From Puddles to Snow Drifts with Stonz Rain Bootz and Fleece Linerz

I used to think all rain boots were the same until this year when my son put a hole right through one of his cheap department store boots within 2 weeks of buying them.  How does that happen?  Well, we let him wear his boots while riding his Strider balance bike, dragging his toes to slow down on hills.  However, I don't blame the bike.  I blame the cheap boots.  We bought a second pair and they were much more durable.  The problem with the second boots though was that they were too short.  It didn't take much for water to get into them while splashing in puddles or wading in creeks.

Stonz Rain Bootz and Linerz

Stonz Rain Bootz and Linerz

So, all rain boots are not equal.  And many leave much to be desired.  Thankfully, Stonz Wear has come out with a line of  rain bootz, added to their collection of baby booties and winter bootz.  They come in solid colors (black, blue, pink, or yellow) and are sized for children from 1 to  10 years of age.  At first glance, they look pretty ordinary and I must admit, a few more colour options or patterns would be fun. (thinking rocket ships, flowers, cars, etc.)

Colour options aside, the bootz perform where it matters the most - they are durable!  They are strong.  AND, they are waterproof.  Lacking puddles in Calgary right now, we've been wearing them in wet deep snow to test how waterproof they really are, and they've done well.  Very well.  As long as my son is wearing rain pants or a rain suit over his bootz, they keep all snow out where it belongs.  I would expect the same from water while playing in puddles or creeks.

The other thing that has impressed me about the boots is the warmth!  I got my first pair of adult rain boots this year and they are not the warmest pair of boots I own by a long shot!  Water is cold and I feel it through my boots.  Meanwhile, my son was outside playing in the snow when it was -17 Celsius the other day in his Stonz rain bootz.  And, he was warm.  He never once complained that his feet were cold.  How can rubber boots be so warm?  They come with fleece liners!

Playing in the Snow with the Stonz Rain Bootz and Linerz

The Stonz Fleece Linerz are my favourite part about their rain bootz.  When you insert the fleece linerz inside the boot, they transform  from a typical rain boot to an all-season boot that can be worn in everything from puddles to snow drifts.  The linerz also create a snug fit for the foot inside the boot.  This creates warmth AND stability.  A boot that fits well will perform better while hiking and walking.

Playground Fun

Shopping Tips:

Size up when buying a pair of Stonz Rain Bootz with Fleece Linerz.  We got rain bootz in the same size as our winter bootz and they could definitely be a size bigger.  I know they won't fit anymore come spring. 

Already have rain boots that you like?  Consider buying a pair of fleece linerz to go with your current boots.  They are versatile and will work with most tall boots.  They would even work well in a pair of winter boots for extra warmth!  We are sold on the linerz and will be buying them going forward from now on.

The Linerz can also be purchased in baby sizes to go inside the Stonz Booties for added warmth.  

Stonz Rain Bootz in Winter - Toasty Warm

To read my other reviews for Stonz Wear, follow these links to Awesome Snow Days with Stonz Winter Mittz and Warm Toes are Happy Toes with Stonz Winter Bootz. 

Stonz Wear boots and mittz can be purchased off the Stonz Wear website with free shipping for orders $70 and above across Canada and the United States.  (Hawaii and Alaska excluded.)

Note - blue ice cleats shown in some photos do not come with the boots.  A review for them will be coming shortly though so stay tuned.  (and you definitely do not need ice cleats in snow.  I was merely testing them out to see if they'd stay on the boots - which they did.)

Disclaimer:  I received a pair of Stonz Rain Bootz and Fleece Linerz for review.  As always, opinions and thoughts are my own and I was not paid to write this review.

Awesome Snow Days with Stonz Winter Mittz for Kids

We've had our battles with winter mittens and gloves over the past few years so when Stonz Wear asked me to be a Brand Ambassador for them and test out some of their new mittz for children, I was pretty excited.  My number one goal this winter was to solve every cold body problem.  That definitely included hands! 

