15 Essentials: A Kids Ski and Snowboard Gear Guide
Sure, we have a list of essential gear for taking your kid skiing, but we didn’t know a thing about hitting the slopes as a family when we started. Through trial and error, we narrowed down our essential ski equipment for keeping our little ones happily heading down the hill. Every item on our list supports the only two goals that matter for a successful ski trip with kids.
1. Keep the kids comfortable.
Comfort is goal #1 because a cold kid will keep you from reaching goal #2. They’ll complain about their fingers, face and toes. Warming their hands with yours is a quick fix but doesn’t address the core of the problem: core temperature.
It’s actually easy to keep kids warm and comfortable…with the right gear. Body temperature regulation starts at by keeping their body heat trapped inside with a solid set of equipment. So make sure to download our list of key equipment below. We go over specific gear, our favorite brands and the best ways to buy on a budget.
2: Help the kids have FUN.
Every parent’s dream is for their child to find happiness, and happy skiers and boarders find the sport fun. Kids’ needs are no different, but what they find fun is. Having fun can be as simple as having hot chocolate and snacks, singing silly songs and making up group chants. We’ve also gone as far as making authentic snow cones, shaping massive slides and throwing snowballs. These breaks can be brief, but they are absolutely necessary for a good day.
Without fun, they won’t learn (or especially retain) anything. They’ll dread the next day. At the very worst they may decide they don’t want to ski together or ever again. Which brings us to our final point.
Be kind, calm and patient.
We’ve all started as learners. It’s difficult, and difficult things usually aren’t fun. We talked about activities that can help, but the most important ingredient to a good learning experience is a good teacher. This is why we chose to start with lessons through the Timberline Kids Club. If lessons don’t fit your budget, make sure to skill up with online teaching resources. We are regular visitors to TeachChildrenSkiing.com because of their simple tips and in-depth videos. You might even notice some familiar scenery.
In addition to teaching the hard skills, make sure to practice your soft skills while giving lessons. This means making the directions funny or exciting. Most of all, remember to be kind, calm and patient. Teaching can be frustrating, but you won’t be teaching long if you lose your cool with your kiddo.
We all want our kids to love skiing or snowboarding. As parents, we also want to come back again and again to have fun together and build a healthy tradition. You’re making headway on these dreams already because you’re putting in the planning time up front. Bravo!
We hope our tips, tricks and resources make your family ski adventure to Mount Hood a success. More importantly, we hope you make our home yours as you create memories to share for a lifetime and .
