Families
Oliver Astrologo
Mirco Pittigher, President of the Paganella Ski Team of Andalo, answers the most frequent doubts of parents on the subject of skiing and children.
Friday 14 January 2022 12 minutes reading time
On the occasion of World Snow Day (January 16) and the Dolomiti Paganella Family Festival (January 16-23), Dolomiti Paganella and Mirko Pittigher, President of the Paganella Ski Team, give some suggestions to parents who want to bring their children closer to skiing .
What is the perfect age to start skiing (or snowboarding)?
The perfect age to start skiing does not exist, because it all depends on the physicality of the child, not intended as physical strength, but as balance and coordination. For this reason, in general, we start around the age of 4 or 5, when the little ones are more coordinated and begin to have greater control of their body. On the other hand, the approach to snowboarding is different, for which the balance must be greater: if until a few years ago it was recommended to start between 7 or 8 years, today the age has dropped to 6 or 7 years. .
Better collective or individual courses?
Again, there is no universally valid answer. The individual course is the most suitable choice for those who want targeted and personalized learning or for those who want to perfect their technique, while the group courses are perfect for those starting from scratch and for those who want to share the experience with their peers and create new ones. friendships, as well as a network of support and discussion. Over the years, thanks to the increasing number of people approaching the slopes, the group courses have also improved a lot and today they focus on smaller groups of children, i.e. between 5 and 6 students, so as to be able to follow everyone in the best way possible.
What are the benefits of skiing for children?
Beyond pure fun and the benefits given by physical activity, both physically and mentally, skiing (or snowboarding) allows children to experience sport in the open air and in contact with nature, admiring landscapes unique that especially those who come from the cities do not have the opportunity to admire in their daily lives. Furthermore, despite being a predominantly individual sport, skiing also allows you to be in a group and helps to relate to others, on and off the slopes, because in both cases respect and attention are needed.
How quickly can a child learn to ski?
Learning, as in any field, is very subjective, but with the new types of skis, children learn very quickly, more than one might think. The important thing is to always evaluate the situation and never expose the little ones to tracks that are too difficult which can not only jeopardize their safety from a physical point of view, but also a psychological one. Starting immediately from tracks that are too difficult, in fact, can block the child and limit his technical progression. In some cases, for example, the little one risks keeping the "snow plow" longer, because it is perceived as safer, but doing so limits and slows down the learning of skiing in parallel. It is therefore essential to proceed step by step.
Does the child have to train or prepare before hitting the slopes?
For children there is no particular preparation, because, compared to adults, they are more elastic and have a lower center of gravity which helps to reduce the risk of dangerous falls. However, it can be useful to approach the world of slopes through exercises related to balance, such as trying to maintain an upright position while standing on the right leg and lifting the left sideways (and vice versa), or exercises dedicated to the legs and legs. ankles to get them used to movements in boots and skis. In the latter case, lunges and steps with half-bent legs can be useful, which imitate the position that the child will take on the slopes. The important thing, even in this case, is to have fun.
How to choose the equipment?
To amortize expenses in the growing years, when children have to change skis and boots every year, the advice is to rely on rentals, which often offer high quality equipment and specialized staff able to advise skiers by answering their questions. and needs. In skiing, as well as in snowboarding, it is in fact important to buy or rent equipment of the right size: skiing with larger skis or boots can be not only problematic, but also dangerous for the child. And speaking of safety, it is essential not to forget the helmet, which is mandatory for all underage skiers.
How important is the help or presence of a parent?
For children, parents are reference figures and it is therefore important that they are present during the first steps and the first lessons with the teacher, who is instead a fundamental figure to learn safely or to improve the technique. The presence, however, must not turn into pressure. The first hours on the slopes, in fact, are often the most tiring and therefore parents should not force the little ones to spend too many hours on skis if they do not want to: the child must have fun, not feel forced. The same concept also applies off the piste: if the little one, after the course, no longer wants to ski, it is better not to force him.
After the first lessons with the instructor and as the children progress in the technique, however, parents can also support them in physical activity, skiing with them. The important thing is to remember that skiing must be experienced as a game, so as to always have a positive experience to be repeated year after year. It's a sport you love right away, if you start off on the right foot!
And for families who don't ski there are many other activities to try in the snow. Near the Meriz refuge, for example, the new toboggan run has been opened (with rental available on site), while the many baby parks in the area welcome the little ones with equipped and safe areas with inflatable games and slides. Added to these are the ice skating rinks of Molveno, Fai della Paganella and Andalo, with teddy bears available for the little ones, and the Biblioigloo, the first library in Italy located on the ski slopes, where you can spend hours among books. or by participating in the numerous workshops of culture, art and nature. Last, but not least, the adrenaline-pumping experience of Ice Racing Kart, the Go Kart track for adults and children also open in winter.
SAFE SKIING
To guarantee everyone the opportunity to spend their days in the snow safely, Dolomiti Paganella also reminds you that to access the ski lifts - for which the capacity of closed vehicles will be reduced to 80% - from this year the ski pass can be also purchased online by associating your Green Pass at the time of purchase (from 12 years upwards it is mandatory together with the FFP2 mask) in order to reduce queues and gatherings at the cash desks.
However, safety is not only linked to the health emergency. In line with national regulations, in order to be able to ski in the Dolomiti Paganella area starting from January 1, 2022, it is mandatory to have third party liability insurance; if not already insured, the policy can be purchased together with the ski pass. Finally, it is recalled the prohibition of skiing in a state of intoxication (alcohol content <0.5 g / l).
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