 Poster: A snowHead
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My daughter at 14 months has been running around for 4 weeks now and quite fancy sticking her on a pair Gipron toddlers first training skis for a little slide about just to see if she likes it. Anyone used these skis before? Is it far too early to even try? Advice please snowheads
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ScaryG, one of the best kids skiers I ever encountered started at 9 months, the week before she could toddle...
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| ScaryG wrote: |
| My daughter at 14 months has been running around for 4 weeks now and quite fancy sticking her on a pair Gipron toddlers first training skis for a little slide about just to see if she likes it. Anyone used these skis before? Is it far too early to even try? Advice please snowheads |
Our plastic Gipron skis literally fell apart within the first 15 minutes of use. The plastic bindings are made of nothing, and just split and collapsed.If you could get something like Nordica Nordy boots in her size, and some 60cm skis with proper bindings, that would be a much better idea.
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I'm very interested in this discussion. My grand-daughter, who will have just turned 2, will be wanting to try skiing in April (she's already keen because her big sister, now aged 4, has a "badge").
Davidof, on another thread, thought that the plastic clip on skis (not necessarily Gipron) were better for little ones. And one of my neighbours in France, with a child of 19 - 21 months this winter, had her on those skis down on our free "nursery tow". He's a French outdoor pursuits instructor, quite a "mountain man" and what he was doing with her struck me as right. He held her going up the tow but was getting her to shuffle off herself, and encouraging her to make progress down the slope, without holding her. You do see people with very young kids, skiing on proper slopes "between Daddy's knees" which is no doubt great fun but doesn't seem to be teaching them very much. I wouldn't buy boots and skis for a toddler - they'd only fit for one holiday - but you can rent pretty small ones.
These look quite sturdy, though I'd not let her loose with poles. http://www.decathlon.fr/premiers-skis-uski-id_8201679.html
I'll also have another two year old visiting in March, so they'd get a couple of week's use.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Mr Pieholeo, I think it might be too early for proper boots and skis her feet are already a size 5!!! she outgrew her last pair of new shoes in 6 weeks. I shall scour ebay for some bargains.
pam w, Those Decathlon ones loook very cute 
under a new name, Thanks good to know
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ScaryG, photos, please, of your super-cute daughter on cute skis! 
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Our eldest we started skiing a month shy of his 4th birthday but the youngest had her first go at 2 years and 5 months, using normal skis and bindings. She struggled to grasp it and we didn't do too much with her. But 4 months later we went again and she was much better and progressed a long way. All children are a little bit different but I reckon around 2.5 to 3 years old they become workable. I've seen kids on these toddler ski's a few times and it seemed a bit pointless to me. They just seemed to clomp around without much interest in sliding. But as I say all children are different and it may be that with some perseverence on the part of the parent a 14 month may get into it.
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Pedantica, ok as soon as I get her kitted out
Layne, I wont be pushing it, probably just letting her go on a very gentle slope to see if she enjoys it
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
I've seen kids on these toddler ski's a few times and it seemed a bit pointless to me. They just seemed to clomp around without much interest in sliding.
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they can slide a bit - on a very gentle slope, which is where they should be. I suppose those toddler skis teach balance, how to move round on skis - the sort of thing beginner lessons do. The race club kids are regularly put on cross-country skis to teach them fine balance - because you can't "lean on the equipment". The toddler skis have some of the same qualities but being much wider are easier to balance on. And possibly they are less likely to lead to injury than "proper" skis and boots - not that many very young kids seem to injure themselves; they're bendier than grownups and used to falling.
The key, from my own experience, is whether the kids actually want to do it or not - but done right, in small does, it's just a lot of fun, with a close family member who is competent to help and make a fun game of it and stop at the first sign of rebellion. We did get the four year old (then three) some private lessons, with some other little girls, but really a competent father did just as well (you do need to be able to ski backwards).
