#BlizzardKids

Our Kids Programs

Certified Professional Instructors

Our goal is provide our students with the best instruction possible from our highly trained staff. As one of the oldest professionally organized schools in Michigan, we're proud to continue our time-honored tradition of teaching skiing and snowboarding to everyone, at all levels. We require our instructors to obtain and maintain a national certification by the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) and / or American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI).

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Tot's Ski Program

Seasonal Program for Ages 3-5 Years Old

The TOTs program introduces children to skiing, helping them develop age-appropriate skills at their own pace. Each 1-hour and 15-minute session is led by a certified PSIA Blizzard ski instructor and adult supervisors.

Age Requirement: Children must be 3 years old on or before April 15 of the current season.

Class Sizes: Beginner/Intermediate levels average four students per instructor & supervisor.
Location & Dates: Saturday trips alternate between Mt. Holly and Pine Knob (please check the calendar for specific dates and locations).

Session Times (Choose One)
- Tot AM: 9:45 AM – 11:00 AM
- Tot PN: 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
- Tot AN: 1:15 PM – 2:30 PM
- Tot PM: 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM
Skills Taught
We cover the four foundational skiing skills: Balance, Rotary, Pressure, and Edging.
Beginner Skills: Walking in boots, walking with skis, side-stepping, gliding, stopping, turning in one direction, and using the magic carpet.
Intermediate Skills: Refining beginner techniques, smaller wedge turns (transitioning toward parallel turns), traversing, speed control through turn shapes, turning left and right, backward skiing, hop turns, and introduction to chairlifts to foster independent skiing.

Mini Ski Program

Seasonal Program for Ages 6-8 Years Old

(Approximately 11 Weeks)

Our Mini’s program offers age-appropriate skill development allowing children to progress at their own pace. Lessons are 2.5 hours long and are led by a Blizzard-certified instructor and an adult supervisor.

Duration: 2.5 hours long with a certified PSIA instructor.

Program Details:
Age Requirement: Children must be 6 years old on or before September 1st of the current season.
Class Sizes: Beginner/Intermediate levels average six students per instructor; Intermediate/Advanced levels average eight students per instructor.
Location & Dates: Saturday trips alternate between Mt. Holly and Pine Knob (please check the calendar for specific dates and locations).
Session Times (Choose One or Both)
- Morning (AM): 9:45 AM – 12:15 PM
- Afternoon (PM): 1:15 PM – 3:45 PM

Skills Taught
We cover the four foundational skiing skills: Balance, Rotary, Pressure, and Edging.
Beginner Skills: Walking in boots, walking with skis, side-stepping, gliding, stopping, turning in one direction, and using the magic carpet/chair lift.
Intermediate Skills: Refining beginner techniques, smaller wedge turns (transitioning toward parallel turns), traversing, speed control through turn shapes, turning left and right, backward skiing, hop turns, and introduction to chairlifts to foster independent skiing.

Mini Skill Levels:
- White: New / Never skied
- Yellow: New / Beginner
- Green: Beginner / Intermediate
- Blue: Intermediate
- Black: Intermediate / Advanced
- Double Black: Advanced

Mini Ski Program

Seasonal Program for Ages 6-8 Years Old (Approximately 11 Weeks)

Mini’s have their own age appropriate skill levels that allows them to develop their skiing skills at their own pace. Mini classes average seven students per instructor for Beginner/Intermediate lesson levels and eight students for Intermediate/Advance lesson levels. Mini’s ski with a Blizzard certified instructor, adult supervisor for the lesson period, lessons are 2.5 hours long. We start Morning AM lessons at 10:00 am to 12:30 pm, and afternoon PM lessons at 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm.

Minis move through 6 different lesson levels:

Youth Ski Program

Seasonal Program for Ages 9-13 Years Old.

(Approximately 11 Weeks)

Youth program is designed to assist youth members as they transition from the Mini Program into the Teens program.

Duration: 1.5 hours long with a certified PSIA instructor. Outside of lesson times, members will free ski with a Blizzard Adult Supervisor with friends in the same skill level.
Frequency: One lesson per trip.
Lesson Times: 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, or 1:30 PM Lesson assigned based on skill level.
Location & Dates: Saturday trips alternate between Mt. Holly and Pine Knob (please check the calendar for specific dates and locations).

Program Overview:

Lessons combine technical exercises and teaching games focused on developing the physical and mental skills needed to advance skiing ability.
Skill Progression: Blizzard uses ten ski levels to break development into small, achievable steps. Placement is based strictly on skiing skill level, not age.

