Snowboard Club UK (SCUK)
Abroad - Advice needed for 6 year old starting snow boarding
mattadamson - Mar 11, 2010 - 09:16 AM
Post subject: Advice needed for 6 year old starting snow boarding
Guys / Ladies
We've just come back from a great skiing holiday in Brides Les Baines where my 6 year old son learnt to ski, he went from nursery to blue runs in only a few days. However he has his heart set on snowboarding so we've booked another 4 day holiday in April in the L'Espace killy resort.
I know it's going to be difficult starting over again with something new however do you have any tips on what I can do to help him progress ASAP when were their. I was going to get a few lessons on the first few days, I'm not sure if this place is near ( http://www.alliancesnowboarding.com/ ) . Has anyone used a school in this resort they can recommend for beginners?
Also are there any specific runs for beginners boarders we should go near, or a part of the resort? It would be great to know now to avoid finding these things out on the last day 
You can see a video of him skiing here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYmuH4VUKz0
I'm not sure how I managed to film the whole run without falling over myself !!
Many thanks
Matt
siany - Mar 11, 2010 - 09:19 AM
Post subject: RE: Advice needed for 6 year old starting snow boarding
Maybe get him into a dome or just on a board before, knowing how to strap in and stand up etc means he may be able to advance quicker.
Branny - Mar 11, 2010 - 09:26 AM
Post subject: RE: Advice needed for 6 year old starting snow boarding
most domes won't teach 6 year olds unfortunatly
there is no quick solution, lessons and practice is the only advise
oh and a website, a ton of sponsors and he needs to learn to snake lift lines....hahah (sorry ongoing joke)
yellowlala - Mar 11, 2010 - 09:29 AM
Post subject: Re: RE: Advice needed for 6 year old starting snow boarding
Branny wrote:
oh and a website, a ton of sponsors and he needs to learn to snake lift lines....hahah (sorry ongoing joke)
FACT!!
yoda - Mar 11, 2010 - 10:34 AM
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I was talking to the peeps at Burton yesterday, they are selling an 80cm board aimed at 3-4 year olds, and there is a kid in the US that started to board at 18months 
The smallest board at Hemel is a 100cm I'm not sure about boot size, don't think they have any age restrictions at Hemel just equipment restrictions.
Sponsoring at 6 will be fine its the 9 - 14 year olds that are the problem 
dashie - Mar 11, 2010 - 10:47 AM
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Nobody has actually really answered your question.
Alliance are based in Tignes and everyone I know thats been taught by them has raved about them, loads of people went on the Winterbash to Tignes and used them and all liked it.
L'espace Killy is a big area though, I know Aliiance meet at Le Lac in the mornings, that'd be hard to get(without riding) to from Val D'Isere, also L'espace Killy. Not suer if they meet anywhere else.
Theres a really easy beginner slope thats free running out of Le Lac. And theres loads fo easy runs that gradually get harder all over Tignes
M40TT - Mar 11, 2010 - 11:07 AM
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Get him a skateboard, that will help him progress very quickly as its similar to snowboarding.
Dylanrobinson - Mar 11, 2010 - 11:13 AM
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yoda wrote:
I was talking to the peeps at Burton yesterday, they are selling an 80cm board aimed at 3-4 year olds:
I dunno what size this was but I was amazed...
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4 ... =536840209
Must of been the 80cm
figureitout - Mar 11, 2010 - 12:02 PM
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Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but, providing you can find equipment to fit your kid (which, as suggested above, could be tricky), I am not sure whether most instructors/schools would be prepared to teach a 6 year-old. It's a case of muscle development and balance, I believe - whilst his skiing will undoubtedly help, snowboarding is a different ballgame. I know several schools won't teach below 7 unless the kid is tall/physically advanced for his age.
I would get in touch with Alliance and ask them the question first.
Mattylovesthewindchill - Mar 12, 2010 - 02:57 AM
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Burton have been making those boards for a couple of years, I taught a couple of kids last year using one as the resort I worked at were testing one. If I remember right, its reverse camber and also has a bevelled base. Definately a massive improvement on most of the stiff crap companies churn out for little kids. I have a couple of bits of advice, first off understand that usually it is a much larger learning curve than skiing. It is possible to get 6 year olds turning, provided they are pretty independant/athletic/tough. Get an instructor with good experience teaching kids, its a completely different technique than what you teach adults/teens.
Lastly, and this goes for anyone not just kids, if you can get hold of a ripstick it is by a country mile the BEST training for snowboarding beginners off the snow. I am not totally clued up on how easy it is for very young kids to ripstick, so you will have to do your own research on that one.
Tiberius - Mar 12, 2010 - 07:11 AM
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My son has skied since he was about 7, but although he had a few goes at snowboarding he didn't really get on with it until he was in his teens. Same with most of his friends and most other people I know of that age tbh.
Many reason's are given, I've heard leg strength, ankle strength etc, but whatever the reason, the fact is that youngsters can learn to ski from pretty much as soon as they can walk, but they tend not to get on with snowboarding until they're a bit older.
Branny - Mar 12, 2010 - 07:47 AM
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my daughter, ski'ed from 3, moved onto a board at 7 and loves it, as with anything, some kids will take to it and some won't
as long as they're enjoying it, it doesn't matter how slow progression is, and if they're having a bad day, they can switch back to ski's
adam_2005 - Mar 12, 2010 - 10:47 AM
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Great video Matt! If I had a 6 year old who could ski like that after a few days, I'd be proud! Watching that makes me wish that I'd started 20 years earlier.