Stonz Mittz at the Playground

My biggest complaints with winter mittens and gloves should sound familiar to those of you with kids:

Playing in the snow

• They are too hard to get on!
• My child hates them!
• I can't get my child's freakin' thumbs in the thumb holes!  (yes, we've been frustrated!)
• No matter how well I tuck my kid's gloves under the jacket cuffs, he/she STILL gets snow inside his sleeves. 
• I'm sick and tired of trying to get my child's mittens or gloves tucked perfectly under their jacket sleeves to keep the snow out.  (especially when the jacket cuffs are too tight!)   - We had one pair of elbow mittens I had to actually put on before I put my child's jacket on!  It was the only way I could get them under the cuffs of his snow suit. 
• My child's hands are always wet when we are outside playing in deep snow.
• I  can NOT keep my child's mittens on!! They keep falling off.  Or my child pulls them off over and over...
• My child can't do anything while wearing his mittens or gloves!  They are too stiff and he or she can't climb, play, or do anything outside.

Let me tell you that we have not had ANY of the above problems with our new Stonz Mittz.  They are brilliant and they work!!

Skiing with Stonz Mittz

Why do they work so well?

One - They are designed to fit OVER the jacket.  No trying to tuck them under the coat sleeves.  No putting them on before the jacket.  They easily slip on over top. 

Two - They are super warm!  No more cold fingers, no more wet hands.

Three - Snow stays OUT.  There is no way snow can get inside a pair of mittens worn up to the child's elbows, over his coat.  Especially because the mittz are designed with two cinch straps, one at the elbows and one at the wrists.  The wrist strap pulls in tight to keep the hands warm while the elbow strap pulls in tight to keep snow out.  Brilliant, right?

Four - It's crazy easy to get the thumbs in.  I haven't even had to try.  They just go right into place.  Worth buying for that alone!

Five - My son was playing on a slippery cold climbing structure in the mittz yesterday.  He had full function of his hands and could grip, climb, and play around in comfort.

Six - They are hard for kids to remove.  My son tries and he has to work really hard to get them off. Good news for parents of toddlers.

Climbing in Stonz Mittz

The photos I've included should speak for themselves when I say that these are the best mittens we've found. They come in sizes for babies (without thumbs) all the way up to children 2-8+ years of age.

Playing in the Snow in Stonz Mittz

We've tested the mittz during the following activities:

• Sledding
• Playing in deep snow
• Winter hiking at a temperature of -30 Celsius
• Climbing and playing at the playground
• Cross Country Skiing

Disclaimer:  As a Brand Ambassador for Stonz Wear, I received a pair of Stonz Winter Bootz to review. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own and I wasn't paid to write this article. - See more at: http://www.rockiesfamilyadventures.com/2013/12/warm-toes-are-happy-toes-with-stonz.html#sthash.SrSGu84A.dpuf

Winter Hiking with Toasty Warm Hands

For more on Stonz Wear, the company, and to read my review on their winter bootz, follow this link to my last story:  Warm Toes are Happy Toes with Stonz Winter Bootz.


Shopping Tip:  The children's mittz fit BIG.  We originally got the 4-8+ size mittz and they were way too big for our almost 5 year old.  We ended up getting the 2-4 years size instead and they were a much better fit for a child between the ages of 4-5.  

Disclaimer:  As a Brand Ambassador for Stonz Wear, I received a pair of Stonz Winter Bootz to review. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own and I wasn't paid to write this article. - See more at: http://www.rockiesfamilyadventures.com/2013/12/warm-toes-are-happy-toes-with-stonz.html#sthash.SrSGu84A.dpuf

Disclaimer:  As a Brand Ambassador for Stonz Wear, I received a pair of Stonz Winter Bootz to review. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own and I wasn't paid to write this article. - See more at: http://www.rockiesfamilyadventures.com/2013/12/warm-toes-are-happy-toes-with-stonz.html#sthash.SrSGu84A.dpuf

Snow Angel with Dry Hands in Stonz Mittz

Disclaimer:  As a Brand Ambassador for Stonz Wear, I received a pair of Mittz for review.  As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own and I wasn't paid for this story. 

