⛷️How to Get Your Kids to Love Skiing

Spoiler alert: Candy helps

Our oldest is starting her sixth season as a skier and her first year on the ski race team. Our youngest is following the same path but a few years behind. A winter season defined by skiing on most weekends has been our jam.

Establishing this tradition has involved a lot of decisions, tradeoffs, and equipment purchases to ensure it is something the whole family enjoys. Here’s the downlow.

Doesn’t this look like someone you’d want to get skiing tips from?

What’s your philosophy?

Young kids don’t always mix well with cold/uncomfortable boots/uncontrolled speed/busy lodges/heavy things to carry. Yes, skiing is a sport - but we prioritized “learning to love skiing” and a positive association with a ski day. We trusted that with more time on the slope, the kids will progress at the right rate - our job was to give them the right structure and importantly do a few things to ensure they are having fun. Here’s a few examples:

• Candy: We always carry chocolate or soft candy (nothing they can choke on) while on the slopes. This is a tradition picked up from my family ski trips when I was young. This bending of the normal rules - candy every time we ski! - was a big motivator to start and helped establish skiing as something special for the family.

• Parents should carry the kids’ skis from the parking lot - for the first year: This is an example of the “progressive disclosure” part of getting kids to enjoy skiing. Some parents seem to take it as a learning moment to force the youngest of kids to carry their own equipment. We got there - but not in the first year. The priority was ensuring the kids had fun, then layer in all the work needed.

• “Fun runs” with parents: Learning is hard work! Yes, practicing linking turns and pizza/french fries is important - but even more important is that run with me where all of us are finding joy like this is a roller coaster.

The key themes: get them hooked first, fill the day with more fun than learning, and trust that over time nothing matters more towards growing a good skier than time on the slopes.

When to start?

Five years old is the ideal age to start skiing in earnest. Any younger and I think the annoyances (temperatures, boot walking, equipment lugging, et cetera) overwhelms. Older is fine too, but five is a great year to ensure its foundational to their concept of winter vs. an add-on. And the older you start, the more likely you are to have other activities on the weekend (birthday parties, other sports, et cetera) that break the routine.

I think it’s great at age 4 to do one or two “test runs.” Pick a sunny day and just get the kids on skis for a half an hour. Even just a run down from the magic carpet between your legs – give them the thrill of moving downhill.

What’s your approach to equipment?

Kids grow fast, so most ski/boots will last a season and a half at most. Seasonal rentals are a good option – although with two kids skiing and the ability to hand down to the younger sister, it’s almost as cost effective for us to buy. We prioritized a good fit - both in boot comfort and length of ski - it makes a big difference, even if it meant a midseason unexpected equipment purchase.

There are a few non-obvious things you may want to acquire:

Ski Backpack & Guide Ropes

This is a must have. First, it has a handle on the back - essential for picking up a small kid once they have fallen. Second, it can function as a pocket for a backup pair of gloves. Third, it has detachable leashes - these are somewhat controversial (takes up a lot of room on the bunny slopes) and we used them sparingly, but it can be a good alternative to between the legs to get the kids comfortable on the snow.

Ski Tip Connector

Attach these to the front of the kid’s skis to help them learn to keep the skis straight. Many instructors will tell you not to use these and that it can develop bad habits. But again, our philosophy is to enhance the “time until fun” stat and these can help kids experience the thrill of a fun downhill run sooner. We phased them out pretty quickly as they moved on to more advanced skills.

Something Distinctive

We found it was very useful to get the kids something to make them stand out and easy to recognize in a crowd. The Crazee Heads Helmet Covers worked for us - plush covering that fits any ski helmet.

Rocky Talkie

The best on-mountain radios are made by Rocky Talkie - and make sure to get the hand mic attachments. Kids both enjoy learning radio protocol and it’s useful in case of separation or a need to ask someone ahead to stop.

There are other radios - especially those with a lot of social media advertising promising hands free magic AI wind noise reduction like Milo Action Communicator - I do not recommend them as they do not work better than a standard handheld mic like cops use.

Seasonal Lockers

Our local ski resort offers a seasonal locker to store onsite our skis and boots. It’s a bit of a luxury, but it makes trips from the parking lot more pleasant - including for parents. And it reduces the stress of finding a great parking spot.

This is especially useful if you plan to sometimes do other things while kids are in classes - like snowshoe or hanging out in the lodge.

Do you enroll the kids in ski school?

We started the first season with a few one-off group classes, graduating in year two to a weekly ski camp. Ski camps are a win for everyone:

• It created a routine and expectation that we’d go every week.

• We got some time on the non-bunny slopes while the kids were in camp.

• Kids learn faster with a non-parent (and frankly, the non-parent is often more willing to push the kid when they need it).

• Kids push themselves when around other kids.

By year four, we began to question the need to enroll in ski camps - kids were close to being able ski on par with parents. Our oldest is trying the ski racing team and we are figuring out if it’s a great opportunity to graduate into a competitive sport or if it takes a fun hobby and turns it into work. This season will tell us!

How do you spend time with the kids on the slopes?

Before the kids are ready to ski independently, we used three methods to practice getting comfortable on the slopes or linking turns:

• Backpack runs: See above for the kid’s harness/backpack, which comes with leashes that extend about 10 ft. Kids ski first, parent do mostly speed control behind them.

• Between the legs: Not easy on the back, but often the most fun for the kids at first. They can get a feel for turns and the snow.

• By the side holding onto a pole: This is the method that feels most like practice/learning. The kid is skiing beside you holding on to one of your poles, which is held vertically. Used to help them link turns together in nice smooth S shapes.

Create Lasting Memories

My iPhone tells me that I’ve taken 563 photos at our local ski resort over the past six years. We’ve established a family tradition that makes the winter - despite the long, dark days - the favorite season for our kids. And we’ve unlocked the ability to take some fun winter trips to ski destinations.

The view from a snowshoe hike across from Steven’s Pass, our primary ski resort. January 2025.