Birkie Trail Kids
Promoting healthy, active lifestyles for area youth by engaging them in year-round outdoor recreation activities.
Mission
To promote healthy, active lifestyles for area youth by engaging them in year-round outdoor recreation activities. Birkie Trail Kids encourages children to develop skills and confidence in a non-competitive, supportive atmosphere. Sessions are offered in both the winter and summer months.
2025 Winter Program Registration is Now Full!
Birkie Trail Kids is open to children age 3 years old – 5th grade. Teach your child to love skiing and the great outdoors with Birkie Trail Kids! The cost for the 2025 Winter Season (7 lessons and 1 race) is $30.
Registration is open online between October 13 – November 9, 2024 or until 150 kids have registered. If you need to rent ski equipment, be sure to pay for that during the registration
process. Don’t hesitate, Birkie Trail Kids will fill fast!
Birkie Trail Kids Winter (formerly Hayward Nordic Kids) lessons are held at the Samuel C. Johnson Family Outdoor Center at the OO Trail System on Sundays from 1:00 – 2:30pm (lessons for ages 3-5 will be from 1:00 – 2:00 pm). There are no lessons the week of the American Birkebeiner. Special lesson dates include a costume day, Treats on the Trail, Friday night Glow Skis, and the year-end Birkie Trail Kids “Race”.
Parents are asked to be present during lessons. The younger groups may not ski for the full hour, so please confirm with each head coach about length of lesson. On colder days, lessons may be shortened. Please do not walk on the trails, even if you are helping with your child’s group.
- Lessons begin January 5, 2025 and end March 2, 2025
- Lessons are on Sundays from 1-2:30pm at the Samuel C. Johnson Family Outdoor Center in Seeley
- Lessons for ages 3-5 will be from 1-2pm
- Participants are separated into groups, based upon age and ability
Watch your email or check our Facebook posts for cancellations due to weather. Calendar is subject to change.
- All lessons take place at the OO Trailhead on Sundays, from 1-2:30 p.m. and from 1-2pm for ages 3-5.
- Watch your email or check our Facebook posts for cancellations due to weather. Calendar is subject to change.
- January 5, 2025: First lesson
- January 12, 2025: Lesson
- January 19, 2025: Lesson – Dress-up Day – Ski as a butterfly, superhero, dog, whatever you can dream up!
- January 25, 2025: Family Glow Ski event at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead at 5:30p.m. Glow necklaces, fires, smores and hot chocolate are provided; all children must be accompanied by an adult on skis. Held in conjunction with the Birkie Tour and Night Race.
- January 26, 2025: Lesson
- February 2, 2025: Lesson – Meet the groomer day! Kids can meet the groomers and check out the equipment they use to groom the ski trails.
- February 9, 2025: Lesson – Treats on the Trail
- February 15, 2025: Family Glow Ski at OO, 6:00 p.m.
- February 16, 2025: Lesson
- February 23, 2025: NO Lesson (Birkie week events February 19-22)
- March 2, 2025: Race – Wrap up the year with a great end-of-the-season celebration.
We have skis, boots, and poles available in all sizes for you to rent for the season. The cost to rent equipment is $45. Pick up for rental equipment will be held at the Samuel C. Johnson Family Outdoor Center at the OO Trailhead in Seeley, in early December. Please make sure you sign up for a time slot to pick up your rental equipment during the registration process.
Children in Birkie Trail Kids are grouped by age and skiing technique. We teach the classic technique through 2nd grade and then allow children to choose to either learn the skate technique from 3rd-5th grade or stay with the classic technique.
Groups are designated by age or grade. The Bunnies are 3-4 year-olds; Jack Rabbits are 4-5 year-olds; Arctic Foxes are in Kindergarten; Wildcats are in 1st grade; Timberwolves are in 2nd grade; Snowflakes are in 3rd grade, using skate technique; Blizzards are in 4th grade, using skate technique; Avalanches are in 5th grade, using skate technique; Grizzlies are in 3rd-5th grades using classic technique.