The first thing you should do is tell us his height, weight and shoe size, then we can find out if the domes near you have suitable equipment for him. If they do, then I'd suggest getting him going there for a lesson as it'll be apparent early on whether it's worth pursuing, or whether you might have to wait until he's a couple of years older. For snowboarding to work, you need to be able to pick the board up onto an edge, and that requires a certain amount of leg strength. Balancing on a snowboard is also far more difficult as a first-timer than on skis. Referring to the video though, I don't think any of that will be a problem. Seeing that he's a little ripper on his skis, the problem might be the adjustment to slowing down and being patient enough to learn all of the movements, which in my small amount of experience will take 3 or 4 times longer than someone 10 years or older.
It is generally accepted that skiing is the more suitable sport for someone your son's age, but I've seen plenty of very young kids snowboarding well, so if he's determined and patient, then I'm sure he'll be absolutely fine with it.
I'd agree with Mattylovesthewindchill's post, search for a school with a specific kids' programme, as teaching young kids requires a totally different approach if they're to succeed.
Good luck!
mattadamson - Mar 12, 2010 - 09:55 PM
Post subject:
Thanks for all the replies
I was thinking of a snow dome and perhaps could take a trip to Hemel or Bracknell. I was amazed at the price for tuition at Hemel though i.e. around 135 pounds for one hour private for the 2 of us, compared to 125 euros for a 2 hour lesson in France, I would have expected the lesson here to be cheaper if anything not nearly double the price.
I've actually booked the holiday now
http://www.mountainsunltd.com/chalet/ch ... es-melezes
for 7 nights on 5th April so really excited. I just didn't want to hire a snowboard for 6 days and find he really can't get on with it. Hopefully if it doesn't work out we can go back to skis. The lady at mountain sun said it was unlikely they'd have boards for so young however perhaps I should call around in the local area now to see if any shops have a board his size. He's about 113 cm high shoe size 11.
Dashie, thanks I'll check out alliance and call them soon, fingers crossed they can teach my son. I really have no idea where my hotel is in relation to the whole resort, does anyone know good links to maps which would help. I think I'm in Les Boisses so presumably this would be covered on a piste map, I could also see how far Le Lac is from their and how to get their.
I assume we should pay for the full ski lift pass for killy and tignes, although perhaps that's a bit excesive if were complete beginners? The holiday is turning out to be incredibly expensive now i.e. nearly 900 for acommodoation, 400 for flights and now another 400 for lift passes, I really hope my son likes it
My son is a very keen skate boarder too so I'm hoping that will help but he is small so strength might be an issue. He's pretty resiliant to pain as he found out when wiped out by a stupid old french man on a blue run going way too fast.
philboarder - Mar 12, 2010 - 10:53 PM
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Chalet Melezes is awesome great food
Tignes is pretty big save yourself the added cost of the full pass just get the full pass for a day if you feel you need it.
Les Boisses does have a lift out of it which takes you up above le lac or the free bus runs round there very regurly
mattadamson - Mar 12, 2010 - 11:22 PM
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Thanks Phil
So if I don't get a full pass which one should I get if were beginners?
philboarder - Mar 12, 2010 - 11:53 PM
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The Prices are here http://www.tignes.net/en/ski-a-tignes/winter-season-2009-2010-188.html
Or Family Prices http://www.tignes.net/en/ski-a-tignes/discover-the-espace-killy-in-tignes-with-your-family--308.html
Your going to need to make a judgment call as to what you think youll be doing in the week based on the amount of area. You can upgrade the Tignes pass for single days but if you do that more than twice its probably going to have been better to get the whole are lift pass.[/url]
mattadamson - Mar 20, 2010 - 08:24 PM
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Well I've just booked 3 2 hour lessons with these guys
http://www.alliancesnowboarding.com/
on Mon, Wed, Thurs ( were there Mon - Sat ) so hopefully that should be enough to give my son ( and myself!! ) enough confidence so we can practise on our own.
I'm still not sure what to do re passes, I see there are a few options I also heard there is a free nursery slope. Should we book 6 days now with either Tignes or Kully, or would it better to wait until we get their e.g. perhaps even do the free slope for the first day.
The folks at alliance might have a better idea when they see how good we are on the first day so perhaps we should wait until then
I'm also very tempted to buy a board, I thought that was silly before I found out they are 75 EUROS / Pounds to hire for a week, and the local shop in Reading has some from 200 reduced to 100 pounds, surely that's at least as good as the hire boards. Although for my 6 year old son I think he should hire as nearly every year he'll out grow the board.
philboarder - Mar 21, 2010 - 06:23 AM
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Your probably going to need to the tignes lift pass at least for your lessons as they might want to take you different places. If i remeber right the free lift only gives you access to a small slope that is in shade for quite a bit.
Dont forget youll need bindings to go with the board and then the cost of getting out there.
mattadamson - Mar 22, 2010 - 09:36 PM
Post subject:
I just got some excellent advice from Nikki at alliance
"You will not need to purchase a lift pass until your instructor advises you to. There are free nursery slopes in Tignes which you will learn on. After this you will require a full Espace Killy Pass. The difference in price equates to aroundt two euros and is definitely worth it!
In regards to buying a board before you arrive, I would recommend that you hire on your first holiday. I do realise that winter sales are on right now, but after a week of riding you will have a better idea of what type of board you require. Your instructor will also be able to give you advise on any boards you have in mind, and whether they would suit for you. Also, BAZOOM, who we recommend have all this seasons boards, bindings, and boots. If you did decide to get rental with them, you would be riding top of the range gear for the week anyway."
So rental it is and I'll wait until were there to get the passes