Skiing is an adventure sport that requires one to use appropriate ski gears such as skis, binding, boots and poles to be able to slide down snow-covered mountains. It is one of the favorite sports and pastime of kids and adults, as it is filled with a lot of excitement and fun. The best age for a child to learn ski actually depends entirely on his/her own flexibility, co-ordination, learning ability and desire to learn ski. So, if your child is around three to four years of age, then you can consider teaching him/her skiing by using appropriate techniques and tricks.
Signs Your Child is Ready
Before you push your children into skiing, it is important to understand whether they are actually keen about skiing or not. While, some children are ready to explore and exhibit their skiing skills, others may not be too keen to participate. Typically, if your child loves to play and run around in the snow and can balance and co-ordinate his body on skis, then it is clear sign that he/she is ready for the sport.
Tips and Tricks
If instructed well, kids learn skiing really fast. In fact, some of them can enjoy independent skiing on beginner slopes, in only a couple of days or weeks. An eager child will not only show fondness for skiing but will keep trying until he/she has mastered the art of skiing without any help. Following are some easy tips and tricks to keep your child motivated, when they are trying their hands at skiing for the very first time.
- Teach them about Balance: One of the first things you need to do is teach your child about the benefits and need of balancing while skiing. Before they venture out in the snow, ask them to practice balancing themselves with different ski gears. Ideally, you should teach them how to walk and move around in ski boots and practice both falling down as well as rising up, before they slide down snow covered slopes. Also, teach them how to push their body while skiing and balance independently. Always, begin with gentle slopes so that they can practice gliding without fear.
- ‘Control’ is the Key: Your child should know how and when to stop while skiing and to control his/her body at the same time. You can always use a wedge to make your child practice and understand the importance of motion during skiing. Also, make sure that your child knows how to turn around while skiing. Teach your kids how to use their knees, hips and feet together while turning. You can always be the leader yourself or ask the ski trainer to lead the child, to ensure that they know how to turn on slopes. Your young child may not understand much about focus during skiing. Hence, teach them how to turn around safely and not concentrate on trees or other stuff while skiing.
To sum up, teaching your child skiing techniques and tricks can be difficult in the beginning. However, you can keep your child motivated by providing them with unique and fun incentives such as chocolates, snacks and other stuff. Also, make sure they practice stopping, turning, balancing and controlling, before they go about skiing all by themselves. Click here for more information http://www.alpsports.co.uk/