Classic Groups for Ages 3 – 6
| Bunnies | Jack Rabbits | Arctic Foxes | ||
| Typical age(s): | 3-4yr | 4-5yr | 5-6yr | |
| Typical grade(s): | NA | Jr K | K | |
| Typical skiing ability (# of K’s able to ski): | 1k | 2k | 2.5 – 3k | |
| Fundamentals | ||||
| How to fall | X | X | X | |
| How to get up without poles | X | X | X | |
| Balance Drills – games without poles | X | X | X | |
| Relaxed arm swing | X | X | X | |
| Pole introduction | X | X | ||
| How to get up with poles | X | |||
| Downhill | ||||
| Skiing down in track | X | X | X | |
| Downhill tuck | X | X | X | |
| Snowplow | X | X | ||
| Wedge turns on hills | X | X | ||
| Snowplow/wedge turns on bigger hills (ski around cones) | X | |||
| Uphill | ||||
| Duck walk “herring-bone” uphill (bigger hills) | X | X | X | |
| Uphill striding, stomping on ski to grip (small hills) | X | X | ||
| Technique | ||||
| Diagonal stride walking/shuffling in track | X | X | ||
| Skiing in track – weight transfer without poles (toe-knee-nose) | X | |||
| Star turn/step turn | X | X | X | |
Activities to learn skills:
- Everybody fall/ legs up like a bug/straighten skis
- Elephant arm swings
- Hot potato (with ball)
- Simon Says (balance, side steps, etc.)
- Red Light, Green Light
- Red Rover, Red Rover (ski under legs or connected arms)
- Hot Snow (hop from one foot to another)
- Chariot Rides (pull with inner tube, stop with snowplow)
- Hokey Pokey
- Tag games
- Obstacle course/ski around cones
Classic Groups for Ages 7 – 10+
| Wild Cats | Timber Wolves | Grizzlies | ||
| Typical age(s): | 7 – 8 | 8 – 9 | 10+ | |
| Typical grade(s): | 1 | 2 | 3 – 5 | |
| Typical skiing ability (# of K’s able to ski): | 3ks | 4 ks | 5 to 6 ks | |
| Fundamentals | ||||
| How to get up with poles | X | X | X | |
| How to get up without poles | X | X | X | |
| Balance Drills – games without poles | X | X | X | |
| Balance Drills – Double pole in tracks with one ski lifted | X | X | X | |
| Downhill | ||||
| Snowplow/wedge turns on hills | X | X | X | |
| Snowplow/wedge turns on bigger hills (ski around cones?) | X | X | X | |
| Skiing down in track | X | X | X | |
| Perfecting ability to step out of track on bigger down hills | X | X | X | |
| Step turn fundamentals on small hill | X | |||
| Step turn on bigger hills (ski around cones?) | X | |||
| Uphill | ||||
| Uphill striding, stomping on ski to grip (small hills) | X | X | X | |
| Duck walk “herring-bone” uphill (bigger hills) | X | X | X | |
| Duck walk, using inner edges (bigger hills) | X | X | X | |
| Technique | ||||
| Skiing in track – weight transfer without poles (toe-knee-nose) | X | X | X | |
| Skiing in track – weight transfer with poles | X | X | X | |
| Perfecting pole placement when striding, core crunch | X | X | X | |
| Double pole | X | X | ||
| Double pole with kick; improve technique, pick up the speed | X | |||
Activities to learn skills:
- Obstacle courses
- Slalom Courses
- Frisbee games (soft frisbee)
- Relay races
- No pole drills
- Tag games
- Chariot games (with inner tubes)
- Skooter game (ski with one ski)
- Stop sign game (stop on hill)
- Jump turns (how far can you jump around, 90-180o)
- Bathroom scale (stronger with straight arms or bent arms)
Skate Groups for Ages 7 – 11
| Snowflakes | Blizzards | Avalanches | ||
| Typical age(s): | 8 – 9 | 9 – 10 | 10 – 13 | |
| Typical grade(s): | 3 – 4 | 4 – 5 | 5+ | |
| Typical skiing ability (# of K’s able to ski): | 3-5k | 5-7k | 6-10k | |
| Fundamentals | ||||
| How to fall | X | X | X | |
| How to get up with poles | X | X | X | |
| How to get up without poles | X | X | X | |
