Smugglers' Notch Vermont - Press Releases

Winter 2007-2008

Toddlers Learn Skiing Fundamentals at Smugglers' Notch Resort

-Little children as young as 2 1/2 develop beginning skills on the slopes
-A fun day matches up with toddler attention span and physical capabilities
-Home base is cozy TREASURES child care center
-$109 per day includes instruction, equipment and helmet rental, snack and lunch

The scoop:
Toddlers enjoy their first exposure to skiing in Smugglers’ Notch Resort’s Little Rascals on Snow program. Experienced staff from the Resort’s renowned child care facility TREASURES and Snow Sport University (SSU) team up to introduce children as young as 2 1/2 to skiing with games and instruction.

The program introduces children to skiing in small doses, allowing them to have fun on the snow and get the feel of skis and ski equipment without taking on the challenge of a full day on-snow program.

Children spend a portion of the day in TREASURES and a portion of the day —divided into several increments—on the snow. A small group setting ensures success for these beginning skiers. Before heading outside, children have fun playing "dress up" in their ski equipment.

On the snow, the teaching staff uses tools specially designed for younger kids, such as H bars and harnesses. These support aids allow beginning skiers freedom to move while maintaining a sense of balance and security. Their first onhill experience incorporates the use of a WonderCarpet, a gently moving conveyor lift, conveniently located right at TREASURES. The Little Rascals’ day runs from 8:30 am until 4:30 pm.

The buzz:
-"Children younger than three often cannot enroll in a ski camp because they are not potty-trained or not developmentally ready for a camp situation. In Little Rascals, they benefit from rest and play time in the cozy atmosphere of TREASURES in addition to the expertise and caring of the center’s caregivers and SSU childrens’ instructors." – Shelly Schafer, director of TREASURES

-"Our goal with this program is to instill enthusiasm for the sport that the kids will carry with them as they grow older." – Peter Ingvoldstad, director of Snow Sport University