Starting Kids Out

[NautiqueChris1924]

Hello all, I am new to this forum, but not to the sport. After a few year hiatus, my kids are finally old enough to get behind the boat. Anyone have any tips for getting them behind the boat comfortably, and getting them skiing the right way? I was taught by throwing some combos on me and pushing me off the swim step into the lake! Not necessarily the way I want my girls to learn.

[rodltg2]

Depending on their age , the ez ski is a good tool. If they are 6 and up not so much.

[lcgordon]

A boom would help. Not sure if thats really worth the money tho. If they are athletic they should pick it up quick

 

[WBLskier]

How old are they? The right set of combos makes a huge difference. Junior amigos work great. Take them with other kids so some positive peer pressure. Don't force them to keep going if they don't want. Bribing with ice cream after didn't hurt. Weights on the back of the skis helps a ton for controlling them. I have plastic ice packs filled with sand hooked to the back of our kids set. No more skis floating all over the place. They'll be off the combos in no time.

[Jordan]

1) Knees bent, arms straight, chin up....let the boat do the work....

2) practice on the dock..start them in a crouch...give them a handle....pull them to standing.

3) arms straight is the key....if they pull in with their arms, they will fall backwards.

[Fatroll]

I have found that for kids (especially the very young) that may be nervous about being in the water, letting them drag slow on the boom is a good way to get them used to moving across the water and floating in the lake waiting for the boat to pick them up. This takes fear out of the equation when learning to ski. There are tons of schools of though when teaching skiing but the boom is an incredible tool. I have also found that having a friend teach the first time limits tears in the young kids. They tend to listen better to teachers, coaches, friends, etc than their owner parents.

[Fam-man]

@WBLskier how did you hook the ice packs to the back of the kids combo's? We have a wooden set that works good but I sometimes jump in the water to stabilize the skis when starting for my kids while Mom drives

[bojans]

How old are your kids?

 

I am going through this with my kids now. My son is 8 now, we started him skiing next to the boat at 2 yrs old on trainers with the skis tied together. When he was 4 he started going behind the boat on trainers, skis tied together. he wasn't overly enthusiastic about skiing so we let him do it on his own terms and only when he asked to. Last year was the breakthrough year for him - 7 years old. He started skiing on the trainers without them tied together, was asking to ski about every day and started running the course on 2 skis. The love of skiing is strong with him now, he skied in 51 degree water last weekend and we will be moving onto 1 ski this year.

 

My daughter is 5 now and has been very hesitant to ski. We have had her on an http://www.amazon.com/Airhead-AHEZ-100-Trainer-Inflatable-Tube/dp/B00AJVLB9Y and she enjoys that a few times a summer. Now she says she is ready to go (as soon as the water is warmer). We will just go straight to trainers with the rope tied to the skis.

 

My best advise is not to push it. Make it fun. Go on a tube ride with the kids, let them play with the skis at home, have a root beer ready for them when they get done skiing. They will learnt to love it and love the time with you.

[Chef23]

Some of it depends on how old the kids are. With my kids we started them out in a tube behind the boat with me in it with them when they were 3 or 4 making sure they had a lot of fun with that.

 

We progressed to what we called a skimmer that was in @Horton's video. I started out running on shore with them to get a feel for it then we fed it off the back of the boat and finally just pulled them off the beach with it.

 

Once they were comfortable with that we progressed to skis. We began the progression to skis. I started them on a knee board so they could just get used to holding the handle. They only did that 2 or 3 times before moving to skis.

 

I don't have a boom so we went to behind the boat. We had someone in the water with them holding them steady using skis with a bar connecting the skis together. The kids were holding the handle not with the rope tied to the skis. After 3 or 4 tries they were up and skiing when they were 5 and 6 respectively.

 

Shortly we moved my daughter who was older to being in the water on her own. My son was smaller and couldn't control the skis in the water so I taught him to do a dock start in the event I didn't have someone to help in the water.

 

The next summer we migrated to one ski.

 

My son has really developed a love for the sport my daughter not so much. That said when she was little she was always ready to go ski.

[crashman]

If you have an old kneeboard around that's a good way of getting kids used to being behind the boat- most kids will have instant success and fun with it; it seems like my 1988 hydroslide gets a workout from our guests

[Rivvy]

Great tips so far. One thing that was a big help for my kids was manually pulling them in the grass with ski trainer setup (tied together with rope tied to skis). A bit of a workout for mom and dad. Wet grass with hose to make easier. Easy to do and translates directly to water. Make it fun

[NautiqueChris1924]

This is all good stuff.

 

I have two daughters. One is 5 the other is 8. We have used the Airhead EZ-SKI, which they have totally mastered, and just mess around on now. So they are used to being behind the boat. I bought a set of HO combos that strap together.

 

I like the ideas of getting them used to the equipment first. I think I will put them in the pool with it all on so they can get used to it.

[CaleBurdick]

Those weights that screw into the tails of the skis to help them float tip up may be a good idea. I loved getting bribed with toys..."if you learn to do it we'll go back to the store and get that toy you liked!" Also, over the top enthusiasm from my parents made it a lot of fun at a young age.

[east tx skier]

If you can find an old zip sled/bob sked, they're great! My boys were on them at 16 and 18 months (with a parent dragging behind. They can lie prone, sit, kneel or stand.

 

My oldest was skiing on trainers at age 4 and up on slalom by age 9. My younger one was more cautious and didn't ski until age 6. But he's excited as can be for this year.

 

I prefer the Bob Sked for its handles (particularly when I was dragging behind).

 

 

 

 

[WBLskier]

I attached them with Velcro and a nylon strap. If I did it again I'd just permanently attach them. There isn't much reason to take them off.

[Hallpass]

I don't know what the slalom course experts will say. Recreationally, these were great for getting her going at a young age.