Most places that I've checked here are age 4 for all day lessons, but just checked A-basin and they have them for 3 year olds. So, we're thinking of putting them all in lessons. It's just so expensive, that is really the only drawback...but I totally agree--I have no real desire to teach my own kids, they do much better in classes!! Just thinking of trying to save some $ but I think it's totally worth it. Plus, my husband and I can go have fun skiing!
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Staggered at people teaching their own kids
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itri
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
It's too late for this year, EmilieW, but Keystone had a "Family Freedom" lesson package for sale to passholders earlier this fall. $225 for 4 full-day lessons (including lunch for kids) plus slope-side parking. And they take 3 year olds. I got the package for my 3.5 year old...it was WAY too good of a deal to pass up!
Our local mountain (in Ohio) and where we go occassionally (Holiday Valley in NY) both start lessons at age 3. Lessons are typically only 1-2 hours at ages 3-4 and have very low teacher to pupil ratios (1-3 students per teacher). My daughter is now 4 1/2 and due to her ability HV allowed her to participate in the all day lessons program that is geared for 6-12 yr olds. I checked in at lunch to make sure she wanted to stay and she did. She loves skiing and is very social so she prefers to ski with other kids rather than us (although she likes that too). At our local mountain they will not allow her to join the 5 & up classes until she is actually 5 so we will do the semi - private group lessons that are only 2 hours long for one more season. Most places that I have encountered in the east start at age 3 for a short lesson (not all day).
Lessons are pricey (which is why we thought we would originally teach her ourselves) but it is so worth it. And I am saying that from a family with not a high income (family of 4 living on a teacher's salary). We went from a frustrating time where no one was having fun to having our daughter skiing independently in just one lesson. That made us believers.
Lessons are pricey (which is why we thought we would originally teach her ourselves) but it is so worth it. And I am saying that from a family with not a high income (family of 4 living on a teacher's salary). We went from a frustrating time where no one was having fun to having our daughter skiing independently in just one lesson. That made us believers.
KatyPerrey
PSIA 3 Children's Specialist 2 Keystone Resort
Not sure....my son skied away by age 5, and I haven't seen him since.
Don't worry I got an eye on him when he is in Summit County!!
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
^^^ Catch him if you can. Ha. Good luck. I gave up in 1988.
I remember you mentioning that your family was involved in the race program here, Robyn!
When it comes to nostalgia, Bogus Basin has a history book released just this fall. It's beautiful -- wonderful photos, and intriguing trivia about the mountain.
The book talks about many innovations -- inexpensive season passes, the "Passport" program for adults to learn to ski, and their "Mogul Mice" little kid (3-6) ski program apparently all made impressions on the entire industry. Not much mention of the race program, but a picture of Dane Spencer's poster is in there! (Jeret Peterson too)
If you're interested, their web site has info!
And to bring this back onto the kids learning topic, Rion was so much fun to ski with today (we had like eight coach runs - a lot of skiing for a three year old!) and the run I shared with Xander early in the day was terrific! He came back from his adventures with his dad happy and very tired! We're all really impressed with what excellent control his lessons have given him -- even Rion, at three, is looking really good, navigating the "obstacles" on the bunny run nicely!
Karen in Boise
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
I am in love. 
We stopped to help out 3 coaches with Mountain Magic (3-5 y/o) yesterday. 9 kids, ages 3 and 4, so the ratio on-hill wasn't bad....but they have to wait for volunteers to accompany each kid on this chair (FG double). (And coaches - most of them young themselves - making the assessment of "can this skier handle it" can't be easy....) Okay, I got a 3 y/o boy named Will. He was dressed to the Nines, including his TINY little Volkl skis. Perfect neck gaiter placement, no goggle gap, really had his stuff together.
We had the BEST chat on the lift!
OMG, he is barely out of infancy....
Worried about disembark a bit, thought I might have to heave-ho, but Will was The Champion. Absolutely in control. Wow. (I know I did this decades ago, but memory escapes me...don't think we were QUITE to this level when my offspring was barely 3!)
