Yes, we have had a snow-less winter so far, but you know that’s not going to last. Plus, our neighbors to the north in Galena, Wisconsin and Michigan have plenty of snow to share! Or you can head out west like contributor Sarah Chandler did with her family last winter.
She shares her tips for how to introduce your kids to this fun winter sport activity here:
“My children love to be outside in the winter when it snows. With an inch or two of the white stuff on the ground, our yard becomes a display of snow people and angels. Over winter break last year, we took a family vacation to Bozeman, Montana to enjoy the snow on the slopes at Bridger Bowl Ski Resort.
Both of my children started skiing at the age of 3. It was a natural activity to do as a family as both my husband and I learned to ski when we were children, he in the mountains of California and me traveling to the ski resorts around Salt Lake City.
So how is it skiing with 2 children under the age of 7? Surprisingly, really fun! We go into each trip with reasonable expectation, plenty of hot chocolate money in our pockets and patience in abundance. However, there are a few more things a parent can do to make a day on the slopes the best it can be.
Having the appropriate clothing is key. Each winter, I know my kids will be in the snow at some point, so I look for end-of-season deals on waterproof or water resistant snow pants, coats and mittens. Nothing spoils fun in the snow faster than wet, cold kids. I also make sure they have snug fitting hats, some type of neck covering (a fleece gator works best), and ski goggles. Thankfully the goggles do double duty on the slopes as well as at home as they do a fantastic job of protecting faces from wind and eyes from snow blindness. A pair of tall wool socks keep toes comfy and warm in ski boots and tend to stay up better than conventional athletic socks.
- Equipment rental saves money and space. Most ski areas rent out kid sized skis and boots for a full day or half day. For us to ski at Bridger, a full day rental is $20 while a half day is $8 after 12:30pm. So if you aren’t sure if your child will enjoy skiing for more than a couple of hours, skiing a half day might be your best bet. We only skied a full day once this year and that was the first time since the kids started skiing. As our children braved the big mountain this year, we purchased ski helmets for them.
How do you know if you can teach a beginner how to ski? My little family is fortunate in that my husband was an instructor in Washington state for a couple of seasons, and I myself took a number of lessons when I was young. These two factors allowed us to instruct our own children on the fundamentals of skiing. However, if this is a newer sport for you, seek out lessons at the resort you will be skiing. Often times they have group lessons beginning at age 7, and the lift ticket is included with this cost. If you do decide to instruct your own child, be sure to go at it with patience in mind and the willingness to take many breaks during the day—especially if they are under the age of 6.
Snowboarding: As for young children learning to snowboard, the recommendation from instructors is to teach them once they reach the age of 8. The reason for this is that in younger children, their balance and is not yet developed enough to handle riding a snowboard, and they’re a little “top heavy” because of their head to body size ratio is not yet in proportion. In short, starting out children on a set of skis is much less frustrating. Best wishes as you hit the slopes this winter!”
Midwest Ski Opportunities:
- Rock Springs Nature Center, outside Decatur: Learn to cross country ski in their one-hour workshop on Feb. 6. Once you learn how, Lincoln Memorial Garden encourages cross country skiing on their trails throughout the winter months for some great close to home exercise.
- Chestnut Mountain Resort outside Galena, Illinois
- Snow Star Winter Park in Adalusia, Illinois
- Devils Head Resort in Wisconsin
- Cascade Mountain in Wisconsin
- Granite Peak in Wisconsin
- Indianhead Mountain in Michigan
Springfield Moms contributor Sarah Chandler is a Springfield native, wife to Jeff, and mom to Levi and Anne. She loves to be outdoors during all seasons and enjoys relaxing indoors by creating quilts and scrapbooking.
