How to get your child to start snowboarding

At what age can a child take their first snowboard lesson?

As an avid rider yourself, you want to share this pleasure with your child. But you also want them to learn the correct technique from the start...

The ski schools generally start with skiing lessons before giving snowboarding a go... So, ultimately, at what age can you put your children in the hands of an instructor?

At what age can a child take their first snowboard lesson?

At what age do ski schools agree to take children snowboarding?

While children can start skiing from about 2-3 years old, the body movements required for snowboarding are a little more complex. That's why skiing is often the first winter boardsport offered to children who can walk and, therefore, move about on skis. Given that both feet are on the board in snowboarding, you have to know your right from your left and be able to transfer your body weight onto your heels and toes. However, children often acquire these skills when they get a little older, i.e. 4 years or more.

However, if you take lessons in a ski school, snowboarding is often offered from the age of 8 years.Having said that, future riders will learn some techniques from these ski lessons taken at an early age that will be useful in snowboarding, in any case.

Even so, some snowboarding resorts have schools special snowboarding schools that will take children for short initiation sessions (20 minutes) from the age of three years and they consider that you can start taking lessons from the age of 4-5 years. At Decathlon, the snowboarding teams have even created a course of obstacles to do in store to learn snowboarding on a dry slope from 3 to 6 years old. Everything that your youngster needs to find their winter sport!

How to teach snowboarding to a child

As a parent and avid rider, do you want to teach your youngsters how to follow you on a snowboard. Let's be honest, watching a young child descending the slopes on a snowboard is the cutest thing, right?

Before getting started, you need to make sure that they want to learn with you. It is quite common for children to listen more carefully to an instructor than to their parents. So, if this is the case, keep smiling and contact the ski schools.

First of all, what about the snowboard gear?

You'll start by renting or buying the gear you need to set off down the slopes.
The board hire shops and retailers will be able to advise you about the sizes and types of board, and about bindings and boots.

It's also advisable to wear special snowboarding clothing because of the reinforcements at the knees and seat, and the back and wrist protectors. They are therefore perfect for beginners who want to stay warm, dry and safe.

They will also help you find out if your toddler is goofy (right foot forward on the board) or regular (left foot forward).
Last but not least, you'll need a pair of highly durable mittens and a helmet/goggles.

Then, it's time to learn how to snowboard

Now, you can start with a lesson lasting a few minutes. You'll start by pulling their board along (with the help of a special cable or by pulling them with a ski pole) so that they can learn to glide over the snow on the board and try to keep their balance. Let's go!

And keep in mind that the first few sessions can be extremely short. The important thing is that the children have fun and want to do it again. The trick to motivating youngsters when they are learning is to provide encouragement, games and rewards.

For the next few sessions you could go to the terrain park. Some have obstacles specifically for young snowboarders to help them have fun as they improve.

Where can you snowboard with a "baby" snowboarder?

In order to teach snowboarding to your child, you need to find some slopes that are suitable for training youngsters. So, when choosing a ski area or resort for your next holidays, check out the profile of the pistes and the services offered. Ideally, you should look for a wide range of different green slopes so that you can shake things up. You could also check if there is an easily accessible beginners' slope
with a magic carpet for getting back up the slope, so that the budding rider doesn't get tired out too quickly.
If your young snowboarder is just starting out, finding a terrain park for beginners can also be a major plus.

Introducing a child to snowboarding with the "come on board" obstacle and its mini-obstacles

Because the teams working on snowboards at Decathlon believe that you can learn snowboarding from a very young age, they have developed some initiation obstacles to be tried out in store! From 3 to 6 years old, children can get a pair boots and a helmet, put their feet on a board and start gliding on a dry slope. The children are pulled along on the snowboard by an instructor and are always under supervision to ensure their safety. Decathlon provides all the equipment children need (snowboard boots, board, helmet and protections) for the event.

As with all winter sports, not to mention other sports, the purpose of the "come on board" event is to build children's confidence in their ability to glide and make them more aware of how their body moves through space. These are some of the key ideas for making the most of snowboarding as well as skiing.

IT'S THE PARENTS WHO GIVE THE MOST POSITIVE REVIEWS:

It was so fun to see her go down the modules! I didn't think it was possible to snowboard at her age. I thought you had to start skiing first... We were lucky that we went to the store on the day the event was held and, of course, my daughter wanted to do it! My daughter learned to keep her balance thanks to the organisers. It was super fun! She loved the experience, and I think that next winter we won't have a choice but to put her on a snowboard...

How can you make fabulous memories of your first snowboard runs for the whole family?

If you've already been skiing with your children you'll know that the weather conditions are a key part of the experience for the little ones. It is important that they feel warm and dry when they are out on the slopes. By equipping the little ones with products specifically developed for snowboarding, less snow will be able to get inside their clothes when they fall or sit in the snow. By choosing the right gear, you can help them to improve more effectively.

You can also add a hand warmer which will help keep their hands warm if it is very cold.
Make them want to get give it a go by taking them to look at other snowboarders in action, either at the terrain park or during the events organised by the resorts. They will be inspired and get motivated as a result!

Also avoid whiteout conditions. It's stressful because no one can see and it's much too cold to be pleasant for the little ones. Whether it's the morning or afternoon, choose the best time to do your session, but stick to half a day so that the kids don't get fed up of not being able to perform on the slopes as they would like.
Finally, whether it is skiing or snowboarding, winter boardsports are a means of developing the independence of children. That's why they must learn to carry their board and tighten their own bindings even if they might complain somewhat. In any case, if they follow this up by taking group lessons or individual lessons with an instructor, they will have to learn!

If you are in the right resort and have the right gear, your child should be able to learn snowboarding without a problem! It's sure to give you pleasure for many years to come!

Chloé

Snowboard enthusiast from a very young age!

SNOWBOARDING, A SPORT ACCESSIBLE TO KIDS

It is often difficult to introduce children to snowboarding... To change things and make snowboarding accessible to younger children, Dreamscape will organise a new snowboarding event, specially tailored to Decathlon stores: Come On Board!

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