This post may contain affiliate links where we earn from qualifying purchases from referring you to our favorite products and brands. As an amazon associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Find out more in our disclosure.
“How hard can teaching skiing really be?” I had a mom tell me in the parking lot at the ski resort last winter. She and her husband had each taken one ski lesson years ago and now had their 2 kids in tow and were going to teach their kids how to ski. After they had to ask me how to buckle their ski boots (big red flag), I kindly pointed them to the ski school office and recommended they sign the whole family up for ski lessons.
Here’s the truth: You don’t need professional ski lessons to learn to ski. But you DO need someone who actually knows what they’re doing – at least a solid intermediate skier who’s willing to dedicate real time to teaching you properly.
Having taught hundreds of kids to ski as a ski instructor, I’m going to help you weigh the advantages and disadvantages of ski school. Whatever you decide, remember that in many areas you’re legally bound by the skiers responsibility code to ski safely and in control, and that only happens with proper instruction (professional or otherwise).
The Secret Most Ski Schools Won’t Tell You
After teaching hundreds of kids to ski, I’m going to be honest with you. Most parents who are solid intermediate or advanced skiers can absolutely teach their own kids the basics. I’m talking about stopping in a wedge, making turns, getting up when you fall, and managing the lift. These are the skills you need for all beginner terrain and some easy blue runs, and they’re not rocket science to teach.
What it takes:
- Being at least a solid intermediate skier yourself
- Some advance research on the best progression of skills
- Patience (this is the big one)
- Keeping things fun
If your kid is really struggling or you’re getting frustrated, THEN hire a professional. But don’t assume you can’t do this yourself.
When Parents Are Actually Better Teachers
For really young kids (we’re talking ages 2-5), parents are often the BEST first teachers. Your toddler already trusts you, they’re comfortable with you, and you know exactly how to motivate them. A stranger in a ski school vest? That’s a harder sell for a three-year-old who just wants mom or dad.
I’ve watched tons of parents successfully teach their own kids to ski. My husband and I are both former instructors, and we still taught our own five kids ourselves for their first several seasons. We only brought in professional lessons when they needed help with more advanced skills or just needed a fresh perspective.
When I talk about ski basics, I mean stopping in a wedge, turning, getting up when you fall, and learning how to get on and off the lift. These are the skills necessary for all beginner terrain, and some easy intermediate terrain, and they’re not that difficult to teach. All it takes is some advance research of the best ski skills to teach, be a solid intermediate skier, and having some patience. Keep things fun, and if your child is really struggling, THEN hire a professional ski instructor.
Teaching parallel skiing, mogul skills, and terrain park progressions are all significantly more difficult to teach, so if your child needs extra attention with those skills, don’t hesitate to sign them up for lessons.
Even though my husband and I are both former ski instructors, we set aside money in our ski budget every year for our kids to take some ski lessons, and it’s always money well spent. Whether they’re struggling with a skill, or just need to switch things up, when our kids really need ski lessons, we’re always glad to have that as an option.
What You Can Teach vs. What Needs a Pro
You can definitely teach:
- Pizza/wedge stopping
- Making basic turns
- Getting up after falling
- Loading and unloading the chairlift
- Basic ski safety and mountain awareness
Consider getting help with:
- When your kid hits a plateau and won’t listen to you anymore (this happens to everyone)
- Transitioning to parallel skiing
- Mogul techniques
- Terrain park progression
How To Teach Your Kids To Ski Without Lessons
If you’re going to do this yourself, here’s what you need:
1. You need to actually know how to ski. I mean really know how to ski – comfortable on all blues, able to demonstrate proper technique, confident getting on and off different types of lifts. If you’re sketchy on green runs, you’re not ready to teach someone else.
2. Plan on dedicating full days. You can’t teach skiing in an hour. Your kid needs repetition, practice, and breaks. Plan on at least one full day on the bunny hill, probably more.
3. Study up beforehand. Watch videos, read articles about teaching progression, understand the fundamentals. Know what you’re going to work on and in what order.
4. Start small and be patient. This isn’t the day for you to get your own skiing in. This is about them. Celebrate tiny victories. Make it fun. Stop before anyone gets frustrated or cold.