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pam w, That was exactly what I was planning. I was just a bit concerned that she may be a tad too young
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w,
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you do need to be able to ski backwards
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I can ski backwards. But I don't suppose a kid would want me puking on his/her skis. (Seriously, I get motion-sick skiing backwards.  )
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Pedantica, yes, I sympathize with that; it's probably Old Age. I did a simple head-over-heels on the sitting room floor the other day (playing with grandchildren, I'm not Father William) and it was horrible; the whole room swam for some minutes. Thankfully my son-in-law is not only a good skier but skilled in teaching stuff physical skills (PE teacher) so I am not called upon.
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You know it makes sense.
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I started on proper skis at about 2-3 but that's more because I was slightly older and started on the playing field in Braemar. My brother started on the wee plastic skis, I think they were bought in a Swiss shopping centre, but that was more for shuffling round the garden. Probably depends on what you're going to do, a wee shuffle and the plastic ones would be fine.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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pam w or anyone else, have you got any more to share about how the guy you saw encouraged the small person to make progress down the slope? I mean obviously gravity will do its bit, but in terms of where to start or how much explaining/showing was being done?
My daughter is now just turned 3 and seems to be very excited about going skiing (going on March 1st), but I don't think she has a clue what it's all about. She's seen Peppa Pig skiing (!), and likes watching the downhill skiing on TV with us, but it's a very different thing trying to actually figure out how to help her actually have a go on snow. I'm thinking no to much explaining, and yes to just showing and letting her kind of get on with it, but I want to help make it a fun experience. She's very physical generally (was climbing/jumping/scooting/balance biking before her peers), which will hopefully be in her favour, but it's important to us that we don't mess this up and put her off!
Won't be pushing her, but she seems keen, and it will probably be more of a shuffle around kind of thing, but if anybody has any expertise to share on getting a toddler started, please do!!
Dx
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Poster: A snowHead
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My 2P. I would think with very young kids best not to do anything structured as that can come later, just make it fun and let them pootle about until they get tired.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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When we were away the other week, eldest whos just 4 has been doing lessons, and getting on ok. We went out with him and his little brother who's two and a half and he was watching his brother, piped up "I want a go!". So, seeing as they're almost the same foot size, he borrowed his brothers boots and skis and went up the bunny slope with mum, and had a whale of a time!
ScaryGs got in right in my view - keep it fun and build up their love of being in the mountains.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Deliaskis, before you go you could have your daughter practice a snowplough position - heels out, toes in, feet shoulder width apart. We call snowplough "pizza", and parallel "french fries", it's much easier to say.
When you get to the snow have her start with just walking around on the flats in her skis, just shuffling. Then take her up the slope a few yards, have her stand up with "strong legs", and let her slide straight down - choose a place where she will stop with just the run out from the slope, it's better if you don't have to catch her. Make sure her feet are hip/shoulder width apart and that she's centrally balanced, have her hold her hands out in front/slightly to the side to balance.
Next show her the "pizza" snowplough position and "frenchfries" while on the flat - you may need to actually place her feet into "pizza" a few times, and have her practice going from one to the other on command a few times. Sometimes a little jump into the "pizza" helps. Once she's shown some understanding of it, take her up the slope a few yards and practice making "pizza" to slow and stop. Explaining that clever people learn to slow and stop often helps! Make your way higher and higher up the slope as she gets it, practicing stopping while still going down, and then starting again. If she has a lot of problems getting the "pizza" then an edgie-wedgie is useful - make sure it's fairly short, about 4 inches long (some have to be tied to make them shorter) before you attatch it to her skis, and then have her try to stretch it apart to get her "pizza".
Once she can stop and slow she can go higher up and practice, but be aware that magic carpets and tows are hard on little legs, if you can use a chair lift she'll probably have more stamina.
Turning comes next - have her point her skis one way and then the other, once she has that have her practice turning up hill to a stop, and standing harder on her outside ski - raising the inside arm sometimes helps.
Go slow, have lots of hot chocolate breaks, and don't make a fuss when she falls! It helps if you can ski backwards, but it's not totally necessary.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Deliaskis, I'll PM you something funny
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Deliaskis, when my almost-3 year old grand-daughter started, the key was having the perfect slope. Almost flat, but enough of a slope to get going. Taking her up the very low rope tow was hard work for an over 6 foot father but he coped.