Youth Ski Skill Levels:
- B: New to skiing
- L & I: Beginner
- ZZ & A: Beginner/Intermediate
- R & D: Intermediate
- Bronze: Advanced

- Silver: Advanced/Expert
- Gold: Expert

Youth/Teen Snowboard Program

Seasonal Program for Ages 7-17 Years Old. (Approximately 11 Weeks)

Duration: 1.5 hours long with a certified AASI instructor. Outside of lesson times, members will free ski with family, friends, or as a Jr Instructor.
Frequency: One lesson per trip.
Lesson Times: 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, or 1:30 PM Lesson assigned based on skill level.
Location & Dates: Saturday trips alternate between Mt. Holly and Pine Knob (please check the calendar for specific dates and locations).

Program Overview:

Lessons combine technical exercises and teaching games designed to develop the physical and mental skills needed to advance your child's skiing ability.

Skill Progression: Blizzard uses ten ski levels to break development into small, achievable steps. Placement is based strictly on skiing skill level, not age.

Teen Ski Skill Levels:
- B: New to skiing
- L & I: Beginner
- ZZ & A: Beginner/Intermediate
- R & D: Intermediate
- Bronze: Advanced

- Silver: Advanced/Expert
- Gold: Expert

Youth/Teen Snowboard Program

Seasonal Program for Ages 9-17 Years Old. (Approximately 11 Weeks)

Snowboard member’s lessons are 1.5-hour with a certified instructor and are in an instructor lead free ride group for the remainder of the day. All snowboarders will have one lesson on each trip. Based on their snowboard skills, lesson time will be 10:00 am, or 11:30 am, or 1:30 pm. The lessons are a combination of technical exercises and teaching games designed to allow your child to develop the physical and mental skills needed to further their snowboarding ability. Blizzard uses eight snowboard levels, White, Yellow, Green, Blue, Black. Bronze, Silver, and Gold, dividing skill development into the small obtainable steps needed to become a great snowboarder.

Teen Ski Program

Seasonal Program for Ages 12-17 Years Old. (Approximately 11 Weeks)

Duration: 1.5 hours long with a certified PSIA instructor. Outside of lesson times, members will free ski with family, friends, or as a Jr Instructor.
Frequency: One lesson per trip.
Lesson Times: 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, or 1:30 PM Lesson assigned based on skill level.
Location & Dates: Saturday trips alternate between Mt. Holly and Pine Knob (please check the calendar for specific dates and locations).

Program Overview:

Lessons combine technical exercises and teaching games designed to develop the physical and mental skills needed to advance your child's skiing ability.

- Silver: Advanced/Expert
- Gold: Expert

Adult Ski Program

Our Saturday Adult program is run on designated weekends (see online calendar for designated dates) from 2:00 –3:30 p.m. This program is designed for our adult members to begin or sharpen their skiing or snowboarding skills to help them improve. You do not need to have children in our other programs to participate, just a desire to learn. Lessons are available for everyone, from those who have never skied or snowboarded to the expert, who wants to revisit and improve their skills.

Sunday Family and Friends
Private/Semiprivate Lessons

Sunday Family and Friends Lessons, Blizzard offers lessons for Skiers and Riders of all ages. You have the choice of Private 1 hour lessons or Semi-Private (2,3, 4, or 5 person) 1.5 hour lessons. The Semiprivate program is designed to allow you to create the Semi-Private group lesson. So, Mom and daughters can take a lesson together, or Brother and sisters, Grandpa, Grandma and kids. By committing to multiple weeks, you can save even more as we have package pricing available based on the number of lessons scheduled. We limit the number of skiers in a lesson based on age and skiing levels, 3-4 yrs that never skied are single private lessons, 5-6 yrs olds never skiied are 2 in a lesson group and 7 yrs old and up limited to 5 in group.

Keeping Up with the Kids

This new program is designed for Moms and Dads looking to refine skills, gain confidence, develop tactics for different mountain conditions, and have FUN! Weekends are busy, so this program will run Wednesdays during the day in January and February at Pine Knob - a more relaxed and less crowded setting. Instruction will be conducted by Blizzard’s top instructors, and offered in Private, Semi-Private, and Group sessions. Six sessions are planned beginning Wednesday 10 January. Start time is 10am. Wednesday 21 February is reserved as a make-up day, if needed. Lessons can be purchased individually, or as a package of three or six. Friends and family are more than welcome!