Trying to do everything possible to ensure that the child grows up healthy, parents try to instill in him a love of sports. Often the choice falls on skiing. But a number of questions arise here. When should I put my child on skis? What age is most suitable?

At what age can a child be taught to ski?

Experts have different opinions on this issue. Orthopedists, for example, believe that children should not engage in this sport until they reach the age of four. At an early age, active formation of the skeleton and skeletal system occurs. Therefore, serious studies should be postponed a little.

Coaches, in turn, recruit children from the age of two into the section, considering this the most appropriate age.

If you do not plan to make your child a world champion, you should stick to the golden mean and start classes at the age of three or four years.

Choosing skis

Do not buy skis with a reserve. Of course, children grow up quickly, but such a purchase would be impractical. For trial lessons, it is better to use skis up to 70 cm long, which can be rented. This will make it easier for the child to master a new science.

If your child likes the sport, it’s worth purchasing new skis, taking into account some of the requirements.

• Skis must correspond to the maximum permissible length - 5 cm higher.
• If the baby’s height reaches 120 cm, you must buy skis according to “adult” rules. That is, the length should correspond to the distance from the floor to the palm of the hand raised up.
• The ski pole should be long enough to reach the child's armpits.
• Up to 5 years it will not be needed, it is better to use a tug.

Teaching children to ski will be easier if you follow these recommendations.

Dressing correctly for a ski trip

For this, it is not the most suitable option; it will be hot in it, and it’s simply not very comfortable. Therefore, it is worth purchasing with fleece. You can wear a warm sweater underneath and a knitted hat on your head.

Shoes should also be comfortable; boots with a blunt toe are best. Shoes should be secured with a well-fitting strap.

How to teach children to ski

First you need to master sliding. To do this, you need to take a skier's stance: you need to bend your legs slightly and lean forward. Next, a slight movement is made with one leg, the weight of the body is transferred to it. After this, we repeat the same with the second leg. The duration of the slide depends on the strength of the push.

Having learned how to make such movements, you can continue using sticks.

Turns and climbs

How to teach children to ski and make turns? The stepping method is suitable for this. To turn right, you need to step with your right foot without lifting the end of the ski from the snow. The left ski is rearranged in the same way. If the alternation is correct, there should be traces in the snow resembling diverging rays.

Several methods can be used for lifting.

• "Half-Christmas tree." This technique is useful for climbing a moderately steep slope. One ski is placed with its entire plane, and the second with its edge.
• "Ladder". You need to stand with your left side facing the slide. The skis are parallel. The first step is taken with the left foot, the second with the right. It is easy to climb a steep slope with the help of poles.
• For a gentle slope you need to use stepping steps slapping skis on the snow.

If you don't know how to teach children to ski so that the procedure goes without injury or disappointment, contact an instructor. He will teach you basic techniques and help you avoid mistakes.

Descent and braking

The descent is the most exciting moment in skiing. But it must be done correctly. You need to take a skier's stance, push off well and descend, performing springy movements with your legs. When descending a steep hill, your legs should be in a maximally bent position.

Before climbing a slope, you need to learn how to brake. When sliding one of the skis, transfer your body weight to it. At this time, point the tip of the second ski slightly towards the first, resting on the inner edge.

In principle, these are all the basic answers to the question: The most important thing is to show maximum endurance. Don't scold your child if something doesn't work out. But at the same time, it is important to teach him discipline on skis. Otherwise, self-indulgence may result in a fall and even injury.

It is better to teach children to ski in a sparsely populated place. This will not only avoid collisions, but also allow you to concentrate on your lesson.

Once you teach your child to ski, you can go skiing with the whole family. This is a great leisure activity that is not only good for health, but will also help make family relationships warm and friendly. Believe me, the child will appreciate such a vacation and will tell his friends for a long time how he rode down the steepest slide.

Who needs this article: to someone who is going to teach a child from 2 to 5 years old to ski. The article is written based on personal experience. Some recommendations may seem counterintuitive from a theoretical point of view, but have worked well in practice. The article takes into account the experience of previous generations, and also describes several personal know-how.

Where to begin: Firstly, you need to understand that the child does not need this training, but most likely the parents, i.e., need it. to you. Secondly, you need to answer the question - what goal are you achieving: to make a champion out of your child or just to ride with him and have fun. For children from 2 to 5 years old, the first is not entirely correct. There are sports schools for champions.

