Ski Tips for Kids

Practise before the lift line, make a clear loading plan and help kids ride and unload with confidence. Mike Clelland’s illustrations explain each step.

"J turns describe the big curved J shape of the track you'll make with your skis in the snow. It's a fun way to introduce kids to the parallel stance, and it's another way they can stop.⁠ Start out by skiing in a gliding Pizza straight down the slope, right in the fall line. Before you get going too fast, turn across the hill (out of the fall line) and make that curved part of the letter J. You'll come to a nice controlled stop with your skis pointing back uphill. It might help to have someone else make a big J turn first and then you can follow that track in the snow.⁠ ⁠"

"Your jacket has a zipper that should be used like the laser guidance system for your whole body. Think of your pants and jacket as two distinct halves, and they each move differently. Your skis down at the snow will be moving back and forth with each turn, but your upper body should be stable and smooth. Focus on a quiet upper body by trying to keep your jacket zipper pointed downhill.⁠ ⁠"

"As the motions get smoother and less blocky, your whole body starts to look like a graceful C shape pointing downhill. This is the shape of an expert skier!⁠ ⁠"

"Think about guiding and smearing that uphill pinkie toe across the snow until the skis are parallel. If you are teaching, you can prompt this by calling out pinkie toe in the snow!" (it rhymes!). Imagine you are spreading jelly on bread with that uphill ski. Work on both sides. Then make big swooping S shapes as you go from turn to turn."⁠ ⁠"

"“The Wedge Christie lets you keep the training wheels on for that tricky moment at the start of the turn. Use the Pizza as you get TALL and guide your skis into the go line, then get SMALL in the rounded bottom of the turn. Guide your uphill ski so it slides smoothly into French Fries.”⁠ ⁠"