When it came to turning, my daughter ran from side to side in front of her, saying "this way" "now this way" etc . With something to aim at, she just turned; no instructions were given, it just happened. Similar principle to using little markers, obviously, but we didn't have any of those.
On the straight running, we did "hands on knees" to keep her weight forward - once they stand up they tend to fall over backwards.
She was in proper ski boots and skis, not toddler skis. I'm not so sure about her little sister, who will be "just 2" in April. there's a big difference between "just 2" and "almost 3" but the younger girl is very tall and strong. and determined. so if she decides to ski, she'll ski. If she decides not to ski, forget it!
Keep the sessions short.
Both those girls adore toboganning - the faster and dafter the better. My eldest grand-daughter hated it; really disliked that feeling of being out of control. It would have been absolutely hopeless trying to get her skiing at 3, though she's coming on nicely now, at 10 (still 100% controlled!).
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Having thought about this a little more before posting, the main thing is: don't concentrate on the mechanics of skiing too much.
Kids are. How can I put this. Stupid. And very easily distracted. So let them be distracted, as much as possible.
All the periphery of the process is just as important to them. Gondola rides, going under a footbridge (why do kids love tunnels and bridges so much?), going between a bunch of trees and telling them to keep an eye out for The Gruffalo, all different kinds of rope tow and drag lift to ride on (and fall off) and be intrigued by. Stop at the side of the piste for a banana and a snowball fight whenever possible (you may have to carry a very large number of bananas).
The skiing is just a small percentage of the overall experience. Make the whole package as appealing and childlike as possible. The little one isn't discriminating between the skiing and the bit where you go collecting pine cones.
During most of the first year we taught Pie Jr to ski, I swear he thought the skiing was just a means to an end. The end being 'having another go on the moving carpet through the tunnel, and then going to the cafe'.
Do congratulate them when they accidentally do something 'right' of course.
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Mr Pieholeo, +1 to all that.
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Mr Pieholeo, +2
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Having returned last weekend from the first trip with our 4yr old daughter I can say that Mr Pieholeo, is absolutely spot on. My daughter loved skiing, but this was probably because of all the other cool stuff that goes along with it. The magic carpets, her first ride in a bubble through the snowy "christmas trees" were all things that went into making her first trip magical.
I also agree that you can't teach them how to ski, they just do it! I was skiing with her on our last day - she had been in afternoon ski school with ESF all week - and I would ski backwards in front of her saying "Big Pizza" as this is how ski school referred to a snowplough. When it came to turning I just said "now this way" or "follow me" and she just did it. AMAZING!!!
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Thanks all. This is all very encouraging, it seems I don't really need to do much at all, which is always a winner! Although she's physically pretty well ahead of her peers, the idea of trying to 'teach' her anything as such, just seems to bizarre, as she's still only little, so we're aiming for lots of playing and fun, and if we get that far, then some pizza and chips
She is very determined, and clumps around the house with her plastic skis on most days at the moment (which must be quite hard really), so I'm hoping once she realises how much more fun it is on snow, then she'll be a happy girl.
Also agree about the 'whole experience', which if I'm honest, encapsulates my approach to skiing anyway, it's a skiing holiday, not endurance training, and the scenery and ambience is important to me too.
Mr Pieholeo, thanks for links, had fun watching those.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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FastCarver74, yes, you can teach that age how to ski - or did you daughter not learn anything in ski school every afternoon for a week?
The "hands on knees" position isn't really that effective since it tends to teach small children to bend at the waist and crouch down, pressuring against the back of their boots with their bottoms sticking out, as they try to compensate for their head being in front of their feet. A small child's skiing position is much more upright and stacked than an adult's due to their higher centre of mass, lack of muscle strength, and the fact that their boots tend to have less forward lean. Thus hands/elbows in front of the body, and an upright balanced position is what is needed.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I took my 3.5 year old for her first lesson last week and the guy at the Swiss ski school used the hands on knees position to get her used to getting her weight forward as the natural tendancy was to lean back. I agree that long term better technique is needed, but to get her started it worked a treat and in 20 minutes she went from having no idea to making it the whole length of a 100m slope without falling over.
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