To train kinders, it is not so important to ski well as to be a good child psychologist. So before studying it is better to read B. Spock than J. Joubert.

Much depends on the child’s temperament, on his caution, capriciousness, etc. The article will focus on a certain average child with sufficient caution, not very capricious, and with standard physical endurance. Edge Cases occur quite often, but again this is more a section of child psychology than learning to ski.

We select equipment: The best option is the shortest skis. Even if the baby is already 5 years old and weighs 15-20 kg, it will be better for him to take his first steps on 70cm skis. Most likely, he will “grow out” of them in two days of riding. So it’s logical to borrow skis from friends or buy/exchange used ones, fortunately there are now conferences for these operations, for example on www..ski.ru. Use skis with modern geometry, i.e. fitted - this dramatically speeds up the process of learning to turn. No sticks needed. A helmet is required because children are regularly run over by adults. More serious protection is needed if the child is not very careful. A mask and balaclava are very useful things, especially in windy weather they are very comfortable. It is better to choose a jacket, pants and mittens so that snow does not stick to them, and, ideally, so that the material does not slip on the snow - in general, the usual requirements, as for an adult ski suit.

The first step to the mountain: Epigraph: “When you learn to swim, then let’s pour water.” It is better to conduct the first classes at home on a carpet (without a carpet, your downstairs neighbors will quickly come to you for a very specific purpose). Look at what the instructors do with beginners on the mountain - they do a warm-up. They run in boots in the snow, put on skis and stomp, do squats. You can practice the plow, edging, and also tell your child where the ski has an edge, toe, fastening, etc. Why go to the mountain for this? After all, it is clear that for the first time a child can “live” with ski boots and skis for 15-20 minutes. Tip: before your first trip to the mountain, play ski school with your baby 5-10 times on the carpet at home. He will get used to the weight of the skis on his feet, and his first trip to the mountain will be longer and more productive. Classes at home are simply necessary for children 2-3 years old; for older children, you can not only skip it, but reduce classes to a minimum.

Second step to the mountain: It is very good if parents ski not only downhill, but also cross-country skiing. It's very simple - you go cross-country skiing, and the child rides on a rope behind you on downhill skiing. Fresh air, winter forest, exercise stress, and in the meantime the kinder gets used to sliding. Sometimes it rolls off small hillocks. With this approach, you can glide several kilometers in one day, which is simply unrealistic to achieve on a training slope.

Finally we reached the mountain: Select the minimum slope so that the kinder is just rolling. It will be good if you are allowed into the paddling pool. Take your baby down a few times and see what he can do on the mountain. I’ll say right away that a small child has no motivation to turn, so he won’t turn, even if he can do it. What game to come up with so that the child begins to turn is up to you. You can “steer like a car”, “like a boat”, you can “confuse the tracks like a bunny” or play catch, you can draw snakes, you can put sticks and steer around them (but in my practice, children are not very interested in driving between the sticks). Of course, lead by example. At the first descents, put the children “in the plow”; nothing new has been invented in this regard over the past decades, and there is a lot of information on this topic and there are even special devices that fix the child’s skis in the plow. And with modern ski geometry, from the plow to the carved turns the child has one step. Children quickly realize that if the ski is placed on the edge, it turns well.

We climbed to the top of the mountain: When going down the mountain for the first time, it is better to keep your baby on a leash. But you shouldn’t get carried away with riding with a child on a rope. Because there is no motivation to turn, the child will “hang” on the rope and drive straight without braking. But until the age of 3, you definitely won’t be able to let your child go on the mountain without a leash. Try to reduce the function of the leash to the function of insurance. Those. don’t be afraid to let the child accelerate until he falls, just be careful not to crush the baby - the leash should be long enough, at least 5 meters. Don’t be afraid that the child will fall - a somersault over the head is a normal trick for them, the only thing that can frighten them is the fear of a parent after a child’s fall, and it’s unpleasant if snow gets in their mouth. A good replacement for a leash is ski poles. The scheme is simple: you hold the sticks at one end, and the child at the other. You can stand facing the child - then the speed is low, because you ride backwards, but have complete control over the child. You can stand with your back to the child, then the speed is higher and it is more difficult to control the baby. Yes, the child should be higher up the slope. Try not to let it hang on sticks. Using sticks, it is very good to teach your child to ride in turns - unlike a leash, the grip here is rigid, and you are in front of the child, setting the direction of movement. I practiced this method for driving through steep sections of the route; on gentle sections, the child steered independently.
And so you decided to let your baby fly free. Please note that children drive directly, sometimes slowing down with a plow. As I already said, it’s a different story on how to motivate a child to turn. First of all, forget about the plow yourself, although it is very tempting to drive with a plow at speeds close to zero. You can involve older children to set an example. Well, again game, game and game. During the entire first season “without a leash”, the child will constantly break into driving straight - stop such attempts.
Before letting the child fly free at all, i.e. unsupervised, make sure your child understands basic mountain safety rules. But I think that you are unlikely to dare to lose sight of a five-year-old kinder, so I will skip this topic.

