We need a winter family activity. We don't snowmobile, downhill ski, ice fish or snowshoe (yet) and that needs to change. Winter up here is WAY too long to not get out more than we did last year. An opportunity presented itself during a conversation with the owner of an athletic store I frequent (InCompetition Sports). Mark was telling me about Bay Area Youth Nordic Ski Club, an organization he's involved with that hosts a 6 session cross country ski clinic for kids over the winter. Sign us up!
Our first clinic was today and lack of snow was an issue, that's kind of important. Despite this 'minor' issue, the organizers did a great job still finding a way to get the kids started with the fundamentals of cross country skiing. The little preschoolers (Penguin group) were given ski poles and began learning to use the poles, keep a ski stance and the alternating motion of the hands and feet. That's about all you can do if don't have snow!
To keep the kids active for the rest of the 2 hours the Club set up obstacle courses ranging from ladder runs, parachute play, hurdles, and on and on and then wrapped up the session by having the kids run the ski course. They were all toast by the time the 2 hours was up and the melt downs had started. Jackson was a trooper though, my little red cheeked boy was and smiling wide when he told me he "couldn't pick out the bestest thing" he did today.
We'll see how this goes when the skis go on and the snow comes down : )
120 kids this year!
To wrap up a great morning we enjoyed warm hot chocolate and a Christmas cookie!
No comments:
Post a Comment