December 9, 2009
Backyard blizzard
by Heather Burke/
Hauling your whole family to the slopes, especially when the kids are little, is a chore. Hours of driving for one run or two runs with a toddler can be draining.
When our kids were tiny, we started them skiing at home. That’s right. You can score baby beginner skis and boots at a rental shop or a ski swap. The first trick is to get your youngster into their gear. We had our son (23 months old at the time) put on ski boots and skis inside in the carpeted basement to start. Sounds funny, looks even funnier — but it’s a great way to familiarize your child with the foreign ski apparatus.
Letting our son tromp around with his skis attached to those clunky ski boots really helped his coordination. Our daughter loved hats, so putting on the ski outfit got her excited about the adventure and would later serve to distract her from the real weather once we got her outside.
Once your kids have worn their ski gear inside for a few hours, it’s time to take it outside. Hopefully the blessing of natural snow will grace your backyard. Little kids don’t need much of a slope or much space to get the concept of sliding. In fact, you don’t want a steep slope or any dangerous hazards, so keep the terrain open and tame.
If your backyard is brown, the engineers at snow-maker.com have a cure. Buy the SNS EasySnow snowmaker, attach it to a pressure washer and a small compressor (or borrow these from your neighbor) and you can make snow in your yard at 27 degrees or below. You will be the hit of the 'hood when you make snow on your lawn.
No need for a lift or rope tow, kids can climb back up. Or if mom and dad need a workout, they can pull the kids back up with them, holding the strap of the ski pole. Who needs the expense of a gym membership? Save that dough for the $399 snowmaker.
When the skiing becomes too cumbersome or tiresome, there always is snowman-making as a diversion, and hot cocoa is available in your kitchen for cents on the dollar compared to resort prices.
The novelty of this homespun mom and pop ski resort will wear off quickly, but your kids will have the developed the basics of balance, walking and sliding in snow gear, and they will be amped to go to a real ski area. Ski lessons with a pro and other kids will seem like a big treat.
Of note: Bretton Woods has a complimentary learning lift, and several resorts offer discounted rates for their beginner terrain.
