As the first official ski school in the U.S., Cranmore has a long history of teaching generations of children how to ski and how to have fun doing it. Our children’s program, KidsRule, has fostered this love for snowsports and the growth of skill that comes with the joy of learning.
Cranmore SnowSports Director Karen Dolan, who holds an PSIA Alpine Level 3 certification and has led the program since 1990, answers all the key questions about KidsRule and explains why your kiddos are sure to have their best day ever.
What is KidsRule?
KidsRule is our children's program. It typically runs from Friday-Sunday, but takes place on a daily basis during our holiday and vacation periods.
It’s an all-day program (there’s also a half-day option during non-vacation periods) for kids of all ability levels.
You can sign up for just one day or as many days as you want. Our Penguin Program is suited for kids 4 to 6, and 7 to 14 for our Adventure Program.
How many days would you recommend for a child who is a never-ever?
We have a lot of kids who have never even seen snow, so it depends on the child and their age.
For kids ages 3 to 6, it can take a little while. A 6-year-old will be riding on the carpet—both carpets—in about three days. We recommend I Wanna Ski or Snowboard private lessons for children 4 and under, so they can have one-on-one attention. Private lessons are an hour long.
What should parents know about the program?
KidsRule sells out on the holiday weekends: Christmas, Martin Luther King Jr. weekend and February vacation weeks. If you’re deciding to come during that time, be sure to make your reservations early. You can make your reservation online or you can call directly here at the Alberg Children's Center and they'll set you up.
If you need to rent, you can do the rental online or call our reservationists and let them do it for you. The more prepared you are, the easier everything’s going to be once you arrive.
Why is Cranmore the best place to learn to ski and ride?
We use Terrain-Based Learning methodology, meaning we build elements in the beginner area to make it easier: arcs to turn, half-pipes so you can get used to sliding on snow before learning other skills, etc. The terrain is going to guide you, and terrain is always a great teacher.
Before we went to Terrain-Based Learning we watched people and thought: They’re not having fun. We need to do something different. So there’s a lot of energy going on, a lot of moving around. You can see people are really connecting to the fun. That’s the key—skiing and riding is fun, and you should also have fun learning to do it. That’s how you get generations of skiers and riders.
To book KidsRule in advance, reserve directly in the link below!