Warm Toes are Happy Toes with Stonz Winter Bootz

A couple of months ago I was asked if I would like to be a Stonz Brand Ambassador and children's gear tester this winter.  Well, it took me all of 5 seconds before I was screaming YES, I'll do it!   I wasn't about to turn down the opportunity to try out some quality kids' winter gear if it meant my son might actually have warm hands and toes this year! 

We've had our battles over the last couple of winters and many of them have occurred as a result of bad gear.  We've seen our share of lousy boots and mittens that might as well have been designed (and tested) in Florida, seen way too many tears as once again, snow got into my son's mittens, and pulled boots off too many times, only to find soaking wet socks and frozen toes.

I'm happy to report that we have now solved all of our problems with cold hands and feet, thanks to the great Stonz Wear gear we've been testing over the last month.  And wow, have we tested it!  My son wore the winter bootz and mittz while hiking when it was -30C here last weekend.  And today I sent him out in the Stonz rain bootz with fleece liners at -17C.  Cold toes?  Nope.  Wet feet?  Nope.  Happy child?  You bet!!

Stonz Winter Bootz

Stonz Wear - the Company

Stonz Mittz

I first discovered this Canadian company when a girlfriend brought her toddler into the backcountry on an overnight ski trip, wearing Stonz booties.  The booties are the signature product that originally launched the company and continue to be their best selling item.  While originally designed for babies and children under 2,  select models are now available for 2-3 year old children as well.  The company is also now selling fleece liners for their booties to provide even further warmth for our cold Canadian winters.

What else is new in the Stonz product line up?

• Winter Bootz for children and youth up to 14 years old (rated to minus 50 Celsius!)
• Rain Bootz for children up to 10 years old (with fleece liners for cold weather use)
• Winter Mittz for children up to 7 years old with an over-the-arm design guaranteed to keep snow OUT
• Reversible Fleece Hatz for children up to 5 years old (super cute too)

Stonz Booties (photo:  G. Duncan)

 

 

Stonz Winter Bootz

I'll do separate reviews for each product that we've tried so far, but I wanted to start with the Stonz winter bootz, which have been a winter life saver for us so far this year!  When we planned to go to Banff last weekend for the annual Christmas in the Rockies festival, we never dreamed temperatures would hover around -30C the whole weekend.  In temperatures like that, good boots are a necessity!

Warmth

The Stonz winter bootz are rated to -50 and I honestly hope to never find out if they really do keep the feet warm at that temperature.  What I do know is this - at minus 30 Celsius, they keep the feet toasty warm when moving.  My son wore them on a winter hike last weekend for about an hour and never complained once of cold feet.  The only time we had cold feet last weekend was at night while standing outside waiting for the Santa Claus parade.  It was the same temperature but none of us were moving, which I know to play an important factor in keeping feet warm.  (even my feet got cold and they have never ever been cold in my current boots.)

The verdict:  as long as you are active outside playing, I have no doubt that the Stonz bootz will perform at some pretty sick temperatures!

Winter Hiking in Stonz Winter Bootz

Weight

The Stonz website has this to say about their boots:

"The most lightweight high performance winter boot designed for extreme cold weather"

And, that pretty much sums it up nicely.  (I could finish the review with that one sentence.)  These boots are the lightest boots I have ever seen.  Ever!  They honestly feel as light as a pair of slippers when you pick them up.  Why this is important?  Kids suffer in winter with their heavy boots, bulky ski pants, cumbersome winter coats, and layers of mittens, hats, and scarves.  If the weight can be reduced for even one item, it's a drastic improvement in how happy your child will be outside playing.