At Sugarloaf, Mountain Magic is the day program. The seasonal program (runs for 3 months, every Sat) for 3-5 is called Mini-Cuffers. The skill level is frankly quite jaw-dropping. I've seen 5 year old snowboarders just tearing it up.
We stopped to help out 3 coaches with Mountain Magic (3-5 y/o) yesterday. 9 kids, ages 3 and 4, so the ratio on-hill wasn't bad....but they have to wait for volunteers to accompany each kid on this chair (FG double). (And coaches - most of them young themselves - making the assessment of "can this skier handle it" can't be easy....) Okay, I got a 3 y/o boy named Will. He was dressed to the Nines, including his TINY little Volkl skis. Perfect neck gaiter placement, no goggle gap, really had his stuff together.
We had the BEST chat on the lift!
OMG, he is barely out of infancy....
Worried about disembark a bit, thought I might have to heave-ho, but Will was The Champion. Absolutely in control. Wow. (I know I did this decades ago, but memory escapes me...don't think we were QUITE to this level when my offspring was barely 3!)
At Sugarloaf, Mountain Magic is the day program. The seasonal program (runs for 3 months, every Sat) for 3-5 is called Mini-Cuffers. The skill level is frankly quite jaw-dropping. I've seen 5 year old snowboarders just tearing it up.
A friend is trying to teach his two kids (8 and 9) to snowboard. The kids look miserable when they come in - no smiles, no enthusiasm. He is a wonderful dad and a really good snowboarder, but apparently not a very good teacher/motivator.
I feel for the kids. They need to be in Ski School and I have no way to make it happen.
I feel for the kids. They need to be in Ski School and I have no way to make it happen.
AnnKH
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I taught my DH to ski, as well as my best friend, my kids, and the kids of some friends. I am not a certified ski instructor, but I took lessons myself for many years. I can get them to intermediate, and then they take lessons from there.
Where we live (eastern North Dakota), there aren't a lot of opportunities for lessons - it was either teach them myself, or stay home. Staying home was NOT an option!
I never used leashes with my kids. Instead, I'd ski backwards and have them follow me. If they lost control they would run into me, instead of careening down the hill.
I am a big believer in lessons - I insisted we all take lessons last week at Whitefish. And I certainly agree that there are cases where parents or SOs should not even consider trying to teach anyone (my brother is a perfect example - his idea of a "lessons" was to tell his wife "just turn!"). But it CAN work - my DH, best friend, and kids are proof of that.
Where we live (eastern North Dakota), there aren't a lot of opportunities for lessons - it was either teach them myself, or stay home. Staying home was NOT an option!
I never used leashes with my kids. Instead, I'd ski backwards and have them follow me. If they lost control they would run into me, instead of careening down the hill.
I am a big believer in lessons - I insisted we all take lessons last week at Whitefish. And I certainly agree that there are cases where parents or SOs should not even consider trying to teach anyone (my brother is a perfect example - his idea of a "lessons" was to tell his wife "just turn!"). But it CAN work - my DH, best friend, and kids are proof of that.
Go with the lessons
Although my husband is an expert skier (who can instruct humble adults), we put our kids into morning lessons every time we skied for several years. It was so worth it! When he tried to teach our first child when she was 6 all she did was whine. Ski school cured her of that. When the second one was ready to learn he went straight to ski school.
Expensive, but we kept our sanity and got to ski all morning at our speed and enjoy the afternoons with happier kids.
Although my husband is an expert skier (who can instruct humble adults), we put our kids into morning lessons every time we skied for several years. It was so worth it! When he tried to teach our first child when she was 6 all she did was whine. Ski school cured her of that. When the second one was ready to learn he went straight to ski school.
Expensive, but we kept our sanity and got to ski all morning at our speed and enjoy the afternoons with happier kids.
weasy
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Our kids go to ski school but they are already better than us so it's a no brainer. I don't know enough about it to have an opinion on the leashes but what I hate to see is some little kid shooting straight down the blue slope at great speed in a wedge with the parent shouting TURN from way behind them 
I actually got run into from behind by a weeny boy the other week and his dad yells 'Sorry, he's got no control' :( - that I found very scary.
