What age do kids switch from skiing to snowboarding?

[SnowCountry]

I was curious what age kids, who want to snowboard, indicate that to their parents and switch from skiing to snowboarding?

Obviously it's different for different kids, but what is your experience. I have a 7 year old daughter. She is observing this year that some people snowboard, and the people who snowboard sure spend a lot of time sitting down on the hill. She is learning to ski now. I'm wondering when she might express an interest in snowboarding if she thinks that is what she wants to do instead.

(I sure hope she doesn't. We're a skiing family. Not a riding family.)

 

[surfsnowgirl]

My friend's little boy started out skiing and then when he was 5 or 6 he asked really nicely if he could learn to snowboard. That was a couple of seasons ago, he's still boarding.

 

[Jim Kenney]

It probably depends on the kid, but the time may be soon?

My son started skiing at age five and switched from skiing to snowboarding at around age nine (2000). Boarding was really big then, esp with kids his age or a little older that were into terrain parks. IIRC he did mostly boarding for about two years, but perhaps a little of both. After a couple years of mostly boarding he switched back to skiing around 2002-3. We only skied about five or ten days per winter then and I think he never got as good at boarding as he had been at skiing (he wasn't especially interested in terrain parks), so he reverted back to skiing, which he had better skills at to keep up with the rest of the family who were all skiers. Interestingly, it was on a family ski trip in 2003 when he rented ski blades for a few days that triggered an uptick in ski skills and a love for speed/steeps/bumps that seemed to further lessen the chance of returning to primarily snowboarding. Although I think he may still snowboard on rare occasions when he can borrow the equipment.

 

[graham418]

My son switched from skiing to snowboarding when he was about 12.. about the time all his friends were boarding too. ( See ..you do have to watch out for what kind of kids your own hang out with...peer pressure is real!!)
I'm still waiting for him to see the light and switch back....He's 28 now..

 

[Dave Petersen]

I know of a lot of kids in the Midwest who started out snowboarding and made the switch to skiing.

 

[crgildart]

Kids want to do whatever their friends are doing. The ones that switch from snowboarding to skiing do so either when they stop hanging out with other snowboarders or when they get tired of having to step out all the time to get across the flats..

 

[Dave Petersen]

Kids want to do whatever their friends are doing. The ones that switch from snowboarding to skiing do so either when they stop hanging out with other snowboarders or when they get tired of having to step out all the time to get across the flats..

"when they get tired of having to step out all the time to get across the flats" -- I think that is one of the main reasons, that and around here they have to take a foot out to load the lift.

 

[oswaldr2]

I was 17 years old when I switched from skiing to snowboarding. Northern Michigan hills just couldn't keep my interest going skiing any longer so I switched over to snowboarding. I switched back to skiing permanently when I was about 24 years old, by then I was fortunate enough to be doing my skiing Out West.

My 2 cents would be not to switch until one is skiing (or snowboarding) at a high level. That way they can always go back after a few years, it's like riding a bike.

 

[Uncle-A]

I was curious what age kids, who want to snowboard, indicate that to their parents and switch from skiing to snowboarding?

Obviously it's different for different kids, but what is your experience. I have a 7 year old daughter. She is observing this year that some people snowboard, and the people who snowboard sure spend a lot of time sitting down on the hill. She is learning to ski now. I'm wondering when she might express an interest in snowboarding if she thinks that is what she wants to do instead.

(I sure hope she doesn't. We're a skiing family. Not a riding family.)

I do not have an answer because my daughter still skis. Only a few days a season but still skiing, we both tried snowboarding one day and did not care for it and I was a surfer many many years ago, still have my long board that I should use as a SUP.

"If your kid switches from skiing to snowboarding it is just poor parenting." so I have been told.

 

[Dwight]

Skiing is easier to learn, harder to master. Snowboarding is harder to learn, easier to master.

All my kids do all three. 19yr old Daughter has stuck with it and teaches it. The others prefer skiing and teach it. Though the 19yr old wants some decent park skis this year too.

She knows the drill, we don't wait for boot ins. She doesn't sit down to buckle up and she can shred with the best of them. Her first trip out West was Snowbird 4 yrs ago. She put the skiers to shame on the tough terrain.

Encourage your kids to do what ever they have the passion for. They are outside and on hill covered with snow.

 

[Fishbowl]

Both my girls switched over to snowboarding at 12. Which happens to be the time when they were outgrowing their kids boots and ready for adult gear. They both took that as an opportunity to ask for new snowboard boots instead of ski boots. I’m good as long as they are having fun.

 

[James]

The little kids program we have doesn't teach snowboarding under 5 yrs old where they'll teach skiing. Too hard for little ones. There are exceptions. We had a kid at 5 too good for other kids (so he was bored) so he took up snowboarding.

 

[fatbob]

Whenever they want. As long as the kid is stoked it doesn't matter what they are on ( unless you live at Deer Valley etc) and in anyway snowboarding will continue to build skills and versatility for a return to skiing when traversing in and out of sketchier terrain become too much of a ballache.

 

[Doby Man]

I would say that the typical age where kids decide they'd rather be a snowboarder is about around the same age where parents claim that many of the child's attributes stem from the other parent.

 

[Chris Walker]

My kid tried it when he was ten or so, took a couple lessons with a friend of his and decided to go back to skiing. He hasn’t been on a snowboard since. I would have supported whatever decision he made; as long as he’s having fun why should I care what equipment he uses. Most of his friends board. He loves standing at the top, ready to go and busting his friends’ chops for sitting around strapping in.

 

[Doug Briggs]

I took up telemark (the other dark art) when I grew bored with skiing on the East coast. I was in my 30s. I returned to alpine when I was 45. For a brief time I took snowboard lessons because they were free; I was an instructor. I never got the hang of it or enjoyed it and continued to telemark until my return to alpine.

 

[x10003q]

Never.
The older one never wanted to go down that road. I would have supported boarding if that was what he wanted.
The other one has not shown any interest in boarding , either. In our immediate family of 20 there are only 2 boarders. We have all been skiing since around age 4-6, so skiing runs deep in our family.

 

[James]

This is backwards.
Parents should take up boarding so their kids switch to skiing. Or stay in it.

 

[Mike Rogers]

My nephew just made the switch at 8.

I think most switch back when they want to get into backcountry. Split skiing is no fun.

 

[Guy in Shorts]

Some kids wait until their 40's to make the switch. My buddy years back bought a used snowboard after his daughter begged him to. She didn't like boarding so he learned instead. Guy my age that parked next to me today said he started on alpine moved to telemarks and finally ended up on a board. Generally older boarders carve more and jib less.