[Publisher's Note: We're getting ready to start our indoor lessons again this year at Progresh, so I thought it would be fun to remind everyone about our experience from last year!]
I learned to ski as a six-year-old in the Cascade Mountains in Washington state, and I’m so glad that learned as a child. While I’m not the fastest or the most technical, I LOVE being on skis and gliding down the mountain. So when we moved here to Colorado (from the flatlands of Chicago), I was so excited that we were going to be able to get my kids on skis very early and consistently throughout their youth.
But before we throw them on the mountain, we decided to take them to Progresh [link: www.progresh.com] where they can take indoor lessons! My kids are six and three, so they’re both in the preschool class, but there are a variety of ski and snowboarding classes for different levels: Beginner Ski and Snowboarding Class for school aged kids, Freestyle Ski or Snowboarding classes for school aged kids, and ski or snowboard class for preschoolers.
When we arrived at Progresh, we started with a tour, and it’s AMAZING! There are so many fun things to do! They have an incredible slide with a death defying drop (I have no idea what it’s called, but I think it’s used for bikes and skateboards in addition to being a crazy slide) which my daughter had the time of her life on. Then we saw all the other areas including a parkour area, trampolines, slacklines, a huge puffy pillow you can jump into from at least a story up, and then the indoor snow hill (which can also be used for tubing!)
When the kids started their lesson, the first thing the instructor did was talk to the kids about skis and how to put everything on. She made sure the kids could snap into their skis before doing anything else, which I really appreciated.
Once both kids were in their boots, she taught them the right stance, and she explained it so well that both kids got it right away. Then both kids got into their skis to get ready to go down the hill. She had my daughter walk to the edge, and then the instructor guided her onto, and down, the hill. After several times going down with the instructor’s help, she was able to go the last five feet or so on her own, and a couple times later she did it without falling, which we were so excited about.
My three-year-old son got into his skis and then refused to go down the hill, but the instructor just let him do what he was comfortable with. She didn’t force him into anything because she didn’t want him to end up hating skiing, which was awesome! He at least ended up sliding down the hill most of the time in his ski boots, so we made some progress at least (which is where Progresh comes from, Progress!)!
My daughter’s first lesson was a HUGE success, and she was so proud of herself. Now that we’re getting ready for her fourth lesson, I know that we’ll be able to ski together as a family on greens, if not blue runs. She has so much confidence in her ability and skills, and I’m excited for the last two classes to see how much more she learns. These lessons have set her up for success when we finally get her on snow.
After the lesson we got to play a little more, and the kids were having so much fun that we had to drag them out of there. My daughter literally said “This is the most funnest place ever, I NEVER want to leave!” We’re already talking about having her birthday party there, and I know the kids would have a blast.
One of the other things I love, is that pricing for lessons at Progresh is so much more affordable than at the ski resorts. It’s truly a fraction of the cost (and let’s not even get started on the drive). So don’t wait until you’re ready to head to the mountains, sign them up now at Progresh and give them a good foundation. You’ll end up with kids who are confident on skis or snowboards before you even hit the slopes!
