Skiing With Kids: Expert Tips for Ski Parents
Teaching kids to ski doesn't have to be a battle of wills at the top of a run, a meltdown in the lift line, or a day that ends with everyone in tears — including you.
Welcome to Skiing with Kids, the podcast for every ski parent who wants to raise kids who genuinely love the mountain. I'm Jessica Averett, a professional ski expert with over 20 years of experience teaching kids to ski, a mom of five kids I taught to ski before age three, and someone who has spent two decades watching families transform their ski days from stressful to spectacular.
Whether you're trying to teach kids to ski for the very first time, troubleshoot why your six-year-old suddenly hates skiing, or figure out how to actually enjoy a ski day instead of just surviving it — this is your show.
Each episode, I'm bringing you real, practical, been-there-done-that advice on skiing with kids at every age and stage. We'll dig into ski technique, gear that actually works, how to handle the hard days on the mountain, resort tips, and the mindset shifts that make all the difference when you're a ski parent trying to raise confident little skiers.
No fluff. No generic advice. Just honest, expert guidance from someone who has taught thousands of kids to ski and raised five of her own — and knows that the best ski days of your family's life are absolutely possible.
This is Skiing with Kids. Let's get your family on the mountain.
Skiing With Kids: Expert Tips for Ski Parents
Unlocking Confidence: The Crucial First Three Days of Skiing with Kids
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In this episode of Skiing with Kids, host Jessica, the parent ski expert, explains why the first three days on skis can shape a child’s entire relationship with skiing. These early days aren’t really about technique. They’re about building comfort, confidence, and a sense that the mountain is a place where they belong.
In this episode, Jessica shares how pressure, complicated gear, and pushing kids too fast can trigger “threat mode,” leading to frustration and meltdowns. Instead, she walks through a simple approach for those first three days: keeping day one short, playful, and repetition-based; adding gentle control and independence on day two; and building basic turning and speed control on day three—all without rushing kids onto bigger terrain before they’re ready.
You’ll also hear practical strategies for introducing ski gear before your trip, using games to build confidence, and ending ski days while kids still want more. Jessica also introduces her step-by-step framework from First Tracks: A Parent’s Guide to Teaching Kids to Ski, designed to help parents create smoother ski days, build confident young skiers, and avoid the meltdowns that often come with learning on the mountain.
00:00 Welcome to Skiing With Kids
00:26 Why the First Three Days Matter
02:32 Kids Identity on the Mountain
03:34 Gear Comfort Before Day One
05:00 Day One Should Feel Easy
05:50 Build Confidence Not Perfection
07:11 Day by Day Plan and First Tracks
07:54 Momentum and Three Day Progression
10:23 Do You Need Ski School
12:29 Wrap Up and Final Encouragement
Skiing with Kids is hosted by Jessica Averett, a ski instructor and mom of five who has spent more than 20 years helping kids learn to ski. This podcast helps parents create calmer, happier ski days by focusing on confidence, connection, and simple strategies that actually work with kids on the mountain. She's the founder of First Tracks: A Parent's Guide to Teaching Kids to Ski, a course that walks parents through everything they need to know to skip overpriced ski school and confidently teach their own kids to ski.
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More Skiing with Kids Resources
For more tips, gear reviews, and ski parenting advice visit Skiing Kids
You can find me on Instagram @theadventuretravelfam
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Free Guide for Ski Parents
Want to avoid the biggest mistakes most parents make when teaching their kids to ski?
Download the free guide:
The Most Common Mistakes Ski Parents Make (and How to Fix Them)
https://skiiingkids.myflodesk.com/ffy45squub
This quick guide will help you avoid the common ski day meltdowns and create a much smoother experience for your kids on the mountain.