Ski School can be a great place for your kids to learn to ski and build a community of friends around sport. That doesn’t mean the first few lessons are going to be easy. There are ways to frame the first ski school experience in a positive light that will make the experience more fun for everyone in the family.
We’re working with the team at Sugarbush Ski and Ride School to bring you tips for your child’s ski lessons. This is my home mountain, but these tips are applicable for ANY ski school your kids might attend.
As we think about the Ski School experience, let’s back up and think about the night before the first lesson.
Video: Getting Ready for Ski School
I worked with Sugarbush Resort in Vermont to make this fun, let’s get ready for ski school video for parents. You can also check it out on YouTube here.
Tips for Making the First Ski School Lesson a Success
- Try on the ski clothing: Slip on all the clothes and make sure they fit. Even base layers! Many kids complain of itchy base layers. Your kiddo should have a warm, water resistant snow pant and jacket. Many parents opt for snow bibs because they stay up on tiny bodies. Try this one from Lands’ End (a great price) to start.
- Bonus: Try on the ski gear. Slipping on boots the day before the lesson can help kids learn what the gear feels like. You can have your kiddos walk around on carpeted areas in your home to see how the boots make them walk funny. If you have the skis, you can practice clicking in and out of the skis too. All these little “try-on” sessions can make the first snow experience MUCH easier.
- Fill out the paperwork ahead of time. Most ski schools offer online registration. Do as much as you possibly can online. When you sign your kiddo up for ski school be prepared with shoe size (for ski boots), height, weight and also skier type (we talk about skier type in this video).
- Consider a seasonal gear rental: If you can bring your own gear and skip the rental line, you’ll save yourself time and hassle. A seasonal rental can be arranged well before the first ski lesson. Most ski shops offer seasonal rentals. They are also less expensive that renting at the mountain. But don’t fret, if you do a package that includes gear, the ski school will be ready to set you up quickly. You’ll just need to build time in the morning for this.
- The right base layers: While we see many kids dropped off in cotton pajamas, that won’t cut it on a cold day. Try our list of recommended base layers here.
- Warm socks: Your kiddos will need wool (or a blend) socks that aren’t cotton. Cotton gets cold and wet quickly. Here’s a list of our favorite ski socks.
What You can Do to Prepare at Home the Night Before
- Get a good night of sleep: This is not the night to plan a light night of movie watching or to travel late.
- Slow down: the morning of the lesson is no time for hot panic. Have a plan the night before for the route you’ll take to the lesson, what’s for breakfast and who will do drop off.
- Prepare your ski bag: For little kids this could include a change of clothing. It should be small enough to fit in a school-sized cubby. You’ll need a helmet, the ski boots, a neck warmer (we love these from Turtle Fur), mittens (love these from Stonz), and maybe even a back up mitten, goggles (this is an inexpensive pair from Amazon, note this is an Amazon Affiliate link). Extra socks are nice to have. Ski schools LOVE this Liftie ski pass holder that goes on the side of the goggles. (get it on Amazon, note this is an Amazon Affiliate link)
- Labeling everything: One day when I was skiing at Snowmass there were 500 kids in lessons. Imagine that! While it is organized chaos, savvy parents do thier part to make sure all the gear that goes to the lesson comes home. We like Mabel’s Labels. We even have a discount code: Use SKIMOMS to save 15% off your order.
A Note About Potty Training
Most ski schools require kids be potty trained. This is not the place to test the waters. If your kid has an accident, the ski school will call you. It will likely wreck the experience for your kid and might even ruin the vibe of the group. Your kiddo should be solidly trained before attempting ski school.
Now this being said, they are kids and accidents happen. For little rippers, smart ski parents will have a change of clothes at the ready.
Also note: you can wash ski boot liners!
Have a Pep Talk the Night Before the Lesson
- Tell your kiddos how excited you are about this new experience. Walk them through what will happen during the ski lesson and perhaps share your learn to ski experience. Let them know that there might be falls, but that’s all part of it.
- This is also a great time to share your expectations, that they use their best listening skills, that they try to make new friends and that they have fun. For nervous kids (I had one), let them know where you will be throughout the lesson. Make a plan for meeting up.
- If you have a reluctant child, you can entice them with the thought of a special treat at the end of the lesson. Maybe it’s a hot cocoa, or a ski sticker from the mountain. Having a little carrot at the end of the day can be a big help.
- This is a great time to read one of our many books we recommend for kids who ski and ride. You can also watch a movie filled with snow or a ski movie could be fun for older kids.
Our Favorite Books About Skiing for KidsMomtrends Media
The Morning of the Lesson
Good morning! It’s time ton head to ski school. Here’s how to make that day go smoothly
- Start with a good breakfast
- Review how the day will work (you know kids like to hear things more than once!)
- Head to the car and don’t overdress your kiddo. You can put all those extra layers on at the ski school.
- Listen to your favorite pump up music on the way to the mountain and talk about how much YOU love skiing. Your energy is infectious!
What’s next?
We’re going to talk about a smooth drop off and expectations for ski school soon. For now, we hope this guide to the night before and prepping for ski school is helpful!
Learn to Ski Tips for ParentsMomtrends Media
Printable Checklist
Use this printable graphic to make sure you have everything you need. Get your printable link here.
Podcast with the Pros
Listen to Tori Ski on the Ski Moms Podcast here. She’s an expert at teaching toddlers to ski.
In this episode of the Ski Moms Podcast, Nicole welcomes , a professional ski instructor from France who specializes in teaching toddlers to ski. Tori shares her fascinating journey from learning on dry slopes in England to becoming a specialized instructor in the French Alps, where she now teaches as an independent instructor and raises her four ski-loving children.
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