the lesson and how do they handle instances in which a child becomes separated from the group? Many ski schools have bibs for the students to wear which identifies them as ski school participants and the resort's lift operators are instructed to not allow a child wearing a bib to board the ski lift unattended. Make sure there is a way for others to identify your child as a ski school student.

And remember, just because your child is in ski school, that doesn't mean that you won't be able to enjoy some time on the slopes with them. Plan some time to hit the slopes together after the lesson is finished. Your child will probably be anxious to show you what they have learned.

Where to Learn More

The best place to learn about ski lessons is from the website of the resort you are planning to visit. If your questions are not answered on the website - give them a call. They should be more than happy to help you.