# Teaching very young kids



## Zee (Feb 21, 2008)

I remember the pain of going through teaching my son, now I'm teaching my 6 year old daughter. She just wants to straight line down the hill, and then stop on heel side and fall on her butt. It's cute, and she has very good balance, but I need to get her to control her board.

Are these the correct steps?


Sideslip heelside
Sideslip toeside
Traverse Heelside
Traverse Toeside
Heelside Garlands
Toeside Garlands
Linking Turns

Im trying to leave out falling leaf on purpose... when I thought my son, it was really hard to stop him from doing falling leaf once he learned it.


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## Mysticfalcon (Nov 27, 2007)

I started with a little heel and toe sliding then I said traverse over to the other side and stop lay down flip over and go the other way. after 2 runs there so sick of having to lay down and flop over they start linking turns on their own.


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2009)

Mysticfalcon said:


> after 2 runs there so sick of having to lay down and flop over they start linking turns on their own.



So so true, I did this with my kids as well !!!!


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## T.J. (Aug 28, 2007)

started teaching my 9 year old bro in law this year. the first thing i did was put him in a lesson. when his lesson was over i rode with him for the rest of the day. by the second time out he is just starting to link turns. i'm really impressed how good he is doing for only being out twice. 

just picked him up a technine monster and flow bindings. still looking for boots so if anyone knows where i can find a cheap pair of youth size 2 boots hook a bother up.


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## Mooz (Aug 14, 2007)

Younger kids can't be taught the same lesson as adults. And not just on the comprehension level. A 6yr old doesn't have the same ankle control and muscles required for solid flexing/extenting so they need another meathod to make their turns. They also key in on different things. 

I'll see if I can find an article on it.


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## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

Zee said:


> I remember the pain of going through teaching my son, now I'm teaching my 6 year old daughter. She just wants to straight line down the hill, and then stop on heel side and fall on her butt. It's cute, and she has very good balance, but I need to get her to control her board.
> 
> Are these the correct steps?
> 
> ...


That's the general progression after you've gone for a lift ride.:thumbsup: It might help her to spend more time at the bottom of the hill working on fade turns with the back foot out. If she can nail those down, linked turns from the top will happen quickly. The movement patterns won't look like an adults, it's a real vs ideal situation. 

A thought on the falling leaf. When doing side slips and traverses the beginner often turns them into a falling leaf on their own. Do you say "STOP THAT CRAP NOW!" or let them start to learn some basic switch riding skills?

One question about your son and the leaf. Was he doing them on the heelside *and* toeside?


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## Zee (Feb 21, 2008)

It was heelside falling leaf. The comfort of looking straight down the hill.

Good idea on the faded turns unstrapped.


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## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

Mooz said:


> Younger kids can't be taught the same lesson as adults. And not just on the comprehension level. A 6yr old doesn't have the same ankle control and muscles required for solid flexing/extenting so they need another meathod to make their turns. They also key in on different things.
> 
> I'll see if I can find an article on it.


Here's a link to what I think you are looking for.
http://www.okemo.com/okemowinter/instructor/downloads/Knee%20High%20Knowledge.pdf
It's geared towards skiing but you can adapt the movements for snowboarding.


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## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

Zee said:


> It was heelside falling leaf. The comfort of looking straight down the hill.
> 
> Good idea on the faded turns unstrapped.


When people get stuck in the FL it's almost always on the heelside for the reason you state. If I can get people doing a strong toeside falling leaf along with the heelside they rarely get stuck and move rapidly into linked turns. 

To me the FL isn't a bad drill, but teaching it on only one side will have negative long term effects.


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## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

Snowolf said:


> It is fun teaching kids, but I think it works better one on one. This was my little guy I taught privately at Timberline last spring. He is a real ripper on the hill now. He was 5 at the tim and his parents love to show him off.


Very cute, but I think the parents may want to down play the "smile for the camera" bit. He looks close to a brain aneurysm or an accident in his pants.


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## Zee (Feb 21, 2008)

My son was a challenge, he fell down the stairs when he was almost 2, and since then he has had a fear of falling. That has kept his progression a bit slower, but he is getting there. My daughter is the opposite, she is comfortable on the board, but just wants to bomb down the hill ratehr than take slow steps.


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## Guest (Feb 25, 2009)

Check this...

http://www.casi-acms.com/pdfs/Course_Guide_Level1.pdf

Be safe out there.


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