Teaching Our Daughter To Ski At Three Years Old

“The helmet is too tickly,” my daughter whined, as we stood in the ski rental shop getting kitted out for her first day skiing. She had already tried on a red, orange and black helmet. Now we were back at the red one and not even a lollipop, kindly offered by the owner, cheered her up. It had all started relatively well. She got some ‘golden boots’ (like Peppa Pig) and she was very pleased with her pink and white skis. But, the helmet was a step too far and her attempts to swerve the inevitable didn’t wash. We gathered the equipment together and left, no doubt the owner thinking we’d soon be back. But we weren’t. Fortunately, that was the only glitch in her first day learning to ski.

We made our way to the bottom of the slopes in Morzine, France, neither my husband nor I really knowing how the day would unfold. Would there be tears, tantrums or squeals of joy? Over the past few weeks, we had asked her about whether she would like to go skiing and she seemed very keen, especially after seeing her cousins go off to do it. We felt she was ready and she seemed to think the same.

After finding a relatively flat slope, lesson one with daddy began. I was on hand – sans skis – to record the landmark occasion on camera and film. It certainly felt like a very special moment in our family. I felt immensely proud – of both of them. Seeing my husband, who last year was advised he should not ski again after heart surgery, teach our daughter a new skill was a wonderful scene to witness and see my daughter take to it so well made me immensely happy!

And she did really well! We started with daddy holding her between his legs so she could get the hang of being on skis and snow and the lack of friction involved. Then, we got her doing a short distance on her own – progressing to a longer stretch. In fact, she was the one who wanted to go a little further and “ski over to mummy”.

After around 40 minutes at the bottom of the slopes, we headed higher up the mountain in the cable car – an activity which is always a hit with Mrs T.

Despite sunshine at the bottom of mountain, as we ascended higher, the fog set in and it started to get colder. We did a few runs on a small slope and she began to get the hang of putting her hands on her knees while she was skiing so her momentum was going forward and she kept her balance really well. She even went on the drag lift with daddy.

After a couple more goes and a bit of a fall before going on said lift (with tears) we retired to a nearby restaurant for soup and a well deserved hot chocolate for our little lady which she happily devoured!

As we made our way back to the cable car we waved daddy off as he went to ski the last run. Well, you should have heard the commotion!

“I want to do skiing,” she moaned. “I want to go skiing with my daddy,” she exclaimed even louder, tears starting to fall. “I don’t want to go on the cable car!”

If she had been able, she would have stamped her foot. I eventually persuaded her she did want to go on the cable car while reassuring her there would be more skiing tomorrow. Of course, I was delighted that she had liked the day so much she didn’t want to stop – always a good sign!

Her second lesson happened the next day. It was a beautiful sunny day and we based ourselves at the bottom of the mountain which goes up to Avoriaz town. It was a nursery slope but still a bit too advanced for our three year old.

After realising she wouldn’t learn very much on such an incline, we stayed at the bottom of the slope and she was going further and faster…putting her hands on her knees and everything. I was very impressed with her balance and when she stopped, or got stuck in the snow, she was able to get herself going again.

We tried to teach her the snow plough position and although she started to understand, I think it will take a bit longer for her to fully grasp how to stop and get the hang of her ‘edges’. In the meantime, there’s daddy’s arms!

Daddy as ‘teacher’ did a great job. Not known for his patience, he was very good with her and we had strangers complimenting him on how well he was teaching her, remarking in particular on his patience! It was quite a different experience from skiing holidays when he has taught our friends – when a quick lesson is followed by a blue run and then often a red!

But, I am so proud of my daughter and her new adventure on skis. She picked it up so quickly and seeing her enjoy a pastime that my husband and I love so much has been really special.  Despite the initial issue with the helmet (which was clearly messing up her fab curly hair), by the second day she barely noticed it and there were no complaints. I am very much looking forward to more time on the slopes as a family. It can be exhausting (my husband can vouch for that) but seeing her enjoyment, sense of achievement at her new skiing skills and hearing those squeals of joy – made it all worth it.

Check out my little film of Mrs T’s progression on skis over two days.