Ski Tips for Kids

"The are other ways for your little skier to make their way up the hill besides the magic carpet. The key to side stepping is to keep your skis perpendicular to the hill, taking tiny little sideways steps up the slopes.⁠ ⁠"

"If you can't ski backward, just pop your skis off and walk backward (or just alongside). This works wonderfully for the newest and youngest beginners because you can usually walk as fast as they ski. Without skis it is easy to get in close and help your children to get back up.⁠ ⁠"

"The magic carpet is a very simple conveyor belt that brings skiers up to the top of the beginners' slope. These have replaced the tow-ropes from a bygone era. They don't require much instruction; you just give the person ahead the right amount of space then shuffle on the track. Then, you just stand there until you get to the top.⁠ ⁠"

"You can help them tip their edges into the snow by easing their knees and shins inside a little so the outside edges tip up a little bit. If you need to, reach right in there and position their boots to create the skiers' wedge; think of a boat with curved hill starting from the bow.⁠ ⁠"

"Once your little skier can stand and take their own weight, a ski trainer like @sloperopes is a great next step. Slope Ropes sit at your child's waist, putting them in the perfect position (nose over knees over toes). The length is perfect - long enough to allow you to make your own turns to slow down speed, but not too long that your little skier is out of your reach. With two ropes and two handles, you can effectively steer your little one in the right direction, with just one hand! ⁠"

"Work together to get the inside edges tipped down into the snow. There will be a little space between the base of the ski and the snow. You can check this by slipping your hand under the outside edge of the ski. Once they get it they can hold themselves still even when pointed downhill.⁠ ⁠"

"A child's body (particularly 2- to 4-year-olds), with short little arms and legs, will tend to move as one unit. They'll ski down the hill as one frozen block. Some of the skiing movements described later (like ankle flexing or turning with the lower body) will be out of reach until they get a little older.⁠ ⁠"

"When shuffling on the flats and on the magic carpet, clip both ends of your Edgie Wedgie onto one ski. This will reduce the chances of skis getting tangled, or losing your @edgiewedgies. ⁠"

"Here's an important question: What's your own skill level? Are you a good enough skier to teach safely and effectively? If you aren't a strong skier yourself, you'll be in way over your head if you try to teach these subtle skills to a child. You need to be a very good skier yourself if you want to play the role of instructor.⁠ ⁠"

"Kids are different from adults. An adult's center of mass is around the belly button. The center of mass for kids is much higher (especially age 5 and younger) because their heads are huge compared to the rest of their body. Add a helmet and you bring that balance point up even higher. This means that when watching kids and evaluating their skiing, they won't conform to the adult ideal.⁠ ⁠"