The verdict:  They are super light weight AND warm at the same time.  Sweet deal.

Sledding with Stonz Winter Bootz

Dryness

There is nothing worse than bad winter boots that leave you with wet feet every time you accidentally step in a puddle.  Fortunately, the soles on the Stonz bootz are waterproof and from what we've seen, the nylon upper part of the boot can handle getting wet too!  We've tested the boots in some pretty deep snow and have yet to see a wet sock.  The bootz feature a draw string at the top of the calf to ensure snow stays where it belongs (outside the boot.)

The verdict:  Dry feet every time!

Good soles on the Stonz Winter Bootz

Grip

Finally, we've tested the boots on some pretty slippery trails.  The worst hike was with our outdoor playgroup one very muddy wet day in the city a month ago.  I was slip sliding every which way as I made my way down the trail.  Meanwhile, my son was running!  Flat out running down the giant hill.  And he never slipped once that I saw.  The bootz can handle some pretty good ice and mud!  Important?  Ah, yeah!

The verdict:  Wear the Stonz winter bootz on your next winter hike and be confident that your child will stay on his feet much of the time.

Relaxing after a muddy hike with the Stonz Winter Bootz

Noah's opinion

It took Noah a little bit to warm up to his new boots but he likes things to stay the same and introducing a new pair of boots or shoes is always a bit of work.  He soon realized though that the boots were easy to put on, comfortable, and warm.  He hasn't complained since.

Happy in his Stonz Winter Bootz

Final buying tips

The bootz fit true to size so no need to size up unless you want them slightly larger to accommodate thicker socks. 

Winter Hiking with Stonz Winter Bootz

We tested the boots during the following activities:

• Winter hiking on grass, mud, snow and ice
• Snowshoeing
• Sledding
• Playing outside in temperatures ranging from 5 to 10 Celsius down to -30 Celsius

Snowshoeing in Stonz Winter Bootz

Disclaimer:  As a Brand Ambassador for Stonz Wear, I received a pair of Stonz Winter Bootz to review. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own and I wasn't paid to write this article.

Christmas in the Rockies - The Adventure!

Last week I wrote about Christmas in the Rockies and the Banff Winterstart Festival we planned to go to this past weekend.  We had a full weekend planned with an overnight stay in Banff, plans to take in the Santa Claus parade of lights, and a full schedule lined up for Saturday and Sunday which included everything from cross country skiing to skating, downhill skiing, and tubing.  Then the temperature dropped.  And kept dropping until it was hovering around -30C with wind chill.  (sometimes colder.)  Plans were about to be "modified."

The hardy Canadians we are, there was no way we were cancelling our weekend in Banff.  With reservations already taken care of at the Hidden Ridge Resort, we knew we wanted to go out for the weekend and hang out in the resort's hot tub at the very least! And the Santa Claus Parade is an annual tradition for us.  We would be there!  In multiple layers of long underwear, down and fleece!

Christmas in the Rockies - The Adventure!

Christmas in the Rockies

We headed out to Banff shortly before noon on Saturday and decided to start the day off right - at the St. James Gate pub.  (which was still serving breakfast!)  We were given a toasty warm table right beside the fireplace and we were tempted to spend the whole day there. Eventually moving on though, we decided to check out what was happening in the Cascade Plaza across the street.  It was a great place to spend some time on a cold wintery day.  The Bow Valley Choir was singing Christmas carols beside the food court and we found the top floor to be filled with booths offering crafts, games, and activities for the kids.  We even managed to quickly ambush Santa on his way into the mall for a quick photo. 

The Bow Valley Choir in Cascade Plaza

Meeting Santa in the Cascade Plaza

Next we made our way over to the Bison Courtyard where we'd heard there was ice carving going on.  We didn't see any professional carving happening but Noah did get to try his hand at chipping away at his own block of ice.  He loved it and I'm sure he could have chipped away at his block for a good hour or more!  Now we're really excited about the Ice Magic Festival that will take place in Lake Louise late January.  Noah will get the opportunity to practice his carving skills again there during the Little Chippers Weekend.

