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Get Your Kids
Ready for the ski trip.
New to skiing or already training with us, here’s the plan: what to practice, what to rent, where to stay, and straight answers to what parents ask before the first run.
We build the skills. You capture the memories.
The first two days are usually a write-off.
Everything’s new.
Stiff boots, strange skis, cold hands. Half the day is gone before anyone finds their feet.
Wrecked and sore.
Muscles that have never skied wake up, and they’re not happy about it.
It finally clicks.
Best day of the trip. The kids are grinning… and then you drive home.
Three days on the mountain. You paid for two of them just to warm up.
Do the warm-up at home.
Boots, balance, stopping, getting back up after a fall. A coach works on all of it indoors in the weeks before you go, so the mountain feels less new and more of the trip goes to skiing.
Weeks to go? Choose a session. Trip coming up soon, or a kid over 10? Choose private lessons, and tell the coach where you’re headed.
Choose your location for exact pricing.
“Our 4 year old took weekly sessions for 10 weeks prior to our annual ski trip. Once we got there he was more comfortable in all the gear, boots and clipping and unclipping from skis. He picked up skiing down the mountain great!”
Kayla A.Mom · Richardson, TX · Annual ski trip
Straight answers, before the first run.
Each answer links to a guide we wrote for Shredder families, when you want more.
We don’t ski. Where do we start? +
Your child can start without you knowing anything. Coaches teach, and skis or a snowboard, boots and a helmet are included. Start a session near home, then plan the mountain.
We’re not a ski family: where to start →How far ahead of a ski trip should we start? +
Plan in weeks, not days. A session typically runs 8 to 10 weeks, one visit a week, so the earlier you start the more it helps. If the trip is close, or your child is over 10, private lessons are the faster route. Tell the coach where you’re headed and when.
How many weeks before a trip →Which mountain should we choose, and where should we stay? +
Pick a mountain with a separate beginner area and a ski school for your child’s age. Stay close enough that the walk to the meeting point is short with gear on. Going to Winter Park? Shred Haus is a home there designed by a Shredder owner.
See Shred Haus and two Colorado mountains →Should we rent or buy ski gear for kids? +
Rent skis, boots or a board, because kids outgrow them. Buy the small things: ski socks, waterproof gloves and goggles. A helmet is included in every Shredder session, but no rental package includes one, so buy one or reserve one for the trip.
What to rent, what to buy →What should we pack for a kids ski trip? +
Layers, not one thick coat, and no cotton. A spare pair of gloves, sunscreen, and snacks in a pocket they can reach. The checklist on this page covers the rest and prints on one page.
Open the checklist →How do I hand my child over to resort ski school? +
Many resort ski schools start at age 3 and ask that children are potty-trained, so check yours before you book. Label their gear, tell the instructor what your child can already do, keep the goodbye short, and know the pickup time and place. Tears at drop-off are common, and they usually don’t mean the day has failed.
Why ski school starts at 3 →What does a first ski day look like with kids? +
The night before, collect the rentals and lay out clothes. In the morning, breakfast, then the bathroom before boots go on. Arrive and check in early. Spend the first hour on the beginner area, take a warm-up break with a snack mid-morning, and eat lunch early. After lunch, a few easy runs, then stop while they still want more. A half day is a good first day.
- Night beforeRentals collected, clothes laid out
- MorningBreakfast, bathroom before boots
- ArrivalPark and check in early
- First hourThe beginner area
- Mid-morningWarm-up break and a snack
- LunchEarly, before the lodge fills
- After lunchA few easy runs, stop while they want more
What if my child has a rough day, or skis worse than indoors? +
Cold, new boots and longer slopes all compete for a child’s attention, so a harder first day outside is normal. Go back to easier terrain, stop coaching them, and finish on a good run. Then tell your coach at pickup what you saw, so the next weeks work on it.
Didn’t see your question? We’ve answered 20+ more questions Shredder parents ask →
Everything, on one page.
Book
- Dates and a mountain with a beginner area
- Ski school for their age
- Lift tickets
- Lodging near the base
Gear
- Skis, boots or board reserved
- Helmet bought or reserved
- Fit checked before you leave
- Pickup and return times
Wear
- Base layer and fleece
- Waterproof jacket and pants (bibs for little ones)
- One pair of ski socks
- Waterproof gloves, plus a spare pair
- Goggles and a neck gaiter
Bag
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- Pocket snacks
- Water, and drink extra at altitude
- A full change of clothes
The day
- Name label on your child
- Meeting plan and a charged phone
- Ski school pickup time noted
- Bathroom before boots
- Stop time decided
Resorts differ on ages, times and rules. Check yours for those before you go.
Don’t waste money
on the wrong stuff.
What your child needs, what they don’t, and what to rent instead of buy.
Rent the gear they trained on.
Youth skis, snowboards and boots, fitted to your child before you leave. Pickup at Central Park, Littleton and Wheat Ridge.
Season SkiSkiing several times this winter
Season BoardRiding all season long
Daily/WeeklyA day, a weekend or a week
A helmet is included in every Shredder session. No rental package includes one. Choose your location for exact pricing.
We didn’t find you a good rental. We built one.
Designed around how ski families actually work: kids and parents on separate floors, a hot tub, and walkable to downtown Winter Park.
Two floors built around how families actually ski. Kids get the bunk room, arcade, and hot tub downstairs. Parents get the kitchen, deck, and mountain views upstairs. Winter Park and Mary Jane are right down the road.
Booking dates are being updated with the property manager. Check back soon.
Choosing a mountain
Two Colorado mountains we’d start a Shredder kid on, and why. Check each resort for current ski school ages and times.
Approachable beginner terrain, a real family feel, and enough variety to keep everyone busy. It’s also where Shred Haus is.
Visit Winter Park →Terrain naturally separated by ability, so beginners aren’t sharing runs with fast skiers.
Visit Copper Mountain →Figures from each resort’s own site, September 2026.
Train Here.
shred everywhere.
The trip is the fun part. The next session makes the trip after that even better.