Too young??? - Snowboarding Forum

11-17-2008, 02:55 PM

Just asking any parents out there how young did you start your kids boarding?

11-17-2008, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctm1708

Just asking any parents out there how young did you start your kids boarding?

i don't understand the question and the meaning of this thread...

Snowjoe · 11-17-2008, 03:05 PM

Well I'm not a parent but I am an instructor and taught alot of children.

At the resort we don't start lessons for kids to snowboard until they are 7 years old. However in private lessons we take them at any age. I've taught a couple of kids at young as 3 and generally its a very very tough time for them to learn. They have no real fine motor skills so they struggle to move small sets of muscles which is required in snowboarding. Personally I feel that at that young an age you should start them off skiing. It takes a massively shorter amount of time to be able to get going unassisted and this means that they will be much more interested in it and not be disheartened by not being able to do it. Plus they will get a feel for how it feels to glide on snow and how edges feel.

For many very young children being able to snowboard is not an achievable goal wheras being able to snowplough down the mountain on skis is, so I like the idea of getting them stoked to be on snow in the mountains than spend their time falling on their ass because they can't make the small adjustments needed.

Generally kids coming from skiing have the same set of bad habits that and instructor has to iron out after a few years skiing but I feel thats a better result than them hating it at a young age because they can't physically do it.

**killclimbz** · 11-17-2008, 03:08 PM

Between six and eight years old seems to be the the earliest most resorts will teach kids how to snowboard.

Flick Montana · 11-17-2008, 04:35 PM

I'd say take them out as soon as they are interested. I haven't met a kid who was under 6 or 7 who actually wanted to ski/board. I knew a few parents who took their kids out, regardless of whether or not they expressed interest, and showed them how to ski/board before that age.

I don't have any kids, but if I did and they were able to tell me "I want to ski/board" I'd say heck yeah and take them to the kiddy hill. I really want to have kids and I really hope they want to ski/board.

11-17-2008, 05:04 PM

I have a buddy who had his kid out on the hill at ~3 years old. Kid loved it too

Flick Montana · 11-17-2008, 06:17 PM

If you buy one of those trainer leash things, make sure you stay close to the kid. I saw someone board over the lines because they were slack and on the ground. Could have been ugly if they went taught when he was on them.

Flick Montana · 11-17-2008, 06:29 PM

They had a bunch of little kids on the moving carpet trainer at Expo. They really seemed to like it. I wish I'd had that kind of opportunity. You could always start them out like that before you take them to the slopes.

Snowjoe · 11-17-2008, 06:41 PM

Yeah especially with kids I like to have them super confident on the magic carpet and bunny hill area as the step up to the big hill is a big thing for kids. You gotta love it when you get the youngun's shredding it up though. Me and a colleague were teaching these 2 kids, the girl was 7 and the boy was 9 or 10. At the end of the day when we were talking to their parents they took our boards up to the top of the carpet and they were putting in turns on a 156 agent and 157 option axis...wide! It was crazy kids that small being able to handle what must have felt like boats to them, if they can get a board like that to turn imagine 10 more years of riding down the line with people guiding them. The opportunities for these kids is crazy!

Snowjoe · 11-17-2008, 06:50 PM

Come on thats the lifties job surely!

I can't imagine having a tow rope, your gonna save on glove wear this season, plus magic carpets are the ultimate in uphill strolling aids.

11-17-2008, 02:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
ctm1708 Guest Posts: n/a	Too young??? Just asking any parents out there how young did you start your kids boarding?

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11-17-2008, 03:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
Snowjoe Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 585	Well I'm not a parent but I am an instructor and taught alot of children. At the resort we don't start lessons for kids to snowboard until they are 7 years old. However in private lessons we take them at any age. I've taught a couple of kids at young as 3 and generally its a very very tough time for them to learn. They have no real fine motor skills so they struggle to move small sets of muscles which is required in snowboarding. Personally I feel that at that young an age you should start them off skiing. It takes a massively shorter amount of time to be able to get going unassisted and this means that they will be much more interested in it and not be disheartened by not being able to do it. Plus they will get a feel for how it feels to glide on snow and how edges feel. For many very young children being able to snowboard is not an achievable goal wheras being able to snowplough down the mountain on skis is, so I like the idea of getting them stoked to be on snow in the mountains than spend their time falling on their ass because they can't make the small adjustments needed. Generally kids coming from skiing have the same set of bad habits that and instructor has to iron out after a few years skiing but I feel thats a better result than them hating it at a young age because they can't physically do it.

11-17-2008, 03:08 PM	#4 (permalink)
killclimbz Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Front Range Posts: 9,168	Between six and eight years old seems to be the the earliest most resorts will teach kids how to snowboard.

11-17-2008, 04:35 PM	#5 (permalink)
Flick Montana Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Beech Grove, Indiana sigh Posts: 4,168	I'd say take them out as soon as they are interested. I haven't met a kid who was under 6 or 7 who actually wanted to ski/board. I knew a few parents who took their kids out, regardless of whether or not they expressed interest, and showed them how to ski/board before that age. I don't have any kids, but if I did and they were able to tell me "I want to ski/board" I'd say heck yeah and take them to the kiddy hill. I really want to have kids and I really hope they want to ski/board.

11-17-2008, 05:04 PM	#6 (permalink)
whoopwhoop Guest Posts: n/a	I have a buddy who had his kid out on the hill at ~3 years old. Kid loved it too

11-17-2008, 06:17 PM	#7 (permalink)
Flick Montana Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Beech Grove, Indiana sigh Posts: 4,168	If you buy one of those trainer leash things, make sure you stay close to the kid. I saw someone board over the lines because they were slack and on the ground. Could have been ugly if they went taught when he was on them.

11-17-2008, 06:29 PM	#8 (permalink)
Flick Montana Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Beech Grove, Indiana sigh Posts: 4,168	They had a bunch of little kids on the moving carpet trainer at Expo. They really seemed to like it. I wish I'd had that kind of opportunity. You could always start them out like that before you take them to the slopes.

11-17-2008, 06:41 PM	#9 (permalink)
Snowjoe Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 585	Yeah especially with kids I like to have them super confident on the magic carpet and bunny hill area as the step up to the big hill is a big thing for kids. You gotta love it when you get the youngun's shredding it up though. Me and a colleague were teaching these 2 kids, the girl was 7 and the boy was 9 or 10. At the end of the day when we were talking to their parents they took our boards up to the top of the carpet and they were putting in turns on a 156 agent and 157 option axis...wide! It was crazy kids that small being able to handle what must have felt like boats to them, if they can get a board like that to turn imagine 10 more years of riding down the line with people guiding them. The opportunities for these kids is crazy!

11-17-2008, 06:50 PM	#10 (permalink)
Snowjoe Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 585	Come on thats the lifties job surely! I can't imagine having a tow rope, your gonna save on glove wear this season, plus magic carpets are the ultimate in uphill strolling aids.