Get your little
failure. The child
holds the end of a
ones (really little)
rope tied around the
parental belly and
skiing
gets dragged up hill
like a water skier.
This might work for
By KATHLEEN WILKEr
older children with
WE had a wonderful ski season in better balance, but
Gatineau Park last winter, but for us the our two year old
big deal was we did it with kids only two spent a lot of time
and five years old. We came away with face down in the
happy memories, only a few tears, and snow, giggling.
tips for other families You can finish off
To start with the two-year-old the ski lesson with
challenge, we tried a weird version “the snooze in the
of skateboarding. The way it works is armpits. No poles, but lots of laughter. pulk.” After a while, the most junior
parent and child each wear one ski and We practised the long haul on gently member of our team was generally
one boot, so you can run, jump and do sloping hills. ready to snuggle down and nap in the
other moves using your single ski as a Then there was “catch me if you pulk while we kept skiing. The warmer
skateboard. And if you fall, it’s easier for can.” Parent and child both wear skis. he was and the faster we moved, the
the kid to get up if he’s wearing only Parent skis backwards in tracks. Kid skis better he slept. Our son wore wool
one ski. forwards, trying to catch parent. It’s socks, down booties and slept in a down
We called another trick, “the long amazing how quickly little ones get the sleeping bag. The lucky parent pulling
haul.” A parent drags the kid on a sled hang of shuffling forward when they’re the pulk doubled his workout.
up the hill, and at the top he hops out, playing this snowy version of tag. Of The five-year-old was easier to
straps on his skis and then rides down course, you can play this game only if get skiing. We started with “dry land
the hill between the parent’s legs. The the tracks are clear of other skiers. training.,” which is less technical than
parent holds the novice skier under the Using a tow rope was a miserable it sounds – walk her to school and
sion
c
ommis
al
P
it
c
a
tional
: na
t
o credit
Pho
26 OTTAWA magazine fall/winter 2009/2010 www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
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