Ice Carving in the Bison Courtyard

We finished our tour of Banff with a visit to the Whyte Museum where they were hosting an open house complete with more crafts for the kids, carolers, story telling, and visits with Santa.  We'd never actually been to the museum before so it was nice to spend some time walking around while we checked out the photography on display.  (Mark pointing out all the routes he's climbed in each  photo.)

Crafts in the Whyte Museum

The Parade of Lights

We checked in to our hotel early and then drove back downtown for the parade which started at 5:30pm.  We were bundled in more layers of clothes than I've ever worn but for the most part, stayed warm.  The parade was short at a half hour (thank goodness) but was impressive none the less.  We especially loved the giant inflatable Santa that towered over downtown Banff.   And Santa himself made an appearance in a carriage at the end of the parade.  We got lots of candy canes, stickers, glow sticks and even hot chocolate from the awesome people walking the parade route.  Despite the cold temperatures, the spirit of Christmas in Banff Saturday night was alive and strong, and this might have been the best parade of lights yet!  We thought everybody really out did themselves this year and there appeared to be more floats and entries than last year. 

A Giant Santa made an appearance at the Parade of Lights

The finale of the parade - SANTA!

Staying warm at the parade

We finished off the evening at the Banff Ave. Brewing Company and I would definitely visit this casual pub on the main street again.  They take kids, offer up tasty pub fare along with a few more sophisticated menu items (lobster mac and cheese for example,) and there were many different varieties of hand crafted local beers to try. 

Banff Ave

Watching the parade

Hidden Ridge Resort

Our home away from home for the weekend was the  Hidden Ridge Resort.  We'd stayed here years ago (pre-Noah) so knew what a fabulous place it was.  The resort features condo suites with lofts and one or two bedrooms per unit along with pull out sofas to accommodate groups and families wanting to travel together. 

Hidden Ridge Resort (photo courtesy of the Banff Lodging Company)

Our suite

Kitchens in each condo allow for meals in the comfort of your room and our stay came with a breakfast package which was pretty sweet!  The kitchen was stocked with everything we needed to make breakfast Sunday morning from eggs and bagels to pancake mix and sausage.  Add OJ, coffee, and milk - and we had more than enough for our small family!  They even thought of the little things like butter and syrup.



We loved the hot pools on site and the change rooms below the pools were a welcome treat as we didn't have to run across the parking lot in the -30 weather in house coats.  We checked in to our hotel early on Saturday so that we could spend some time in the pools before the parade that night.  It was a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon.  We also took advantage of the late check out time (11am) to use the hot pools again before leaving Sunday. 

Hot pools at the Hidden Ridge Resort

The final thing we loved was the wood burning fireplace in our suite.  We had the fire going most of the time we were in our room and had a beautiful evening sitting in front of it after Noah had gone to bed Saturday night.  We even lit a fire during breakfast on Sunday since we didn't have to go out to eat!

The Pools at Hidden Ridge Resort (photo courtesy of the Banff Lodging Company)

Sunday Hiking in Johnston Canyon

We were supposed to have been skiing at Mt. Norquay on Sunday but due to the frigid temps, had to call that part of our weekend off.  Not a family to shy away from outdoor time at any temperature though, we decided to go for a hike in Johnston Canyon.  In summer the trail to the lower waterfall is so crowded you can barely move, and the parking lot is overflowing with cars parked up and down both sides of the highway.  In winter however - we almost had the canyon to ourselves.  We came across a few other small groups but for the most part it was a quiet and peaceful walk to the waterfall.  I would have liked to have gone further to the upper falls but Noah was "tired."  Getting him the short distance to the first set of falls was hard enough so we decided to call it an early day and make our way back to Calgary.

