Alliance snowboard coaches are specialists at teaching children. We take our tried and tested technique and slightly adapt it to accommodate younger, smaller riders.

Contrary to what most people think the truth is that most kids find snowboarding quite challenging. Alliance coaches are conscious not to push kids too quickly. We make sure enjoyment and safety is at the centre of all sessions.

Kids' leg and foot muscles are less developed than those of adults, therefore they need different techniques to steer their snowboards. Alliance coaches focus on balance and edging exercises at first, building their confidence and skill side by side. Once they can balance on one edge and control their speed we then focus on changing edge. Also known as turning, this is the hard part for any beginner snowboarder, young or old. Alliance coaches are experts at diverting kids' attention from difficult complex tasks and turning them into creative, fun, simplistic ones.

Kids' perceptions of snowboarding are not usually the same as ours. Most kids know about snowboarding from the Extreme channel, the Olympics or an advert on television and this generally shows our sport in a freestyle light. Yes, this is an exciting side of snowboarding, but is not particularly relevant when it comes to getting safely down the mountain. We keep the sessions fun focusing on learning how to control their speed as well as stomping simple tricks to keep them interested.

Alliance Snowboarding accept children in our group lessons from the age of 10. Up to age 10, we generally recommend that kids take private lessons at first, to get to grips with snowboarding at their own pace. However, this depends on the child. For kids, learning to snowboard can be more tiring than learning to ski because they have to lift themselves up more often. If your child is under 10 years old and wishes to snowboard, please contact us to discuss the best course of action. Each child is different so we are happy to help you to decide what is best for you and your family.

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