There’s a lot to love about skiing, from the beautiful mountain scenery to the feeling of the crisp wind on your face. It’s a sport that can turn into a lifelong passion. That is why it’s understandable that aficionados of this particular sport want their children to share in their passion.
If you love skiing and want your children to love it too, follow these tips. These will make sure that your children have fun and stay safe on the slopes, skiing for the first time.
1. Have Your Children Wear a Helmet and Goggles
Even though your children wouldn’t be flying down the slopes on their first days as skiers, it’s still a must to make them wear protective eyewear and headgear. Children’s heads are fragile and require protection, especially since head injuries account for up to 20% of the 600,000 ski- and snowboarding-related injuries annually in North America.
2. Invest in a Ski School
Even if you’re a great skier, you may not be a good teacher. It’s a good idea to enroll your child in ski lessons so that a professional can teach them how to ski properly. These ski teachers know how to engage a child and make sure that they learn, stay safe, and have fun on the slopes. Additionally, kids learn best with a group of peers and a seasoned professional.
3. Dress Them Warmly
Layers are the key to this. Kids can get cold very quickly in the snow and wearing many layers can help keep them stay warm and comfy. One important piece of clothing that you shouldn’t skimp on is socks. Make sure to get socks that are nice and thick. Remember: warmth and comfort are key to your child’s enjoyment on the slopes.
4. Get the Appropriate Gear
Just as you would don high-performance ski boots, say the Tecnica Mach1 130, your children need to wear the right gear, too. Get them ski gear that is best suited to them and their approximate ski level. If you don’t want to break your budget, you can always rent equipment. After all, kids grow fast and can quickly outgrow any equipment you may buy for them. Just make sure that the gear fits them right.
5. Focus on the Fun
Skiing should be fun. If your children get bored or frustrated with skiing, they won’t be able to learn techniques properly. If you notice your children losing interest, forget about skiing for a while and just go and play in the snow. Make snow angels and snowmen, or even have a snowball fight. These are all fun and easy ways to entertain your young ones and give them a nice break in between laps up and down the slopes.
For a successful ski holiday, make sure you take these tips with you. Skiing with children can be tricky, but it is a highly rewarding experience. When you first see your little ones triumphantly going down the hills in their skis, you will no doubt feel a rush of pride and joy.