Lifts: Climbing is probably one of the most dangerous activities for a child. A rope tow lift (“mop”) is well suited for a two-year-old child. You should place the Kinder between your legs. Just watch VERY carefully where your baby’s skis are going! In practice, a child can be allowed to go “solo sailing” on a rope tow at the age of 5-6 years. There is a little trick that you need to suggest to your child: on horizontal sections, let him brake with the plow. Cars (of the “egg” type) are also good, but loading into and getting out of them is very problematic. Kinder cannot climb into the trailer on his own, and holding a child, his own skis and the children's skis in his arms is not very easy. The chair is a problem to seat the child correctly. Clothing and gloves should strictly not be made of slippery fabric. It is ideal when both parents lift and sit the baby on both sides. Legs should not hang down. Practice has shown that a kinder up to 1 meter tall can easily fit together with skis under the plastic cover of a chairlift. Pay attention to how and where the safety tube and footrests are lowered. On chairs with 4 or more seats, there are intermediate supports between the seats, which can put pressure on your legs. The chairlift is dangerous because the safety equipment is not designed for small passengers. You can sit the child on your lap, but I have not practiced this method.

And yet a little about psychology: If a child on the mountain says that he is tired, then most likely he is simply not interested or is hungry. Making a tired child into a non-tired one is a rather difficult task. A switch of attention, a new global undertaking, or motivators in the form of a chocolate bar after a victorious descent can be used. More interesting point: It is known that children behave worse with their parents than with strangers (they are capricious, do not obey, etc.). In this situation, you need to cooperate with friends who have a similar approach to spending time together with children - feel free to swap children and go to different corners of the slide. Tested in practice - works very well.
The child quickly gets tired of monotonous skiing, so skiing down the mountain can be alternated with wallowing in the snow, sledding, etc.

Conclusion: If you start placing your baby at 2.5-3 years old, then using this method, by the age of 4, the baby can be safely released on the mountain. Further training does not make much sense - life itself will teach the rest. Well, a couple of years later, you can spend 2-3 hours telling him about parallel skis, front stance and pole work. And do not forget to monitor the safety of the child, and also so that he does not freeze or sweat. For children over 8 years old, adult teaching methods are generally suitable.

What I don’t recommend doing: lowering the child between the legs, under the armpit, although some authors recommend this. Those. Avoid riding in an embrace at all costs. In most cases, the kinder relaxes, hangs on you and generally forgets that he is on skis.

Reviews and comments

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Thank you very much for the article! This year I will be going through this with my son and have already started studying all sorts of materials on this topic. I really liked your idea of ​​putting the child in ski boots, putting on the skis, and playing skiing at home on the floor to get the child ready. Also, your comments about child psychology are very useful. I think that I will start by sending my child to a children's school at the mountain where children ride in a special children's paddling pool on a conveyor up and then down an almost flat slope under the supervision of instructors. After a couple of such lessons, we will begin to ride ourselves and use leashes as you advise.

Thank you very much for the article.

A few questions: as far as I can imagine, leashes usually consist of two straps about five meters long that are attached to the sides of the vest that the baby puts on. They say with these straps, by pulling either left or right, you can control the baby’s turns. Have you tried it? How effective is it?

Another question is that these leashes are often sold together with a device that holds the ski tips together so that they do not move apart. Have you tried it, how useful is it and how long does it make sense to use it?

Boarding a chairlift with a child seems to be understandable, but getting off the lift can be more difficult since there is usually a small slide and the child may be scared or confused. What observations did you have about this? What do you do to avoid surprises?

I haven’t tried “two rope” leashes. Perhaps they will have an effect, i.e. the child will progress faster. But I think that you will spend 3-4 hours of your personal time buying special leashes... maybe it’s better to spend this time poking around with your child on the mountain? :)

There is a problem with skis hitting skis, but I don’t see the need for a special device for children. Look carefully at the very beginning of the film about Volen (link at the top of the article), where Alevtina is 2.5 years old, the skis are parallel and there is not even a tendency to move apart or run into each other. Pinning the toes is IMHO more useful for beginner adults.

