Why Crawl, Walk, Ski?

So why start “Crawl, Walk, Ski”? We learned that children are capable of learning basic ski skills, such as balance and movement on snow, much earlier than traditionally believed, and we want to empower others to get after it.

 

 Aren’t we busy enough trying to keep it all together and enjoy the rare quiet moments in life with 3 kids?  Well, imagine this: It’s the winter of 2021/22, amidst the unique challenges presented by COVID-19, Yuliya and I started introducing our daughter Charlotte, then just 18 months old, to skiing.  We started slow, but found ourselves ramping up both the challenges and daily duration rapidly.  Looking back, this experience was enriched by the insights we had gained from teaching our older daughter, Victoria, to ski, just about 3 years before. We noticed a significant improvement in our approach, marked by fewer mistakes and a more enjoyable experience for both us and Charlotte.  Honestly, we were just more confident as parents and makeshift ski instructors, and this made all the difference. 

Crawl Walk Ski Matthew and Child

As you could imagine, Charlotte began skiing at a younger age compared to Victoria, highlighting the benefits of our accumulated experience and wondering if we had something to offer others.  During our weekend trips to the mountain, we couldn’t help but observe other parents facing similar challenges. We knew that most ski programs are designed for children aged ~3-4 years old and above, leaving a noticeable gap in class offerings for younger children. This is to be expected, a lot of children aren’t even out of diapers at this age, meaning you have to somehow both parent as well as instruct.  We knew it could be done: If Victoria and Charlotte could do it, so could other kids.  It just meant that we need to help parents feel more prepared, more confident, and more excited to go out there and start.

 

We saw quite a variety of other parents and learn-to-ski kids out on the mountain.  The ranges were from seasoned veterans who have been-there, done-that, would rather not talk about it, to the vocally clueless and desperate.  The kids seemed to be a derivative of the parents.  We noticed that the parents who were confident and just went for it had kids that seemed to also just go for it.  The parents who were clueless had kids that appeared to be having much less success and no doubt a worse time out there.

 

We also learned a lot about gear, and how both scary it can be as well as how important it is.  We know that ski gear can make or break your day and we want to help make this less confusing.

As the icing on the cake, Yuliya has an extensive background in early childhood education and shares my passion for skiing.  This was crucial to our early training sessions with the girls because they still need the basic kids’ needs and she was dialed into this.  This puts us in a unique place to contribute valuable perspectives to parents eager to teach their young children to ski. 

 

Motivated by this realization, we decided to start “Crawl, Walk, Ski.” Our goal was not only to share our personal experiences and insights but also to foster a community where families could find support, guidance, and inspiration to engage in skiing together, breaking down the perceived barriers and stigmas associated with the sport being inaccessible or too challenging for young families.  I mean, we know all too well how much easier it is to just stay home and not do all this extra work!

 

This decision was given a shot in the arm in early 2023, with the joyful news of expecting our 3rd child, our son, Isaac later that year. This personal milestone served as a catalyst, propelling us to not only document and reflect on our experiences teaching Victoria and Charlotte but also to refine and apply these insights to our journey with Isaac in just a couple years. “Crawl, Walk, Ski” is thus a comprehensive project aimed at chronicling our learnings, sharing effective teaching strategies, and critically evaluating what works and what doesn’t in the context of skiing with young children.

 

Our ambition for “Crawl, Walk, Ski” is not just to merely document. We envision it as a resource that combines professional educational principles with practical, real-world parenting experiences. By doing so, we aim to create a vibrant community centered around the joy of family bonding through skiing. This platform is dedicated to empowering parents with knowledge, fostering a sense of camaraderie, and ultimately, making skiing an accessible and enjoyable family activity.

 

“Crawl, Walk, Ski” is more than just a blog; it’s the beginning of a mission to help transform the way families approach skiing with young children. Through sharing our journey, insights from early childhood education, and building a supportive community, we hope to inspire families to embrace skiing as a means of bonding, learning, and creating unforgettable memories together on the slopes.

 

Let’s get after it!

Catch up on the Journey

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