Dec. 23, 2011 - Issue #845: Headstones

On the edge

Get your kids ripping in no time

There's a common misconception among parents that little kids can't snowboard. I've witnessed it first hand while on the slopes teaching. Kids are pumped to get on a board and instead are dragged kicking and screaming to a ski class with the words, "You need to learn to ski first." With tears rolling down their cheeks they're booted and suited, helmets clamped on and deposited in a class they don't want to be part of. It's an uphill battle from then on—but really an unnecessary one.

"You want kids to be inspired by the sport," says Craig Daniels, regional coordinator of the Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors. "There's this myth you have to ski first but it's more important to nurture excitement and passion for an outdoor sport than worry over which one it is."
Although the littlest students—those three and four-year-olds that whoosh past you on the slopes—are a little less mobile, they're just as capable. "I've seen a four-year-old kid just ripping, it's just a matter of getting gear that fits," Craig adds.

Rather than getting into a pitched battle with a stubborn toddler, put them in some snowboard boots, grab a pint-sized board and give it a try by yourself or put them in a beginner class. With the following games in your tool kit, prepare for plenty of falling and go have fun.
 

Put the boot in
Get kids started with some guided play in their new boots to ensure they're a good fit. Follow the leader is a great one—get children to twist in their boots, walk on their heels, walk on tip-toes, etc. Practising manoeuvres they would do with their board—rocking from heels to toes, jumps, spins—will make these things easier once the board goes on and familiarizes kids with the sensations they will experience later. Children learn by doing, not by conceptualizing.
 

Simon says
This perennial party favourite is a great way to keep youngsters engaged and alert when on the slopes, while helping familiarize them with their new equipment. Have children strap in one or both feet (depending on their skill level) and play Simon Says while making them balance, edge, glide, hop, etc. This gentle guided discovery will get them laughing and playing with balance, falling and how to get back up again—an essential part of their new sport. This game can be played at any level, from getting kids (and adults) comfy in their new boots and with strapping in, to higher-end skills like ollies, butters and spins.
 

Obstacle course
Make use of some props, often available in the children's ski area at resorts, to create an obstacle course to suit your little riders in an out-of-the-way or low traffic area with high visibility from above. Whether you're just figuring out how to skate with one foot strapped in or practising turning, this is a fine way to hone your skills. If going around the obstacles isn't too tough, add in some things to jump over and duck under, or move onto some steeper terrain to amp up the challenge.
 

Give it gas
Get your kids used to the concept of edging and sideslipping with this simple game. With one foot strapped in, stand with your board out in front and get them to image they are driving a racing car (with appropriate noises and gestures). To speed up the car, they need to press down on the gas pedal and lift up to slow down. Once they've got the hang of it, try with the board strapped to both feet while sitting or with hands on the snow (crabwalk). When you get to the sideslipping stage, designate "gas stations" where kids need to stop and refuel before continuing down the slope.
 

Spread the butter
Your snowboard is a knife, the slope your toast and the snow your butter. Help children master speed control and stopping by sideslipping on the heel or toe edge trying to smoothly "spread" their "butter" from top to bottom of the slope. Once they've mastered one edge, be sure to turn around and get going on the other edge until they're feeling just as comfy. A common misstep when learning to snowboard is to concentrate on the stronger edge and neglect the weaker one—flip that around and they'll soon be cruising.
 

Falling leaves
Now you've reached the top of the bunny hill and can perform a controlled sideslip on both edges, you can work toward turning. What comes next is a controlled traverse back and forth on the same edge down an imaginary corridor on the snow, creating a zigzag pattern much like a falling leaf. It's important to get kids to look in the direction they want to go—pointing works well as it helps shift the weight onto their front foot. On the heel edge, get them to slowly sideslip and then gently push down on the "gas pedal" with one foot only, pointing and looking toward where they want to go, which will transfer weight onto that side and begin the traverse motion. Once they reach the other side of the slope, get them to ease back to centre and then turn their head and point toward the new direction of travel and off they go. Once you're zigzagging on one edge, switch to the other.

More stories in Snow Zone »

vueweekly.com comments: powered by Disqus