Getting out of the chair with a child is as easy as shelling pears, everything happens naturally there. He took the child in his arms and rolled head over heels down the hill :). It is better not to sit on a chair with a baby who is afraid of such small hills, which means it is too early for him to climb the mountains. Train him downstairs.

By the way, the original article has been on my website for a year now, there are more photos there, but here was an article from 15 years ago... I should have left it for history. It’s cool to compare how the teaching methodology is developing in my opinion :)

If you need to use any kind of insurance, then you have chosen the wrong slope for training. Choosing a slope that matches the abilities and skills of the student (child, adult - it doesn’t matter) is one of the main tasks of the instructor. Instead of letting it go until it falls, choose a slope with a counterslope.

Devices for fixing skis in some way replace games. Just like attempts to hammer into a child the difference “right-left” are perfectly replaced by colored ribbons on the legs.

The further into the forest the merrier - children love speed. And, as correctly noted, they are not very eager to turn. The trajectory of the child’s movement along the slope is quite close to the fall line. This should not be forgotten when you follow each other.

Z.Y. written on personal experience, as well as from the traces of instructor courses in Austria that remain in my head.

If you need to use any kind of insurance, then you have chosen the wrong slope for training.

This is the basis of learning.

But parents often want to ride with their child and show them all sorts of interesting and beautiful places. This is where all kinds of insurance come to the rescue. In this case, we can talk not about training, but simply about riding with the child, like an excursion. Approximately how mountain climbers go up a mountain in a group. If these are one-time descents, then there is nothing wrong with that.

I agree with Ski_Baby: the only slope from which it is impossible to go far is the slope in the paddling pool. Of course, it’s good to put your baby in the care of instructors in the paddling pool, but it comes with a financial burden and you want to try it out in the snow with your child yourself and not just look at him from the outside. And as soon as you start driving with your child outside the paddock for kids - even if it is the gentlest green slope - it is still a long slope and the possibility of going the wrong way potentially exists. And you can also speed up if you drive along a green slope in a straight line. So it’s better to keep the child on a leash than to try to catch him by the collar while he’s moving.

I am interested in one more question - the usual training system includes training with a plow and then weaning off the plow and retraining for parallel skiing. I know that adults often master the plow in two days and then spend several years to completely wean themselves off it. So the plow looks like a very bad habit. There are systems for teaching parallel skating at once, for example PMTS direct parallel. I just don’t know how applicable this system is for children - it may be too difficult for them to follow the sequence of exercises required in this system. It would be very interesting to know if anyone has tried to bypass the plow and teach a child to ride in a parallel stance right away? And if you teach a child through a plow, how long does it take to retrain him to turn parallel?

By the way, I watched the videos linked in the article, and was impressed by how beautiful, interesting, and high-quality they were made! We watched it together with the baby, after which he ran again, put on his helmet and skis, and we began to practice again on the carpet

My son has been without a plow since he was two years old. A bunch of other children from our club, 10-12 years old, started without a plow.

If there is an opportunity to go the wrong way, then this is not his slope yet.

Standard Austrian system: straight->plough->carve. There is no clear boundary between these stages; the transition is carried out by gradually adding elements of the next stage to the previous one. Those. there is no "retraining". There is a clear plan for working with beginners with a lot of exercises. The same plow, correctly executed, is a very dynamic (and, if you’re not used to it, quite difficult to demonstrate correctly) thing. By the way, out of the two-week course, approximately 50% of the time was spent on practicing this very plow, despite the fact that there were very good skiers and athletes in the group.

On the one hand, it’s easier with children - they use the plow, even partially, for a very long time. We were shown storyboards from competitions of 10-12 year old children and pointed at the elements of a plow in slalom. And the anatomy of children is not ours at all, and they see the world from a different perspective.

Therefore, there is no need to avoid the plow, it needs to be taught correctly!

In any case, whether it’s a plow or a carve, it doesn’t matter - this is working with the body no less than with the legs, and blocking the body with sticks, reins and anything else is creating problems for the child in the future.

