Is my child old enough to start skiing?

It seems it depends who you ask. Ski hills will offer lessons for 3-year-olds but many people say most kids are ready by the age of 5.

The start of each winter season brings out a new crop of tiny novice skiers, urged onto the hill by eager parents exactly like my husband and I were a few short years ago. We had met on a chairlift at Lake Louise, and always found skiing was key to making winter enjoyable. So it was a given that, once we had children, we would teach them how to ski.

When my twin daughters were not quite 31/2, I found a wonderful learn-to-ski program for them. As the winter approached, we indulged in dreams of our children following us down the slopes like little snow-suited ducklings.

After one lesson, I walked over to the get the girls and could tell from a distance that they were not happy. They could barely move in their gear and the falling snow was melting on their little faces already wet with tears and snot. When they saw me, they sobbed even harder and simultaneously went limp as boiled spaghetti. I wiped their noses with a crusty old Kleenex from the depths of my ski jacket and tried to coax them into walking the 300 feet to the parking lot.

No luck. Despite being four months pregnant, I was going to have to carry them to our car.

So there I was, with a 35-lb preschooler tucked under each arm, their bodies weighted down by snowsuits, wobbly helmeted heads, ski boots and unwieldy skis. We eventually made it to the car, collapsing into a miserable, sweaty lump for my husband, Martin, to untangle.

When they had calmed down enough to speak, we tried to get to the bottom of this. What was the problem? Hadn’t they loved skiing with us on previous outings? Didn’t they head off happily with the competent, smiling, young ski instructor, all dressed up in a plush costume for his pint-sized charges? Sophie nodded solemnly in the direction of her instructor, her eyes filling up again with tears under her goggles. “It’s just that we don’t like men who dress up like rabbits.”

Enough said. We re-evaluated our plans for that winter, and Martin spent three months skiing down the slopes holding onto the twins with a harness in each hand. Not quite the moguls he’d planned on, but it was enough for them to develop a real interest in skiing.

Now that the twins are 9 years old, following us down the black diamond runs and racing to the chairlift lines, all the schlepping finally seems worth it. Their younger sister, Maya, took to skis even younger. At 21/2, she pointed at the chairlift and begged to go on the “swing” like her sisters. By 3, she was skiing from the top of the hill without batting an eyelash, eager to keep up with her older siblings.

Age recommendations vary

There is disagreement among safety and skiing experts about the appropriate age for kids to start learning the sport. Health organizations such as the Canadian Pediatric Society encourage parents to carefully evaluate their children’s physical skills and attention span before allowing then to hit the slopes.

Debbie Friedman, director of the Montreal Children’s Hospital Trauma Programs, says, “The truth is, the perfect age to begin skiing really varies. With some kids it might be 5, for others it might be 7 or 8. You really need to know your kid, and evaluate their balance, gross motor and cognitive skills, and their endurance (to handle the physical demands).”

Sylvain Brazeau, director of the Belle Neige ski school in Val Morin, says they offer a learn-to-ski program for kids as young as 3, but notes. “Some kids are ready to begin at that age but, if they are not, we tell parents not to push them. You don’t want to turn them off skiing at a young age.”

Brazeau says that preschoolers are taught in groups of two, with a qualified instructor. Older children will ski in small groups. He notes with pride that many of his ski school instructors are former students of the ski school.

Friedman says that parents should follow the recommendations of the instructor as to the appropriate skill level of the child, and not push their little ones to do more. “You don’t want this to be a negative experience for them,” she reminds over-eager parents.

There are plenty of bleary-eyed, snow-bound Saturday mornings when I find myself packing lunches when I would much rather be back under the covers. But once we’ve got everyone ready (and past the inevitable last-minute bathroom trips), geared up and out in the cold morning air, the excitement takes over. And at the end of the day, when we review the day’s adventures over steaming mugs of hot chocolate, we know it’s all worth it.

Where to find equipment

Getting your kids on skis requires a fair bit of forethought and planning. Instead of buying skis and boots, consider renting at stores (such as Poubelle du ski, Austrian Ski Shop and The Ski Exchange).

If you have more than one child, you can buy equipment for the older and hope it can be passed down through siblings. By our calculation, a pair of skis or boots needs to be used at least three seasons to compete with the cost of renting, unless you happen across a wonderful deal.

Kids also need good thermal underwear, thermal socks, a warm fleece for layering and a warm snowsuit. And don’t forget the mittens, neck warmers and goggles.

All ski schools recommend that children wear ski helmets. Invest in a good one — it’s critical for reducing the risk of a serious head injury.

One way to save money is to keep an eye out for clearance sales that usually happen in March at local sporting good stores. Or check out these stores where you can find used equipment for sale:

Poubelle du ski
8278 St. Laurent • (514) 384-3582 • www.poubelleduski.ca

The Ski Exchange
54 Westminster Ave • (514) 486-2849

Play It Again Sports several locations in Montreal and Laval • www.playitagainsports.com

Doug Anakin Sports
454 Beaconsfield Boulevard • (514) 695-0785