Ski Bunnies

We taught our two boys to ride bikes, swim, and ice skate, but when it came to skiing and snowboarding, my husband and I were clueless. We’d never done either sport.We decided to try a low-key family resort in upstate New York that offered an introductory group ski lesson for all ages. I’ll never forget standing at the top of the bunny hill, the grownups all carefully following the instructor’s detailed advice on how to stand and bend and stop. After three minutes of talk, talk, talk, my boys – then ages 5 and 10 – got bored and took off down the hill without so much as a “See ya!”“They’re fearless!” the instructor observed approvingly as they zoomed toward the woods. Um, yeah.They were fine and had fun going up and down the hill the rest of the day. In retrospect, however, they might have been better off in a program designed just for children where they wouldn’t zone out on adult blather. A good teacher can get kids moving, safely, before their attention starts wavering.The following winter, we were passing through central Pennsylvania on the way home from a road trip and decided to let them try snowboarding at a children’s program on Blue Knob Mountain in Claysburg.We signed the boys up for a half-day lesson and then I headed for a picnic table inside the nice warm lodge, where I settled down with a bread bowl of soup and my laptop. When I ventured out with my camera to check on them, I could see that snowboarding wasn’t quite as easy to master as the bunny hill on skis – beginners fall down a lot. But they were getting the hang of it and enjoying themselves, and their instructor was enthusiastic and patient.A few weeks later, we took a day trip to a ski slope less than an hour north of New York City, at the Sterling Forest Ski Center. To their delight, the kids qualified for the “intermediate” class and headed out to improve their technique while I watched from the window of the heated hut.By now, they were hooked on snow sports. So many things kids learn require a big dose of support from parents, but in this case they were on their own – and maybe that was even part of the attraction.And so I’m here to testify: Your children can ski and snowboard, even if you don’t. Here are some tips to get the planning started.WHERE TO GOMore than 90% of the 315 resorts that belong to the National Ski Areas Association offer children’s lessons. Resorts in 38 states are listed at www.goski.com, but you don’t have to fly to Utah for the weekend to have fun. Ask friends, neighbors, and family for recommendations.COSTLessons and equipment rental for snow sports does not come cheap, ranging anywhere from $25 to $100, depending on location, date, and whether the class is an hour, half-day or all-day. (I rationalize that the damage to the family budget is about the same as spending the day at a theme park or county fair, but at least the kids are getting exercise.)Check for AAA discounts; we found the Sterling Forest Ski Center through an ad in our local AAA magazine.You’ll pay less on weekdays and evenings (some resorts have night lights on the slopes) than peak weekends or holidays.Several states – including Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, California, Colorado, and Utah – offer free lift-tickets for kids in fourth or fifth grades as a way of encouraging winter fitness. Click on Passport Programs at www.winterfeelsgood.com for details. Shop around for accommodations. A discount motel near the slopes may be cheaper than the lodge. Or avoid hotel costs altogether by planning a day trip to a ski facility that’s two or three hours away. Start out early, come home late; pack meals and snacks.SAFETYHelmets are optional at many resorts, and you may have to pay extra to rent them. (And no, you can’t use a bike helmet.) Visit www.lidsonkids.org for more information; there you’ll find the story of the Farmer family, whose son struck a tree while in a ski school in Colorado and survived, thanks to his helmet. Another child who was not wearing a helmet struck a tree at the same school a day later and died.As a parent and nonskier, I was more afraid of putting my child on the lift than having him zoom down a mountain on waxed pieces of wood. But lift accidents are far and few between. Talk to the instructor if your child is too short to get in the chair on his or her own; someone – maybe you or an older sibling or a teacher – can stand by to help.If it’s snowing, you’ll need goggles. And don’t forget sun block and lip balm.AGESome ski schools teach children as young as 4; others only take 6 and older. Many resorts offer snow play and/or day care for younger children. Some children will need several lessons to develop necessary skills. Children who skate may pick up skiing more quickly; children who skateboard may find snowboarding similar.ADAPTIVE SKIINGResorts offering lessons for children with disabilities are listed at www.sitski.com.Sterling Forest Ski Center 581 Route 17A, Tuxedo, N.Y., www.skisterlingforest.com, 845-351-2163. Located a half-hour from the George Washington Bridge. Lesson, equipment rental, and lift ticket for children 12 and under on weekend days, $40.Blue Knob All Seasons Resort Ski Gap Road, Claysburg, Pa., www.blueknob.com,800-458-3403. Located about five and-a-half hours from New York City. Half-day session for ages 6 to 11, including equipment rental and lift ticket, $50; full day, $75.

Ski Bunnies

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