Skiing with 2 year old

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any experience skiing with a 2 year old at any of the nearby ski resorts? I have older kids who want to go skiing, but there is the 2 year old to consider as well. I have looked at all the websites for the local ski places and it seems the minimum age for lessons is 3. My DS won't be 3 until April, but could probably handle an hour or so lesson. Any advice appreciated.

[Anonymous]

I think your best bets with a 2 year old are: put him in the day care while the rest of you ski; take a parent/child private lesson with him, where the instructor helps the child and you ski along and get tips on how to teach your child to ski. I doubt you'll find a ski school in this area that admits 2 yr olds, but maybe I am wrong!

[Anonymous]

I might be wrong, but I thought Ski Liberty had a parent child class that allows 2 year olds. Also, maybe you could do a private lesson.

[Anonymous]

My kids both started skiing when they were just 3 and that was plenty early. We were willing to push them but not sure I would have done it at 2. I don't think there is any particular benefit to the child in terms of skiing ability long term. I would second the day care option.

[Anonymous]

We were told by ski unstructors that kids should be able to ride a bike well before taking ski lessons (they need indepent control of their legs) and that at 2 its hard for them to understand and following directions (even knowing the different between left and right). Plus its exhausting. We took our 4 year old for the first time and he was exhausted in 30 minutes. We did sign him up for a parent and me class which is great. Friends of ours just find a sledding hill near the ski mountain and borrow cheap skiis so the youngest can try it out but you haven't committed the money or time to lessons. They also just put them in the daycare. Everyone was happy with that option.

[Anonymous]

2 is too young to ski. Like above PP mentioned: put him in daycare while you ski and everyone will be happy.

[Anonymous]

We've been wondering the same thing ourselves, and I found the comments on this thread to be really helpful:

http://www.epicski.com/forum/thread/38533/what-age-should-children-start-skiing

[Anonymous]

http://www.skiliberty.com/lmr/learn/childrens-learning-center.aspx

The Ski with me Parent/Child lesson is for 3 and older. It is $85.

Personally, having tried to ski with my kids when they were young, I found 4 was a better age. They understand directions and were better in coordination at that age.

[Anonymous]

What about XC skiing and pulling the toddler in one of those sleds?

[Anonymous]

I recently took my 4.5 year old skiing for the first time in New England. He did great but tired after a few hours (including lunch break); just wearing the big boots takes some getting used to. I echo the suggestion of using childcare for the 2 year old while you and the older children ski. Have fun! Skiing is an awesome "family" sport, and your children will be happy they learned while young.

[Anonymous]

we were near a local ski place recently so popped in with our 3YO to ask if she was big enough for lessons. they said probably not. Their advice -- when kids can balance on one foot without holding on to anything they probably have the balance and coordination to learn skiing. However they did suggest that it could be good to just put her on skis and pull her around by a belt or tether that she holds or that goes around her waist so that she gets used to the equipment and the feel of being on snow. it wasn't worth the cost of us renting equipment to do that, but it's a thought. I agree that you can also go Xcountry. Some places will have a sled-type ting for her that you can pull behind you, and you could try teaching Xcountry, which doesnt' have to involve hills. seems unfair to put her in daycare for several days while everyone else skis, unless she is a kid who will really enjoy it. incidently we tried ice skating at 2 and it totaly didn't work but at 3 my daughter loved it. so maybe a resort with more than just downhill is your answer?

eileen gunn
Twitter: @familiesgo
Facebook: www.facebook.com/#!/pages/FamilesGo/140816979309549

[Anonymous]

Deer Valley in Utah has a great ski program for 3 yr olds (basically day care mixed with private instruction). Our DS did well with it. In Austria (where I'm from) you see plenty of kids learning to ski at 2/3, but with Mom and Dad. No ski programs in the area will take them that young. At 2, we put both kids on plastic skis that you just buckle on to their regular boots just to get them used to the concept. You don't really even need a ski hill for that, just some snow and a little slope (our yard worked fine when we had snow). We always did ski vacations as a family, even before all of the kids were old enough to ski. DH and I just took turns with the youngest, and some days he spent the whole day in the daycare, going to play "with my friends", as he put it. He didn't seem to mind, as long as you find a place with a good program.

[Anonymous]

A good friend was a ski instructor in Aspen.

Requirement #1 = Potty Trained

Where he taught they would take them at 3 - but he recommended 4 as a general guideline. I know you are not necessarily looking to get your 2 YO on skis - rather a place where everyone can have a good time. Your 2 YO will have a lot more fun inside where it is warm and dry.

[Anonymous]

I have an energetic 3 yr old with VERY strong longs. When he was 2 I took him skiing to Utah - fabulous! they would not take him in ski school until he was 4 years old, however, I picked up some little teeny skis and had him ski in his light, comfy boots - just put a brace on him and had him ski between my legs - worked great and I still have film of it! I am planning to take him again this year and may get him proper boots and skis and plop him in for a lesson.

[Anonymous]

I work at Whitetail. We drive up from DC on Fridays, and ski two days. Mine are 2.5 and 3.5 years old. I take them myself on the very small beginner hill which is dedicated to learning and very tiny children. It has two magic carpet lifts. They have plenty of equipment for very tiny feet.
Kids can only be out about 1.5 to 2.5 hours before they tell you they are tired or want to lay in the snow. it is great time to bond inside at that point and look at the other skiiers from the lodge.
Whitetail starts the group lessons at 4, but the private lessons start at 5. The Kids Mountain Camp program which combines skiing with daycare starts at 3 also, and they will be closed by April, so that wouldn't work for your situation. The day care option would work while you worked with your older son.

You don't need potty training or bike knowledge to learn to ski. My 3.5 year old which is great riding bikes even uphill but isn't as good at skiing as my 2.5 year old who can only ride a big wheel and always puts on the brakes by accident while trying to pedal the upright bike.

I spoke to another lady/mom on the Velvet Green bunny slope who had a 2.5 year old who was really amazing at skiing and she didn't need to use any restraint equipment or gear (harness or bar) with him. She said her husband was an instructor, so the child had been taught well. My little people are not exactly taught by anything other than what I learned on youtube.

My other friends bring their mother or mother in law to watch the little ones after their 1.5 hour session so they can continue to ski with the older child.

The first few days are mainly for getting accustomed to snow and skiis. I bought the plastic skis and used it with normal ski boots year round in the rainy days on very small hills outside our house. That way they learn to walk with skis year round and the feeling is normal. when they get to the slope, so you can concentrate on the pizza wedge while going down hill. It is surprising how much faster the younger ones learn. Don't listen to people who say that 2 is too young - they probably haven't tried it or possibly they could have an odd non-parent like relationship with their child where the child is boss so learning from the parent isn't natural.

Good luck.