I actually got run into from behind by a weeny boy the other week and his dad yells 'Sorry, he's got no control' :( - that I found very scary.
... an opinion on the leashes but what I hate to see is some little kid shooting straight down the blue slope at great speed in a wedge with the parent shouting TURN from way behind them
I actually got run into from behind by a weeny boy the other week and his dad yells 'Sorry, he's got no control' :( - that I found very scary.
My daughter and I were discussing this issue on the lift Sunday -- we did not have her boys along, and it was fun to ski like grown ups for a change! But anyway, we got talking about how we're going to need a BIG consequence for bombing down a run. Something like, if they don't stay with their grown up and listen, then they're going in the day care with the babies. Or, maybe we should get one of those leashes to carry for that! The daycare center is expensive, but the lesson MUST be learned, and of course, we can't tell them "do this and you go to daycare," and then not stick to it.
And on the next run, last of the day, some kid decided it was important to suddenly cross the "drain" perpendicular to traffic. It was "rush hour" on the way back to the lifts and the lodges for lunch. I gave missing her completely my best shot, but caught her tails. I don't know how far she went, but I was a good distance from my skis when I came to a stop. I couldn't tell for sure what the guy with the little one on the leashes was apologizing for, whether it was for not stopping, or for the actions of the crazed older little kid. Another guy stopped to gather skis, sort, and get them back to us. Little girl, maybe ten? was history as fast as she could possibly get away! I alternate between feeling horribly guilty for not missing her, and angry that she did that crazy turn across traffic. She looked to me old enough to know better, and seemed to have skills that would go with knowing better too.
Younger daughter says to me, when I tell the tale, So what kind of helmet are you getting? Huh? What? You replace them after a crash, Mom. No, that's bike helmets. Ski helmets are more solid than that. No Mom, ski helmets too.
Damn, I LIKE my helmet!
Karen in Boise
violetx3g3
Certified Ski Diva
I taught all 3 of my girls to ski, the first at age 3 down the slopes between my legs in the snowplow position. Sometimes using one of my ski poles to hold them steady between my legs. The ski schools didn't offer lessons for these young ones, and there were no majic carpets, back in the day. Getting my daughters on and off the chair lifts was a heck of alot easier than taking them up a tow rope. Living in Michigan, I wanted to share the feeling of a beautiful winter day, fresh, crisp air, and thrill of the slope. We also used a "wedgy-edgy" with them. I didn't use a leash, because we didn't have one. They were off on their own after 1 or 2 outings, skiing next to me & my husband traversing the slopes. At about age 5 or 6 we put them in 1/2 day groups just so we could ski a few runs on my own & get my back to recover. We would take our girls out in the afternoons and take it easy. Today they are in 21-13 outride me, look forward to our winter ski outings as much as I do.
Robyn has been talking about Bogus Basin's race club, or school, or whatever it's called -- fondly remembering that she and her dad were part of it just a few years ago! One of the things that got me started thinking about it was seeing the "price list" -- it's really a pretty good deal to have a kid Xander's age in the program. We couldn't do a whole winter of full day lessons for ANYWHERE near the season fee! Since we've been considering it for our grandsons, we've been on the lift with several people who have been, or have known kids involved. All but one have had really good things to say about it, and that one said it wasn't the program, it was the kid preferred to be with his family!
My daughter said she and my husband were on the lift with a couple of little girls the other day who are racers. Conversation started with a discussion of "hold my poles dad, I don't want to drop one" -- and one of the girls told my daughter, "it's okay, I dropped one of mine last time up." They started talking about racing, and were telling my daughter how much they love it. They told my daughter that they didn't actually race the first couple of years, but they learned TONS about skiing! (one of the first lessons I saw a coach give his herd: get AWAY from the lift before you gather -- unlike the boarders piling up in the traffic lane to secure their boards)
The more we hear about the program, the more excited we are to get our little boys into it! (three year old asked this morning, when he got here, "Are we going skiing today?")
