Teach Your Children Well: How to Introduce the Kids to Snowboarding

If there’s one thing as enjoyable as a great day of snowboarding, it’s seeing someone else learn how to ride. That is doubly so if that “someone else” is your child.

So what’s the appropriate age for a child to learn how to ride? Snowboard columnist Gavin Ehringer provides some answers.

When are your kids ready for snowboarding? Most ski and snowboard schools limit snowboarding participation to children at least 6 years old, while many will allow kids to take part in skiing as young as age 3. Beaver Creek doesn’t offer group snowboarding lessons for kids under age 7.

The reason: Snowboarding requires more lower-body strength, balance and coordination than skiing.

He (sensibly) advises that most parents should let the professionals give the lessons. (Source: “Leave it to Beaver Creek for lessons,” Rocky Mountain News, March 25, 2008)