ski or snowboard for a 3 year old?

[ahlulsunnah]

I know its still early but my grandson will be 3 next nov. and i'm thinking of putting him in either ski or snowboard lessons. though i'm leaning towards snowboard, i would appreciate some opinions from anyone of which would be better. thanks

[Shredhead]

I think skis are a little easier, mainly because they're more mobile.

[spook]

i started snowboarding at 38. i would have preferred to learn to ski but my knees are thrashed. we started our 2.5 year old on skis this season. he was up 6 times and loved it. i'd rather not have him catching a heelside edge and crushing his skull that early. he can do whatever he wants once he gets the hang of skiing.

[bendtheski]

Which do you do?

Kiddo won't be in lessons forever. I'd start him out on whichever you or his dad prefer, or are better at.

[Shredhead]

I go both ways, but I'm much better on skis. It's way easier for me to pick them up, when we're both on skis. I started both of mine at 2-3 on skis.
Once they were good enough that I wasn't constantly picking them up, I switched to board. It slowed me down and made Buttermilk much more interesting.
I'm sure one of my kids most memorable experiences is watching dad bust his ass on a rail and roll around on the ground screaming in pain. Kids love that shit.

[Swine]

I thought the standard practice was hold off on snowboarding until 5 or 6, the asymmetrical nature of it was supposed to be bad for very young kids. That's not written in stone but I think we've discussed this awhile ago and that was the consensus.

Have him do both eventually, they both have their upshots!

Sent from a rotary phone.

[Skrilla Gorilla]

I agree. Skis offer what Rog/IcelandicSkier/I think he got banned referred to as an independent suspension. Plus you face downhill on skis in contrast to facing either the port or starboard (depending on whether your regular or goofy footed) side of the hill on a snowboard; necessitating a 45* turn of your head in order to see downhill. Final advantage: the hockey stop. You can teach that to your kid on an ice rink which can be relatively more controlled and less dangerous than the hill. It translates pretty well to skis.

[~mikey b]

I say ski, but I'm a skier so I don't know shit about snowboarding. I know quite a few folks who have started kiddos as young as 2,3,4 with no worries. Some ski areas are now offering snowboard lessons and rentals for the littles. The area I work at uses Burton's Learn to Ride program, along with a Riglet park for teaching and boards with a small reel attached to drag them around. Look for an area that has that program happening and you'll probably have good results.






ski the babies!

[old goat]

I remember being told that small kids don't have the muscle development needed to snowboard. Don't know if that's true. Also, for some kids having to sit in the snow for every run will be a turn off.

[east or bust]

Start off on skis, after a few years if there is interest to switch let them choose. As mentioned ice skating translates extremely well to skiing. I played hockey for 4-5 years before I tried skiing and took one lesson with one of my hockey buddies and we were both making parallel turns that same day.

[Stairmaster]

Give them both and let him choose

[klar]

the ski school I work at (and most others) will not take snowboarders younger than 6 because it takes a certain level of coordination and core strength to not constantly fall on your face with a snowboard. learning to board is generally more physically taxing than learning to ski for the kids. they'll have to walk up hill more and fall/have to get up more. doesn't help if you get distracted by every snowflake because you're three years old. i've seen a few 2 and 3 y/olds on boards but they weren't doing anything besides being pulled by a parent in the flats while strapped in with both feet. i'm sure it helps balance and stuff but 3y/old skiers can rip around the bunny hill pretty well under their own steam, which seems more fun for everyone involved. i'd start him off on skis and let him decide if he wants to try boarding in a couple of years.

[BigHerm]

The consensus is correct. Toe side turns are really tough before age 6. Unless you want to drag the kiddo on a riglet (which is rad) there will be a lot more movement on skis.

[totaliboard]

tele for sure

[garyfromterrace]

ski

gsa123

[DasBlunt]

3 is a bit too young to "get after it" on a board. Once or twice a year is fine….just getting to the hill and the equipment on is hard enough…

SKiing kids at 3-5 seems more logical….more like ice skating anyways...

[skiersupreme]

toss him on the planks

[bigdude2468]

3 is a bit too young to "get after it" on a board. Once or twice a year is fine….just getting to the hill and the equipment on is hard enough…

SKiing kids at 3-5 seems more logical….more like ice skating anyways...

Not sure how you do it with a board, seems it would be difficult to stay next to them. My kids started skiing at three and our granddaughter at 2. I started them by skiing along side and using my poles placed against their chest to control their speed. They put their arms over the top of the poles, hands on knees and you can turn them, slow them down or let them go faster. I prefer this over the harness arrangement that I think gets them in the back seat when you are holding them back. Also like the fact I can take the pressure off the poles and they are skiing on their own without knowing it. The poles are still there so they don't freak out even though the poles are not doing anything. It was pretty easy with all of them, two days and they could ski greens unaided. Snowboard or ski, whichever works for you, we need all the youngsters we can get. I can say that there may not be anything more satisfying than skiing with your kids. This year when our GD was four and she is skiing black groomers and bumps in LCC its enough to make a Grandpa cry.

[old goat]

Both my kids started skiing at 3. I didn't use leashes, harnesses, or poles to slow them down or control them. Keep them on the right slopes and it won't be necessary. They both did fine, both the coordinated one and the one who takes after me. The older one used to teach 3 year olds (hardest job he has had, which includes pro patrol and surgery resident) and didn't use restraints either.

[boarddad]

Start on skis. Be prepared to take the crushing disappointment that the kiddo will have little to no interest for the first couple of years. Keep on being stoked about it and they will come around, usually the second their friends want to learn also. Before that happens they will likely be more interested in chucking snowballs and copious volumes of hot cocoa.

That was my experience. YMMV.

[~mikey b]

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