Noah making his way to the first waterfall on the cat walks of Johnston Canyon

The cave that gives you an up close view of the first waterfall

Possibly the best part of the hike for kids - the cave!

Love the catwalks that traverse the canyon walls

It was certainly one of the colder hikes we've done but it was a nice walk none the less and we enjoyed seeing a popular tourist site without said tourists.

Johnston Canyon

Upcoming Christmas Festivals in the Rockies

If you missed the Christmas in the Rockies festival last weekend, you can still make it out to Bragg Creek for the final weekend of their Spirit of Christmas event.  It wraps up this coming Saturday and Sunday, December 14th and 15th, with fun activities happening from noon until 4pm both days.  We went last year and enjoyed a horse drawn wagon ride, a visit with Santa, and a special visit with one of Santa's reindeer. We plan to go out again this year and do some skiing at West Bragg Creek while we're there. (fortunately it's looking a LOT warmer for this coming weekend!)

Special Thanks!

Toasty Warm!

I want to give a special thanks to the wonderful folks at Banff and Lake Louise Tourism  for sponsoring so much of this past weekend in Banff.  They graciously set us up with our room at Hidden Ridge Resort and made sure we were well fed throughout the weekend.

Thanks as well to the Banff Lodging Company for making our stay at the Hidden Ridge Resort possible.  

I also want to say thanks to some great companies who helped keep us warm in Banff (no small feat last weekend!) Columbia Sportswear has been sending me gear to try out and it was definitely appreciated in the cold weather we just survived.  (reviews to come shortly) 

As for Noah, he couldn't even feel the cold through his Molehill down jacket that we received through Mountain Baby out of Nelson, BC.  To read the recent review I did on the jacket, follow this link to It's So Puffy!!  Introducing the Kids' Molehill Down Jacket.  

Noah also had warm feet all weekend thanks to a great pair of winter boots  from Stonz Wear.   (review to come shortly.) It takes a lot to have warm feet when it's -30 so thank you, thank you, thank you!!  And we finally tried out Noah's new Stonz Mittz on the Johnston Canyon hike so I will be able to get a review up for them shortly too.

Parting shot of some great gear!

Cross Country Skiing With Kids - 5 Ways to Make it FUN!

I may have threatened to give my son's skis away the first time we tried to get out skiing as a family last year.  (and this year.)  I'm not that sure my son would have even missed them had I gone ahead and sold them.  "Promise, you'll give them away?"  "Promise, we don't have to do this again, EVER?!"  Pretty hard to threaten your child when they'd be happy with the outcome.

Yet, we persevered last year and by the end of the season, Noah had skied a 3km loop all by himself with no sled to ride in.  (A loop that had a fair number of hills on it as I recall.)  This year I am not giving up either.  The first couple of times out were shaky    (totally my fault), but things have improved greatly and we actually had FUN last week.  Real fun, with laughing, giggling, and smiles!  There is hope!  And what I've learned, I pass on to you.  Why should we all suffer after all?

Make sure you read to the bottom of this guide for an outdoor family ski link up.  I've included links to some other great stories written by families in the trenches just like you and me, out there skiing with their kids, and enjoying it.  Read my story, read their stories, and let us all know what you think.

Cross Country Skiing at Nipika Mountain Resort Last Winter

Cross Country Skiing Made FUN

One - Games, Games, and more Games

Everything is more fun when playing games.  Here are some of our favourite:

• Ski Golf - Put brightly coloured golf balls in the ski tracks, one per track (or more if you really want to have fun.) Have the child kick the golf ball as they ski, shuffling as fast as they can to the next golf ball that they get to kick with their ski. My son's technique has really improved with this game (along with his speed.)
  
  
• Fun Races - Can be played if you have a set of parallel tracks for two kids to race against each other (just make sure nobody is coming from the other direction and that you aren't stealing their tracks.)
  