Karen in Boise
My daughter said she and my husband were on the lift with a couple of little girls the other day who are racers. Conversation started with a discussion of "hold my poles dad, I don't want to drop one" -- and one of the girls told my daughter, "it's okay, I dropped one of mine last time up." They started talking about racing, and were telling my daughter how much they love it. They told my daughter that they didn't actually race the first couple of years, but they learned TONS about skiing! (one of the first lessons I saw a coach give his herd: get AWAY from the lift before you gather -- unlike the boarders piling up in the traffic lane to secure their boards)
The more we hear about the program, the more excited we are to get our little boys into it! (three year old asked this morning, when he got here, "Are we going skiing today?")
Karen in Boise
Gloria
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I love watching one parent letting the kid go down and having the other parent catch them. Way more dangerous than a leash.
Being a bullheaded 3YO I was put on a rope by a reputable ski school back before leashes were invented. They returned me to my parents on the rope at the end of the lesson and instructed them not to let me off until I would stay on the groomed run. Evidentally I thought skiing in the trees was a better option for me and refused to stay where they wanted me. They got tired of dragging me back out when I got stuck. I don't remember a thing, my parents still laugh about it though and I still really like the trees. :D
I think that this happens quite a bit. I know that I was tempted with my own daughter but I refrained. I grew up going through a ski school program for 5 years so I knew that lessons and lessons from someone else is "usually" a good idea. I happen to be a ski school instructor now and I have learned so much that I wish that I had known when my daughter was learning.
wahineskisk2
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Personally, I think it is awesome that kids are out there learning. That's not to say every parent should be teaching, nor should every kid be skiing. There are plenty of unsafe activities on the slopes, kids on leashes seems pretty harmless in comparison. Any sport or athletic activity has its potential hazards. If a child has interest and or aptitude why not let them participate? Besides, whatever we "witness" may not be anything more than our interpretation.
My granddaughter will be 3 in late March. My son has been teaching her and she has been out 5 times since the season began. She started on the magic carpet. Already, she is snowplow stopping, making turns, and yes going on some blue runs with the leash. She can be contrary and vocal about her opinion, but if she were overhead saying "down the hill is too fast", that doesn't mean dad shouldn't be teaching or she shouldn't be on the run. They are coming to visit next week, so I checked into putting her in ski school. I was told they would put her back on the magic carpet, because of her age. Seems to me that would be taking a step back. I'm a huge fan of Ski & Ride schools and always incourage people, young & old, to take lessons. However, that isn't always possible. Oh, and I get out skied by kids under 5 more than I care to mention
My granddaughter will be 3 in late March. My son has been teaching her and she has been out 5 times since the season began. She started on the magic carpet. Already, she is snowplow stopping, making turns, and yes going on some blue runs with the leash. She can be contrary and vocal about her opinion, but if she were overhead saying "down the hill is too fast", that doesn't mean dad shouldn't be teaching or she shouldn't be on the run. They are coming to visit next week, so I checked into putting her in ski school. I was told they would put her back on the magic carpet, because of her age. Seems to me that would be taking a step back. I'm a huge fan of Ski & Ride schools and always incourage people, young & old, to take lessons. However, that isn't always possible. Oh, and I get out skied by kids under 5 more than I care to mention
If people want to teach their children with a leash then that is their decision. My opinion is that I don't think that children on leashes belong on blue runs. If the child cannot ski a magic carpet run or green run without assistance, they do not belong on steeper runs. Master the skills at the lower level using the leash, if needed, and when the child can ski green runs comfortably and successfully unassisted then they are ready for the blue runs. The same principle goes for adults learning how to ski. If mom or dad want to ski the blue runs, good for them, trade off skiing with the little one.
DS was taught to ski by ski school and we were fortunate to find programs beginning at 2.5yrs old. He was on the magic carpet for a while before he had the skillls to ski the green runs then skiied those for a while before he had the skills to ski the blues.
DS was taught to ski by ski school and we were fortunate to find programs beginning at 2.5yrs old. He was on the magic carpet for a while before he had the skillls to ski the green runs then skiied those for a while before he had the skills to ski the blues.