And... games, games, games. Unfortunately, we only had 1 day dedicated to activities with children. Yes, of course, the school’s possibilities in terms of diversity are inexhaustible, but also in simple ways You can “promote” your child towards proper skating. One of my eldest’s favorite games is to “pick a banana from a tree (while re-edging, we stretch forward and upward) and stuff it into the shoe without crashing into the tree (we complete the re-edging, tilt the body down along the fall line of the slope). Explain this in ordinary words... Well Personally, I don't have enough nerves :)

vitos,

In schools, for this purpose, they build ditches, mounds and other things that simply and unpretentiously drive a child into a snake . Well, there are still plenty of ways to get children to shift their weight on one ski. Outside of school, these opportunities are, of course, limited.

I did the following with mine:

2 ribbons of different colors are tied to the knees. I'm obsessed with the cartoon "Cars" so the ribbons were red (McQueen) and green (Chico). Well, I also have a blue one (King) and a yellow one (Master) in my pocket, just in case. We start moving in a straight line. This is followed by "It seems McQueen is falling behind, let's help him!" At the same time, we press with both hands on the knee with the red ribbon. Then do the same with the other leg. What happens to the trajectory of movement when you try to reach and press with both (namely both) hands on the knee, I think there is no need to explain :)

The advice about special playgrounds and paddling pools is great, but not feasible in reality. Because in our country a child and a parent will not be allowed onto any training slope without a resort instructor.

And the reins (namely double reins, not a leash) allow you to control the speed, direction of movement, and to some extent (along with play moments) the child’s stance. And, by the way, it allows you to immediately make a turn without a plow.

The Austrian system is good if you have the Austrian infrastructure - you come to the mountains, your child goes to a ski nursery for a week, and at the end of the day you get a skiing partner. ;-)

In our country, unfortunately, the number of good children’s instructors can be counted on one hand; in my opinion, no one works with three-year-olds at all, the price tag is inhumane, and there is no organization.

And the proposed methodology allows you to work with a child in our real conditions. You can add all sorts of game moments(how to achieve vertical footwork, correct arm position, turns), but as a base - very good.

Thank you very much for the article!

My family and I live in Japan and this year I’m putting my 3.5-year-old daughter on skis. We have ski resorts It's a 2-hour drive from home, so you can afford to go to radials at least every weekend. There are plenty of schools here, but everything, of course, is in Japanese or poor English - both are not an option. My daughter was really looking forward to a trip to the mountains because of the snow - where we live, it falls once or twice during the winter. That’s why I was looking forward to skiing, and especially to going up on the ski lift. I myself sewed the reins and vest from belts according to the sample, bought equipment and a helmet. The ascent went with a bang, the first descent was also enthusiastic because of the feeling of speed, and then just started whining that the skis were coming apart, my feet were hurting in my boots, and so on. And it turned out that I, as a mother and an instructor combined, am not well versed in the theoretical basis of how to teach in what sequence. It seems that everything is clear, but you have no confidence in the correctness of what you are doing with the child on the mountain. And now it will! Starting tomorrow we will be surfing the carpet :) We have a daughter with character, so we have to do a lot through play. But I couldn’t stand this practice for learning to ski, either because I was so focused on the mountain, so as not to fall with my child, so as not to miss it. thanks again!

Cross-country skiing is one of the most wonderful devices for improving the health of both children and adults. This sport is within the capabilities of everyone and does not require any special conditions. What are the benefits of skiing for children?

Firstly, skiing strengthens the body and strengthens the immune system. This will help your baby cope with colds easier. Secondly, skiing strengthens the cardiovascular system. The child’s heart muscle is trained and blood circulation improves, which is especially important for children with low hemoglobin levels. Thirdly, the little skier’s respiratory system is strengthened: skiing provides good ventilation of the lungs. And, of course, active movement in the fresh air is an opportunity to burn off energy. Then you will sleep better, and your appetite will certainly not let you down. Skiing is also a wonderful family leisure activity.

When should you put your child on skis?

If your baby is already 4 years old, you can safely introduce him to cross-country skiing. Before this age, orthopedists do not recommend putting a child on skis, since his ligaments are not yet strong enough. Although there are many mothers and fathers who successfully teach their two or three year old children to ski. So you can try earlier. Just remember: those exercises that a grown-up child will learn to do very quickly can be quite difficult for a three-year-old toddler. And you will need to spend much more time and effort on training it.

Be prepared for the fact that at first your baby will endlessly ask you to take off your skis and then put them back on. This is quite normal, because children are not capable for a long time doing the same thing. But gradually, as the child masters the technique of skating, he will get the hang of it and will skate for 20–30 minutes without a break. Then you can take it on a real ski trip.

