Spending time outside as a family can continue when the snow starts to fly! Learning to ski or snowboard is a great way to stay active while sticking with physical distancing protocols. Here’s what you need to know to get started:
Kids’ Activity and Coloring Book
Get your kids excited about learning to slide on snow! Professional instructors created this book to educate the next generation of skiers and riders. The book uses coloring pages, games, and puzzles to get kids excited about learning to ski or snowboard. You can purchase the book in the PSIA-AASI online shop or download a few pages for an at-home activity.
PSIA-AASI Member Pricing:
200 (+): $0.50/unit
100: $1.00/unit
25: $1.25/unit
Singles: $1.75/unit
Non-Member Pricing:
200(+): $2.00/unit
100: $2.50/unit
25: $3.00/unit
Singles: $3.50/unit
Learn more about Nathan Y. Jarvis, the creator and illustrator of the Kids’ Activity and Coloring Book, on his Smartful Kids website.
The Kids’ Activity and Coloring Book Solutions Key
If you already have your copy of the Kids’ Activity and Coloring Book and need solutions to the games and puzzles, view the Solutions Key to see the hidden pictures, word search answers, and more.
Tips for Cross Country Skiing Videos
Cross country skiing is a great way to get the whole family outside. It’s a fun sport to learn, and professional instructors make the process easy. Watch the Beginner’s Guide video series to pick up simple tips and learn what to expect before cross-country skiing for the first time. After you watch the video series, listen to the podcast to learn more about why cross-country skiing is the perfect winter sport for the whole family.
Learn about how cross country skiing is the perfect family activity in this podcast.
Tips for Skiing Videos
Learning how to ski is fun – especially with a professional instructor who can teach your whole family the ropes. The Beginner’s Guide video series gives you simple tips that show you what to expect before you, your children, or friends ski for the first time.
Tips for Snowboarding
Did you know that kids as young as three years old can learn to ride? Learn more about how advances in lessons, equipment, and terrain make it easier than ever to learn to snowboard. Then, watch the Beginner’s Guide video series, which provides simple tips and explains what to expect before you, your children, or friends snowboard for the first time.
- Burton’s Learn to Ride Make Snowboarding Easy
- How to Snowboard
Tips for A Day on the Slopes
The first day of skiing or snowboarding should be an exciting experience! Here’s what you need to know to have a great first day on the slopes.
What to Wear
- Dress in layers of quick-dry, sweat-wicking material, like wool or synthetic materials. Cotton will not keep you warm.
- Don’t double up on socks. Instead, wear one pair of socks that fits correctly.
- Remember to apply sunscreen to your face. Snow is a great reflector, and any body part that isn’t covered is likely to be sunburned.
- Bring something to cover your face, like a buff or fleece neck gaiter. It can get windy on the lifts (and when you’re flying downhill)!
- You’ll want a properly fitting helmet and goggles. Make sure your goggles are nice and dry before you put them on—that, and keeping them properly vented all day, will help prevent them from fogging up.
Even if it seems too cold for snow to melt, your body heat can work wonders. You’ll want waterproof mittens or gloves to keep your hands from getting cold and wet.
What to Bring
- Start the day with a good breakfast. Include some protein to keep your body fueled all day!
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day. On warmer days, this might mean skiing with a hydration pack, or you can stick a few water bottles in an insulated cooler in your vehicle.
- Stash a thermos of coffee, tea, cocoa, or your preferred hot beverage in the car. A few sips of something warm can go a long way at the end (or in the middle) of a chilly day!
- Carry snacks, extra sunscreen, tissues, and contact phone numbers (for parents or friends) in your pocket.
- It’s better to have extra layers with you and not need them than the other way around. Throw an extra fleece in the car before you leave. (Better yet – treat yourself to having a pair of fresh socks in the car at the end of the day.)
What to Practice
- Memorize NSAA’s Your Responsibility Code, a list of best practices for staying safe on the mountain. Following these guidelines will help ensure your safety – and the safety of others – while visiting a ski resort.
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- Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.
- People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
- You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above.
- Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
- Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
- Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
- Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.
- At the resort, start practicing and learning on the easiest terrain. Instructors know the best places to go and learn!
- Practice what you learned from the Beginner’s Guide Videos (ski, snowboard, or cross country).
- Ready to take your skiing or riding to the next level? Or to graduate from greens to blues? Sign up for a professional lesson, where your instructor will make learning to ski or ride easy and fun!
See you on the slopes!
