Kids Learning Snowboarding Vs. Snow Skiing
Introducing your kids to snow sports can improve their confidence, health and sense of enjoyment. Both skiing and snowboarding provide an adrenaline rush amid magical scenery, and with each sport pushing the boundaries of the other, more and more kids are heading for the slopes.
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Age
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Most ski areas recommend children under the age of 6 begin learning snow sports on skis, as this allows them to develop balance without utilizing their underdeveloped smaller leg muscles, which snowboarding will target. It would also make a later switch to snowboarding easier. If your child is very young, he or she may need time playing in the snow and sliding around first to get familiar with the winter environment.
Considerations
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Skiing and snowboarding are equally easy for older kids to learn, and the cost of hiring equipment for either is almost the same. According to the National Skier/Boarder Opinion Survey (2000), parents reported that 66 percent of their kids under 15 only skied, 30 percent only did snowboarding, 19 percent did both and 10 percent did neither.
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Lessons
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Professional instruction through individual or group lessons can be an effective way for your child to progress quickly. Check that a ski area's instructors are certified by a recognized organization, such as the Professional Ski Instructors of America or the American Association of Snowboard Instructors. Children develop at different rates, but most schools will accept kids at age 3 to 4 for skiing and 6 to 7 for snowboarding.
Features
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Recent design features mean that some skis can be as suited to freestyle as snowboards, so your child is free to hit the snowparks whichever she chooses. It also means that the once-raging debate over which style of ride is cooler has relaxed. With experience, your child can make terrain choices, considering that skis are more suited to ice and bumps, whereas snowboards generally make easier work of cruds or powder snow.
Warning
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Taking medical advice before any participating in snow sport is essential. Snowboarding can be easier on your child's knees than skiing, but heavier on his wrists, for example, so consider any challenges he may have and take advice from a qualified instructor. Before your child takes to the slopes, discuss safety and responsibility with him (see Resources).
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit mother and child skiers image by Karin Lau from Fotolia.com