  
• Tag - Always fun.  Can be skied in or out of tracks
  
  
• Red Light Green Light - Same as the regular version.  Leader calls out green light and kids ski.  Red light, they stop.  Goal is to make it to the finish line where the leader is, first.  Could be played in or out of tracks.
  
  
• Football - Throw a football (or any ball) and have your child ski to retrieve it.  Keep throwing the ball in the direction you want your child to ski to move the pace along.
  
  
• ABC Scavenger Hunt - Scatter ABC letters around a field and have your child/children ski around picking them up in order, A to Z.  This teaches them to bend over and stand up again and helps with balance.
  
  
• Soccer - Can be played with a small ball that fits in the tracks (see ski golf above) or could be played in a field with no tracks.  Good as a team or individually between a child and parent.
  

To see a video of Ski Golf, follow this link to my YouTube video. 

Ski Soccer

Ski Golf

The goal of these games is to have fun, to associate skiing with fun, and to work on balance, coordination, and basic technique in a relaxed atmosphere.  Note that some children will be threatened by any game that involves competition if they tend to be of a more sensitive nature.  I know for my son, we have to remove the competition out of all games when he's learning a new sport.  Soccer can be a fun way to kick a ball around, chasing it around a field with mom or dad.  It doesn't have to be a full fledged game with nets and points.

Skiing with Friends - always more fun

Ski Football

Two - Build a snowman, do some sledding... - take a break!

When your child says they're done, it means they are D O N E.  Don't push it.   Call it a day and move on to something else for a change of pace.  We like to bring a sled with us and find some fun little hills to play on after skiing.  Other times, we take off our skis and build a snowman or have a snowball fight (off the trail.)  Snacks and treats are also well received at this point.

Snowball Fight!

Three - It's often about WHERE you ski

Would you enjoy skiing on old ice-crusted snow across a playground?  I know I wouldn't.  Yet somehow we think kids should be able to ski anywhere.  For myself, I like tracks and nicely groomed trails.  My son is no different.

Groomed Track Set Beginner Trails - A good place to begin

Other tips:

• Avoid hills (try to find flat terrain for beginners.)
  
  
• Look for a trail with interesting features, like you would do if you were going hiking.  We have a golf course here with little bridges and a good sledding hill.  It's our favourite place to ski during the week.  It also gets track set during the winter AND has plenty of golf balls to dig up and kick around. 
  
  
• Choose a quiet place to start out.  A popular trail on a Saturday afternoon will get frustrating for you and your child when faster adults keep yelling "track" at you, and expecting you to bolt out of the way.  Again, we love our quiet little golf course that we usually have all to ourselves!

Golf Courses are great for lots of bridges and interesting features

Together!

Four -  Ski With Your child

It sets a bad example if you are walking in your boots, and yet expecting your child to ski.  Why should they ski if you are walking on the hard packed snow beside them with no difficulty at all?  I confess there are times I choose to walk (and make sure I have plenty of games planned) but for the most part, I try to ski alongside my son.



Five - Go with the right mindset

This one is all about you, the parent.  What are your expectations?  I know I set myself up for disaster our second time out this year when I thought my son could ski the same 3km loop he had done at the end of the season last year.  I pushed him too hard, drove him too far, and it was a disaster.  Surprise, surprise.  Lesson learned - start easy, go slow, and mange your expectations.  While I do believe in encouraging/pushing kids to do their best, there is a difference between challenging them and exasperating them.  Learn to know the difference.

Start Easy

Outdoor Family Ski Link Up

Family Guide to Cross Country Skiing - Active Kids Club

Teaching Toddlers and Preschoolers to Cross Country Ski - Family Adventures in the Canadian Rockies

Cross Country Skiing for Kids - Tales of a Mountain Mama

3 Tips for Teaching Kids to Cross Country Ski - Nature for Kids

Teaching Kids to Cross Country Ski - Traveling Mel

Yes, You Can:  Start Your Kids in Snowsports - Traveling Mel

You don't need much snow to ski across a golf course