Child on skis: equip yourself correctly

To begin with, it is absolutely not necessary to buy your baby super-expensive skis and boots. After all, it is unknown whether skiing will become a favorite winter pastime for a child. In addition, children tend to grow quickly. And by next winter, both boots and skis will probably be too small for the baby. Give preference to inexpensive plastic models with semi-rigid mounts. Let your child ride in his regular winter shoes. The main thing is that it is warm, not bulky and comfortable. But when the baby grows a little and learns to glide confidently, you can think about good skis with boots.

The length of skis for children is selected based on the height of the future skier. It should be slightly larger than the child’s height (about 10 cm). If your height has already reached 120 cm, you can use the “adult” rule: the length of the ski is equal to the distance from the floor to the palm of your raised hand. Poles, on the contrary, need to be shorter by about 10 cm. Poles should be light, have loops for hands and support rings at the bottom. However, you don’t really need poles for your first training sessions. They only disturb the child and get confused between the skis.

For the first training sessions, suitable weather is important. The optimal temperature for skiing is from –1 to –10 °C. If the thermometer is lower, the baby will quickly freeze; if it is above zero, wet snow will stick to the skis and they will glide poorly. To introduce your child to skiing for the first time, find a flat area near your home that is protected from the wind.

Child on skis: first training session

Let the baby put on skis for the first time at home, stand in them, try to lift his legs one by one, and stomp a little forward and back. This will help him get used to the weight and dimensions of the skis.

And then we go outside with the child and skis. The first exercises are aimed at helping the novice athlete get comfortable with skiing. Don't forget to dress them up in a playful way.

Jumping gallop. Let the baby try to squat while standing on two skis. Then invite him to show him how a skier bunny would jump. You can jump on the spot from foot to foot, and then on two skis at the same time.

Stork. The child raises his leg bent at the knee, holding the ski horizontally. Then he puts it on the ground and picks up the other one in the same way. This exercise is useful for training balance. At first, hold the baby so that he does not fall.

Let's draw a fence. We teach the child to ski sideways. Say something like this: “Now you and I will draw a fence in the snow. Only the boards in the fence must be even and even!” It is important that when moving to the side with an extended step, the child does not cross his skis, but places them strictly parallel. Then the “fence” will come out even. This is a very important exercise that teaches the future skier to keep his skis parallel.

Sun. This exercise teaches the child to turn on skis. Invite your child to draw a sun (snowflake) on the snow. We “draw” it with the help of skis, stepping in place in small steps, like a fan, and slowly turning in the right direction. In this case, the heels remain in place, and the skis gradually describe a full circle (when turning 360°). As a result, in the snow, where the baby was trampling, you should get a pattern that looks like a sun with rays or a snowflake. Then we draw a snowflake or a sun, stepping with our heels, and leaving our socks in place.

Ladder. In order to master the “ladder” step, you will need a small, gently sloping slide. The baby stands sideways to the slope and climbs up, as if on steps, with an added step, placing the ski sideways. This exercise helps you feel the steepness of the slope and teaches you to place your skis more carefully. Knowing how to climb a hill is an important skill. After all, the ski track does not always run on perfectly flat terrain.

Child on skis: learning to glide

There is no sliding step in the child’s usual movements when walking and running. Therefore, at first it may be difficult for the baby to understand how to slide correctly. You need to learn first not to slide, but to walk on skis, placing them parallel and maintaining balance. First, let the baby walk on the well-trodden track in the same way as he would walk without skis. No sticks are needed, just hold the child's hand at first. It is also useful to trample on shallow virgin soil: invite your child to trample his own ski track in the snow. And then we try to walk in a zigzag, avoiding obstacles: bushes, trees, stumps, benches, etc. When the baby learns to walk confidently on skis, without losing balance and without crossing the skis, you can switch to mastering the sliding step.

It is best to learn to glide on a well-known ski track that goes slightly downhill. You will need a tug - a stick about 30 cm long with a strong long rope tied to it in the middle. The baby takes the tug stick with his hands, slightly bends his knees and leans forward a little. And mom or dad drive him in a straight line, sometimes accelerating, sometimes slowing down. It can also be done with turns. And then find a small slide and let the baby try to slide down it. When he feels what sliding is, it will be easier for him to understand how to do it himself.

