Shredder: Indoor Ski & Snowboard School — Local services in Jefferson Township

We had our 4-year-old son in a 10-week session of 40 min lessons over the winter with coach Jackson. There were four kids altogether, all around 3-5 years old. Coach Jackson was really good with the kids and spoke to them at their level, teaching them the fundamentals of high/low (standing and crouching on their skiis), stopping by making a pizza shape, weight distribution, edging on the skiis, and getting on/off a lift. He also summarizes the skills for the kids and parents at the end of each session and answers any questions the parents have.

Lessons start with 3-4 short runs on their blue hill and then move over to a taller white hill, where they do another 3-4 runs. This is a great introduction to the equipment and getting used to the feeling and mechanics of skiing and going downhill--prepping him for actual skiing next season. Indoor space is nice with books and toys for kids (and other siblings) to play with. Parking is conveniently right outside.

The artifical hills aren't that big and the number of runs is very limited each day (and they're short in length), but this is probably the best you can do with fake indoor hills and small kids (who always don't cooperate or want to be learning skiing that particular day). Maybe some more focus on how to put on your gear independently, how to stand up after falling down with skiis on, and some other tips would be helpful to teach, but they all seemed to mostly learn that over time. I would also recommend instructing parents/kids to arrive 10-15 min early so they could don their gear and be ready to begin promptly so they can get more runs in.

We missed a couple of session due to traveling, and they allow make ups with pretty flexible days/times throughout the session window.

Recommended to prepare your kids for...

Absolutely thrilled with our experience at Shredder Indoor Ski School! I recently brought my 5-year-old here for his first-ever introduction to skiing, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. From the moment we walked in, the staff made us feel welcome and reassured me that my son would have a great time—and they were right!

The instructors are incredibly patient, friendly, and skilled at working with kids. They knew exactly how to keep my son engaged while teaching him the fundamentals of skiing in a fun and safe environment. I was blown away by how quickly he picked up the basics, from balancing to learning how to stop, all thanks to their expert guidance. They made the whole experience enjoyable and pressure-free, which helped my son build confidence on the "slopes."

The facility itself was another highlight. It’s clean, well-organized, and designed with kids in mind. They even had a play area that kept my 2-year-old happily entertained when scheduling required me to bring him along. Plus, the available Wi-Fi and water made it easy for me to get some work done on my laptop on the few times that I had work to do.

Watching my son progress from session to session was so rewarding—I’m not exaggerating when I say he walked out with the biggest smile on his face, already asking when we could go again.

Shredder Indoor Ski School turned what could have been an intimidating experience into something my son now loves. If you’re looking for a way to introduce your child to skiing in a supportive, professional, and fun setting, look no further....

My son loves his Wednesdays at snowboarding school. The sessions are short enough that kids don’t get overexhausted (especially in those after-school evening sessions) but long enough to be effective.

The coaches make sessions engaging, providing a brief lesson before the new day’s session on the skill they’ll be building upon. Then students practice on the small hill before moving to the bigger, faster hill. The coaches focus on one student at a time, honing in on their strengths and practicing their challenges. They have fun with the kids but are firm when needed, which I appreciate with my wild child.

My son has never been on a snowboard before and after just a couple sessions he was confidently bombing the big white hill. I know once the season starts, my kid’s biggest issue is going to be with the cold, rather than learning a challenging new sport in the middle of...