With fewer kids participating in outdoor activities these days, it’s always good to hear about parents who buck the trend. My question: What are their secrets to making sure the outdoors is fun?

Jason O., manager of the REI Westminster, Colo., store, shares the following tips (and a mistake or 2) on how he and his wife Tara recently got their 4-year-old son Gavin enthused about skiing. 

Pre-trip:
We spent a few days beforehand pulling together his clothing and some gear to make a successful outing. Of course, we somehow forgot ski socks that first day (d’oh!), but we had some REI wool hiking socks which worked out well. We bought Gavin a really cool snow helmet and some goggles. The REI long underwear was great as well (yes, avoid cotton). We decided to rent skis and boots, but next year we’ll buy for sure as $27/day rental adds up pretty quick. 

On the day of:
We woke up in the morning to find frozen pipes… great… a little hassle before we got on the road. (Tip: We used handwarmer packets to defrost the pipes. Attach them with duct tape to the frozen section of the pipe and “presto,” the water runs!)

We drove to Eldora, a “locals” mountain above Boulder, Colorado. We should really get up here more often, as it’s only 35 miles from the house. Temp in the canyon on the way up was -7°F (whoops, was this the wrong day to do this?). We had some handwarmer packets ready for Gavin (he thought they were “very awesome”).

Gavin chose to jump right on the chairlift (versus the “magic carpet” lesson area) with Tara while I took the photos. She had the great honor of leading Gavin down his first run! This is something I know she was looking forward to since even before Gavin was born.

I watched as Tara carefully guided his little body on the chairlift…his legs were so short that the skis were pointing straight up! Once ready to go, they slowly slid down the run with Tara giving gentle tips and encouragement along the way. What a special moment for us as a family. Oh, and Gavin’s favorite part? “Unloading.”  What? Really? OK, he is only 4, after all.
 
The weather stayed cold and a little windy. After the second run, we asked Gavin if he wanted to do another, but he said he wanted to go to the lodge instead. Fortunately, his grandma was visiting and watching our 14-month-old so we could have this time with Gavin. Grandma then watched both kids while Tara and I took a few runs together. It had been over a year since we were able to do that. What a treat!

That was it for Gavin’s first real ski experience. I’m glad that we had “right sized” our expectations beforehand. We dropped off the rental gear, loaded up the clan and went home. All of us had a great time, for sure.

Since that day:
The best news is that Gavin had enough fun that Tara took him up again. We even signed him up for 5 days of lessons. After his first lesson (full-day from 9:45-3:00) he actually cried because he didn’t want the skiing to stop (we're proud parents, you can bet).  I’m thankful that we had that first day as a family with a couple of runs.

Our tips for success:
• Kids are hearty, but good clothing helps. We had blowing snow and cold, but Gavin stayed comfortable and loved every minute.
• Accept a few hand-me-downs but let your little person pick out a few new things, too. (Gavin picked out his helmet and goggles.)
• Consider buying the ski gear. We’ll be getting boots and skis next year and have another little one who can use them one day.
• Grandmas and close friends are lifesavers—especially if the parents want to do a few runs.
• Mittens are easier than gloves.
• Handwarmer packets proved fun and practical.
• Neck warmers are worth their weight in gold.
• Mmm, have some hot cocoa and favorite treats ready at the end of the day.

For more tips, see the REI Expert Advice Kids and Skiing article. Have your own tips? Please share.