Next, we teach the child to glide not only on two skis at once, but also on each one separately. Let the baby simply walk along the ski track, alternately moving the skis, but without lifting them from the snow. Experts recommend placing small balls (for example, tennis balls) in front of the child, and let him try to push them with his ski toes. However, you can use other available items: small plastic bottles, cones, snowballs. In this case, the skis should not come off the track.

At first, when skiing, it can be difficult for a child to maintain balance: he either leans forward too much or falls backward. Encourage your child, tell him that this happens to everyone and he will definitely learn. And at first you can hold his hand.

When your baby gets comfortable with sliding and is doing well, offer him a few exercises that will allow him to further practice sliding. Let him try:

• take a run and glide on one ski until it comes to a complete stop;
• glide on one ski, pushing off with the other;
• slide with your hands behind your back.

When your baby learns to slide without sticks, you can learn to ride with sticks. With a little training, a child 4–6 years old will be able to ski half a kilometer on his own. Gradually increase this distance to 1.5–2 km.

And now your baby is ready to go with mom and dad on a real ski trip to the park or forest. Of course, not too long yet. But a long journey begins with the first step, doesn’t it?

• It’s good if you manage to attract other kids to your training. Children are always more willing to study in company: it’s more fun, and there is a competitive element. For the first lessons, 15–20 minutes is enough.
• When your child gets older and if his interest in cross-country skiing continues, you can enroll him in a sports section or with a professional coach.
• All ski training exercises must be turned into fun game. Otherwise, the baby will quickly lose interest in learning.
• Don’t overload your baby with everything at once. If at first he just enjoys stomping on his skis, let him stomp on his own, get used to the new toy and unusual sensations, and we will introduce all the exercises unobtrusively and gradually.

Probably one of the most frequently asked questions to instructors is: at what age can a child be taught alpine skiing?

It is quite difficult to answer this question unambiguously. In many ways, it depends on both you and the child.

First, decide what you want to get from these classes.

If you want your child to take up skiing (namely a SPORT, not an outdoor activity), it makes sense to start classes at the age of 5-6. Regularity is important in playing sports, and it makes sense to immediately send your child to a sports school with a good children's coach. In a real sports school, classes are planned for several years in advance; there is a year-long training cycle: classes must continue in the summer - on roller skates, ski simulators, general physical training, and classes in other sports. It may seem to you that progress is going quite slowly, but the sports school does not need immediate results, so a lot of time is spent on strengthening the correct stance, coordination exercises, etc. But later all this will bear fruit. When sending your child to a sports school, immediately commit to taking him there regularly for at least 2-3 years. This is the minimum that will benefit him both for his health and for his ski equipment. Well, if it “goes well”, and the classes bring pleasure and sports results, then the question of how long to take your son or daughter to the section will disappear by itself. What if you raise a new Bode Miller or Janica Kostelic?!

But often what motivates parents to teach their children to ski is that there is no one to leave them with when you want to go skiing. Whether it's a hill near Moscow or a week in the Alps, it's still a little disappointing when one parent goes skating while the other makes snowmen. In addition, joint leisure brings the family together, and games in the fresh winter air improve health, develop dexterity, courage and perseverance.

In this case, you can start classes with your child from 3 years old. Only these activities will be less like training at a sports school: just playing on a gentle slope with skis on your feet. The smaller the child, the lower the slope, and the more games! The main thing is to interest the baby and not discourage him from further activities.

If you are going to teach your child on your own, be prepared for patience and long learning. Every child gets tired, cold, and loses interest. Don’t insist on continuing the lesson; it’s better to go to a cafe and have a snack. After resting, you can work out some more.

Some parents think: “I’ll teach my son a little and give it to an instructor.” No need! Incorrect movements are reinforced, and relearning is always more difficult and longer than learning from the beginning. The ideal scheme for teaching a child alpine skiing, in our opinion, is this: the first few lessons are conducted by an instructor, then he recommends what you can do with your child yourself, show your child to the instructor about once a month to monitor the learning process, correct mistakes and add new ones technical elements. The scheme has been tested and works 100%!

And one last thing. Remember that without your active actions, the child will not achieve success in alpine skiing, be it a sport or a health activity. But everything you give him will pay off handsomely later.

Speaking of the minimum age for classes, a short video about a one-year-old snowboarder. This is what the efforts of parents and the interest of the baby lead to :)

, http://dapdz.nl/mapskd1

Parents of future skiers often have questions: “At what age can a child start skiing,” “How to dress children for skiing,” “How to choose skis and boots.”

http://bz-925.com/map167 The answers to these questions, based on my experience, are contained in this review.

