Making Progress

Part 1
Part 2

Turning and stopping are just the beginning of the skiing adventure. Once your child is turning it’s time to link turns and begin learning speed control.

Many kids have a hard time linking turns, most can make two turns but have trouble with a third. This is because they’re better at turning one direction than the other and become nervous. The best way to fix this is to just practice, you can remind them to relax and that skiing is fun and not something to be stressed about. Try making bigger turns if they are too tight or shorter turns if your kid keeps stopping while going across.

This is where you get to start having fun. After all this time, it’s finally time to play Follow the Leader. My kids and I play this every time we’re out on the mountain even though they’re skiing trees and moguls, it’s their favorite game to play. Have your child follow you down the Bunny Hill, try to keep your turns the same size and ski parallel.

Once you are comfortable with their ability, it’s time for your child to be the leader. Follow your child down as many times as you need as you prepare yourself to take them onto the mountain.

The reason you want to ski parallel when leading is to show what real skiing looks like. A lot of the time with enough time spent following you kids will just start skiing parallel with no additional instruction. This doesn’t always happen so don’t plan for it. Once your child is out on the mountain with you, natural progression is the easiest and most enjoyable way forward.

On the Greens

Find the easiest green trail on the mountain. If you don’t know which trail it is, you can just ask around. The liftie running the bunny hill lift probably has an idea. If this is your child’s first time on a chair lift you can ask for help. A ski harness like the one I recommended in Part 1 is useful to help pull them on.

Once on the lift make sure they are seated safely and lower the bar. I like to put my poles across myself and my kids as a seatbelt holding them back since they like to give me a heart attack by trying to stand on the footrest. The first time getting off the lift just go straight and get out of the way, you can practice coordinating with turns off the lift once everyone is comfortable.

For the first run, just like on the bunny hill play follow the leader. You lead for a while and then let them lead. Your child will probably stop where it gets steep and you’ll have to help them down, either by leading slowly or skiing nearby to catch them if they lose control. If you are using a harness you can grab the handle and stop them, if not I scoop them up under the arms and stop over near the side.

Mountain Etiquette

As a skier you should already know basic mountain manners but if not here’s a quick reminder:

• Downhill Skier has the right away: If the skier in front of you is making turns and making you slow down, wait until there is a clear time to pass.
• Share the trail: When leading your kid down the mountain, use short turns and at most take up only half the trail. Stick to one side, not the middle half, to avoid ruining everyone else’s run.
• When stopped, get to the side or near one of the slow skiing or rest point signs: You want to be in a safe, visible location.
• Ski to your ability
• Don’t stand on other people’s gear in the lift line

Family Rules

These are the rules I make my two and four year old’s follow in addition to the basic mountain manners.

• Follow the rules or no skiing next weekend.
• If they start to throw a fit we’re done skiing for the day.
• Stop at every yellow sign and split in the trail.
• If going off trail I need to know first.

Additional fun drills

Hocky Stops: When teaching this was my introduction to parallel skiing. Make it a game by shooting snow onto your kids and have them try to get you back by trying it. Exaggerate your movements when showing how to hocky stop. I like to lift my inside foot way up high and stomp it down to show how much extra weight you want on the inside edge of your outside ski.

Foot Race: Run down the mountain, with your skis on. Step into your turns and try to walk along the turn. This helps to teach outside edge engagement which is very important for carving later on.

Figure 8: Try skating around and making a figure 8 shape.

Pass the Leader: This is follow the leader but the goal is to pass the leader and start leading their own path. I know you’re faster than your child but its fun for them to take the lead sometimes, you don’t have to show off.

Time to go shred

At this point your little ones should be having adventures out on the mountain by your side. If you used an edgie wedgie in learning the best way to get rid of it is to head back to the bunny hill after each day and try without it. Eventually your child will grow out of it. It took one of my kids a whole season to get rid of it and the other only five days on the mountain.

Have fun and be safe out there. Remember to give your child enough space to develop their skills and to stay close enough to keep them safe.