5. Prioritize safety above all else. Teach them how to stop BEFORE you teach them how to go fast. Make sure they understand ski hill safety, the responsibility code, and why staying in control matters.
The Real Risks of Learning Without Proper Instruction
Here’s where I get serious: if you or your kids don’t know how to stop or turn, you’re dangerous. Not just to yourselves, but to everyone else on the hill. I’ve seen people skiing completely out of control, and it’s terrifying.
When you buy a lift ticket, you agree to follow the skiers responsibility code. That means staying in control at all times. If you’re not, you can lose your pass or face legal consequences. Yes, you can actually be prosecuted if you crash into someone because you didn’t know how to stop.
So if you’re not going to take lessons, you MUST have someone teach you properly. No exceptions.
Read Next: Skiing vs Snowboarding: Which is Best for Kids?
When Ski School Makes Sense
Even though I’m a big believer in parents teaching their own kids, we still budget for lessons every year. Sometimes the kids need a professional’s perspective. Sometimes they’ve hit a wall and won’t listen to us anymore. Sometimes we just want to ski ourselves for a day. Learn all about how to make the most of your ski school experience.
Ski school is worth it when:
- Your kid is stuck on a skill and getting frustrated
- You want your child to learn advanced techniques like parallel skiing or moguls
- You’re not a confident skier yourself
- Your kid responds better to outside instruction
- You want a break to ski on your own
- Your child wants to ski with other kids their age
Ski school might not be necessary when:
- Your kid is a total beginner and you’re a solid intermediate+ skier
- You have patience and time to dedicate to teaching
- Your kid is very young (2-4 years old) and more comfortable with you
- Budget is tight and you’re capable of teaching the basics yourself
Getting The Most Out of Ski School (If You Go That Route)
If you do decide on lessons, here’s what works best:
Multi-day programs are gold. Having the same instructor for multiple consecutive days means they pick up right where you left off. No wasted time, maximum learning.
Group lessons are usually fine. Private lessons cost 5-10x more but often use the same instructors. Take multiple group lessons for the cost of one private and you’ll get more total instruction time.
Book mid-week, non-peak times if possible. Smaller class sizes, better attention, same quality instruction.
Look for PSIA certified instructors. Not all instructors are certified. If you want the absolute best instruction, ask for PSIA certified instructors specifically.
Our Recommended Approach: The Hybrid Method
This is what works for our family and what I recommend to most parents: teach your kids the basics yourself, then bring in professional help when needed.
Teach them pizza stops, basic turns, and how to ride the magic carpet. Get them comfortable on the bunny hill. Let them build confidence with you. Then, when they’re ready to progress beyond the basics or if they hit a frustrating plateau, that’s when you invest in lessons.
You don’t have to choose one or the other. You can be your child’s first ski teacher AND use professional instruction strategically. That’s the sweet spot – it saves money, builds your bond with your kid, and still gives them access to expert guidance when they really need it.
The Bottom Line
Do you NEED ski lessons to learn to ski? No.
Should you have SOMEONE who knows what they’re doing teach you? Absolutely.
If you’re a confident skier with patience and time, you can teach your own kids. If you’re not, that’s what ski instructors are for. Just don’t show up at the mountain expecting to figure it out as you go. That’s how people get hurt.
The best skiers I know learned from a mix of sources – parents, friends, instructors, and practice. Use whatever resources you have. Just make sure someone is actually teaching proper technique and safety from day one.
What Type of Ski Lessons are The Best?
If you have options for different types of ski lessons, I always recommend multiday structured lessons, where you have the same class and same instructor for multiple days. We’ve tried out so many different ski lesson types and both adults and kids seem to learn the most in these classes. When you have the same instructor for multiple days, they’ll know right where you need to focus your efforts for every subsequent lesson, so you can get right to the learning part of the day.
Are Private Lessons Better Than Group Lessons?
You may be wondering if private lessons are better than group lessons. The truth is that it depends. Private lessons give you a more individualized experience (which we agree is better), but often cost 5-10x what a group lesson would. The same instructors often teach private lessons as well as group lessons. As a better option, we recommend taking more group lessons and having your lessons during the week at non-peak times. Then you can take multiple lessons for the cost of one private lesson.