At what age should a child start skiing?

Russian ski schools accept children from 8 years old.

In foreign practice, training at a ski school begins at the age of 6, and by this time the child has already completed training in the initial training group, which is accepted into from the age of 3-4.

Therefore, it’s time to put your child on skiing at 3-4 years old, at 5 years old. From my experience, children of this age are most receptive to visual learning. Explaining technical details is useless for them, but most will soon be able to repeat what the coach does. As for the load on the legs, at this age the child will not wear many uncomfortable parts on the leg for a long time - firstly, and secondly, complex exercises that involve stress are not done at the initial stage. So you can try to place the child at 2 years old, another thing is that at this age he will not move far from his mother and is not ready for training.

The child perceives learning to ski as new game and it is important to captivate the little person, to interest him, and then he himself will want to learn in order to ski with friends, mom and dad, and if he started skiing at such an early age, then skiing will be the most natural activity for him.

How to dress a child for skiing in frosty weather.

Outdoor activities, in cold weather, we will consider alpine skiing, you need to dress in several layers.

At an air temperature of 0 -10 degrees, it is enough to wear 2 inner layers and an outer layer (jacket).

When the air temperature is -10 degrees or more (last year classes were held at -21 degrees), you need to wear 3 inner layers and 1 outer layer.

More details: 1 layer - cotton T-shirt with long sleeves (or thermal underwear)

Layer 2 – sweatshirt (knitwear or fleece)

Layer 3 – sweater, wool jacket.

Layer 4 – winter insulated jacket (overalls).

It’s good if the first two layers are adjacent to the body, the second two layers are more voluminous.

On your feet: warm tights or woolen underwear (leggings) and winter insulated pants; at the bottom of the legs there should be a skirt that protects from snow.

The socks are thin wool, so that the foot is comfortable in the ski boot (the lining of the boot retains heat quite well).

On the head is a balaclava (balaclava) and a hat. Ideally, a helmet with goggles. The mouth and nose can be covered with a special mask.

On the hands there are gloves - leggings.

In such an outfit the frost is not terrible.

How to choose children's ski boots.

Boots should fit the foot, dressed in a warm sock, without leaving large gaps between the toe of the boot and the toes, the foot should not dangle in the boot, but it should not put pressure on the leg, leaving an unpleasant sensation.
Different manufacturers have different lasts, but for entry-level children, the boots they make are universal, soft, so the foot should be comfortable in them. No need to buy expensive sports shoes for training. A model with one clip or two is suitable for beginners.
Typically, children's ski boots are enough for one to one and a half seasons of skiing. Then the leg grows, and the shoes need to be changed.

How to choose alpine skis for a child.

When you are convinced that the child is interested in skiing, you can select equipment.

Now all manufacturers of alpine skis produce for children the most younger age slightly fitted skis, with a wider tip and tail. For children from 7 years old you can already find sports series skis.

Child's weight< 20 кг - рост лыж 70 см, 80 см
Child weight 20-30 kg - ski height 80 cm, 90 cm
Child weight >40 kg height - skis 100, 110 cm
Children who are confident on skis can take larger skis.
Weight > 40 kg skis are selected according to height.

For beginner skiers (teenagers and adults), skis are selected according to the following conditions: Height – 20 cm.
This recommendation is approximate, since the final choice depends on the ski model and the person’s weight. Skis 10-20 cm shorter are easier to control.

Bindings for children's skis up to 100 cm are selected with an actuation force of up to 4 DIN. The fastenings should be set to the middle of the scale, that is, if the fastenings are up to 4 DIN, they should be set from 1.5 to 3 DIN (depending on the weight of the child).
You can check approximately: the actuation force is equal to the weight of the person divided by 10. If the child’s fastening often comes unfastened, you need to tighten it (both the toe and heel). On larger size skis, mounts up to 7.11 DIN are installed.

No poles are needed for the youngest skiers. Because they start to get confused about the new equipment.
For older skiers (and adults), the recommendations for selecting poles are as follows: while standing on skis, take the pole in your hand (with the lanyard down) parallel to the body. The arm should bend at a right angle. If the angle is larger (obtuse), it is better than if the arm bends to form an acute angle.

It's good if the child is wearing a helmet and goggles. Of course, warm, waterproof clothes and mittens are also important when practicing this winter and snowy sport.