| Balance Drills – games without poles | X | X | X | |
| Balance Drills – Double pole in tracks with one ski lifted | X | X | X | |
| Downhill | ||||
| Snowplow/wedge turns on hills | X | X | X | |
| Snowplow/wedge turns on bigger hills (ski around cones?) | X | X | X | |
| Step turn fundamentals on small hill | X | X | X | |
| Step turn on bigger hills (ski around cones?) | X | X | X | |
| Skiing down in tuck position | X | X | ||
| Uphill | ||||
| Duck walk, using inner edges (bigger hills) | X | X | X | |
| Diagonal “V” – focus on weight transfer to glide during “duck walk” | X | X | X | |
| V1 uphill drill poling on favored side | X | X | X | |
| V1 uphill drill alternating poling from side to side | X | X | ||
| V2 uphill drill on gradual uphills | X | |||
| Technique | ||||
| Double pole | X | X | X | |
| Marathon skate | X | X | X | |
| “Diagonal V” – modified herring bone/duck walk with glide | X | X | X | |
| “V1” on favored side (right or left) | X | X | X | |
| “V1” on non favored side (right or left) | X | X | ||
| “V2” – poling on both sides | X | X | ||
| “Alternate V” – poling on one side only, time different than “V1” | X | |||
| Transitions – starting into hills, coming down from hills & rolling hills | X | |||
Activities to learn skills:
- Simon Says
- Relays
- Scooter Ski Relay (one ski)
- Obstacle Course
- 360 degree Jump Turns
- Falling forward w/partner (hips farthest forward on skis with heels down before you fall)
- Extended Diagonal Motion
- Slalom course
- Samurai Swordsman
- Tandem Scooter Ski (have a pair each take off inside ski and ski together)
- Four Square (cross poles on ground, jump from one square diagonally to another)
- Longest Glide
- Train Ski
- Lie Down Sprint Races
Is your child looking for more than just one ski lesson a week? Then consider registering for our Thursday night ski class. Add-on lessons begin Thursday, January 2, 2025 from 4-5pm at the OO Trailhead, and end on February 13, 2025. This program is for kids of all abilities, ages 7-11. You can register for this program during the registration for Birkie Trail Kids. Cost is $70 for 7 lessons.
Coaches will get kids skiing and having fun on the trail- all while working on balance, coordination, and technique, but mostly fun! Techniques include classic and skate – anything goes! Cost is $70 for the 7 week program.
Who: Kids of all abilities, ages 7 – 11
When: Thursdays, 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Where: OO Trailhead
Cost: $70.00
Birkie Trail Kids coaches are all volunteers, and we appreciate the time and effort they contribute each week to teach your children the lifelong sport of skiing! We always welcome volunteers and coaches at any level to help make each lesson great. Whether it’s getting out on the beautiful Birkie Trail system to coach or assisting our hard-working coaches, we’d love to have your help. Each season is fun and successful because of the great help we receive to make Birkie Trail Kids a great experience for all skiers. Please consider volunteering to help a child enjoy winter and learn a lifelong sport! We welcome new ideas and value enthusiasm from parents, coaches and volunteers, new and old. To volunteer with Birkie Trail Kids, please click HERE. We’re looking forward to a great season!
Interested in helping with season planning, equipment, or lesson planning? Email birkietrailkids@gmail.com!
Unfortunately, there will be no Birkie Trail Kids Summer Program in 2024. Stay tuned for information on winter programming and for the fun to return next summer!
Email birkietrailkids@gmail.com if you have any questions!
