Skiing or Snowboarding for a nine year old

Skiing!!

Grizwald wrote:
The learning curve then changes, you can get from the pain stage on a snowboard to a pretty decent level quicker IMO than skis. On skis most people progress form plough to parallel pretty easily but then plateau-allot of people spend their entire ski careers at this level-a lower to mid-intermediate recreational level-nothing wrong with that though. I found once you have the basics you can get down pretty much anything on a board you just stand on you heel edge-this annoys skiers as boarder scrape off any nice fresh layer of snow. Other than the obvious i.e. in the park on the slopes you'd really have to know what you were looking for to compare a very competent boarder with an intermediate boarder IMO.

I'd much rather have my skis. You can go faster on skis than a board, and those poles do come in handy with skis.

Boarding can be a good laugh. But IMO it's no skiing!!!

Agree with the points made by Grizwald above.

If she is a kid that cries the instant she falls over then steer her more towards skis otherwise maybe let her do a taster session on both in a snowdome and let her choose, if you push skis and she would rather board it could result in a miserable time for both of you.

mark203 wrote: but does anyone skate these days?

Yes, a lot of people I know do because you can jump right back into skiing with better balance and strong ski specific muscles. The Canadian CSIA actually have a course for ski instructors to teach "skate to ski" courses for that reason.

Around here no one seems to skate or skateboard. our local authority opened a skateboarding park recently and is far more popular with graffiti artists then skateboards

She originally wanted to ski but pressure from her grand mother (who has never skied on snowboarded) means she is unsure

Her grandmother told her that no one her age skis.

She does not cry after falling but looses interest really quick.

mark203 wrote:Her grandmother told her that no one her age skis.

Mean granny :twisted: And she couldn't be more wrong.

If the little 'un loses interest, then I definitely think skiing because she will make quicker progress in the beginning.

Agree fully with all points made already, go for skis. Grizwald sums it up brilliantly. I've just had 3 days board lessons, am seasoned skier. 3 of us in class, youngest an 11 year old who had already had a weeks tuition boarding, and could happily side slip the whole slope, but once he'd had a nasty fall, tears an' all, confidence completely shot. Needed one on one after that. You see very few young children on boards, yet plenty of children from 3/4 years up on skis. Skis give a greater level of confidence and control for youngsters, and faster progression to a level where most pistes can be skied. Also, falls on boards tend to a little more catastrophic, my wrists and 4r5e are testament to that, think about bone development. Once comfortable on snow with skis, boarding can come later. Good luck :thumbup:

My boys are skiers but they'd been nagging me to board since I can remember. I gave in to them in December prior to a holiday at Christmas and booked them lessons at MK. They picked it up very quickly (much quicker than those in the class new to snow) and then in resort they enjoyed three days of boarding/falling on their backsides before going back to skiing. They would both still like to do some boarding but they don't have the same love. Maybe the same could be said vice versa but I don't know many people who have switched from board to skis.

We did two lots of two hour lessons at MK that took them to level 4 (turning on the main slope) which, if I remember rightly, totalled about £100 per head.

If she goes for a board make sure she has wrist protectors as the bones are much more fragile that young (also coccyx protection, it's very painful!). Hopefully she'll love whatever she chooses and will be whooping by the end of the week :D

Stick in her some Sallos and see how they fit. If they look smart then ski's it is. If the hang down her backside and look somewhat scruffy then stick her on a tray.