A beginner's first day on a snowboard: planning the lesson
Boots, board, a gentle slope and a meeting point: how snowboard instructors can set up first-day lessons that beginners book online, and what to tell them.
6 min read
Make the first day its own service, with a longer slot than a regular lesson, and tell beginners everything practical before they book: rent boots and board the day before, buy the right lift pass for the beginner area, wear waterproofs and wrist guards, and meet you at a precise spot. A beginner who arrives on time, equipped and in the right place gets the full lesson on the snow instead of losing half of it at the rental shop.
Why first-day lessons are different
On the first day, a snowboarder learns to strap in, stand up, fall safely, slide on one edge and maybe link a first turn. It's tiring, and it happens on a gentle slope, usually near the bottom of the resort. A beginner lesson needs time for all of that, rest breaks, and a pace that has nothing to do with a lesson for someone who already carves. On Book, each service has a name, a price and an optional description shown on your public page, and each slot belongs to one service with its own start and end.
| Service | Example slot | Example price | For |
|---|---|---|---|
| First day, private | 3 h | €180 | Complete beginners, one person |
| First day, two beginners | 3 h | €220 | Friends or couple learning together |
| Second day: linking turns | 2 h | €130 | After a first day |
| Private lesson, improvers | 2 h | €130 | Riders who can already turn |
Lengths and prices are examples: set your own. For two beginners in one lesson, one person books and writes the second name in the note.
What to say before they book
- Equipment: rent boots and board the day before, or arrive early at the shop; say which shops are near your meeting point.
- Lift pass: which pass covers the beginner area, and whether you need one at all on day one.
- Clothing: waterproof trousers, gloves, helmet, wrist guards if they have them.
- Meeting point: a named place, such as the bottom of a specific lift or the ski school sign.
- Weather: what happens if the lifts close or visibility is too poor.
What to ask in the booking note
The public booking form asks for first name, last name, email and phone, plus an optional note. Ask for age, any previous board sports (skate, surf), whether they know if they ride regular or goofy, and any injury. You get it in your new-booking email and can plan the start of the lesson.
Placing beginner lessons in the day
Beginner slopes can be quieter early in the morning, before the crowds arrive. One option is to keep mornings for beginners and afternoons for improvers. Create your first-day slots on the days you teach and repeat them each week until the end of the season, adding more in holiday weeks. Slots sit within one day; a three-day beginner course is three slots, one per day, that you can book for the same client from your calendar.
The day after
At the end of the first day, suggest a second lesson to link turns, and book it with the rider from your calendar: first and last name are required, email and phone optional; with the email, they get a confirmation and calendar file. Riders can't move bookings online: they contact you, and you move or cancel from your bookings list. Book doesn't email them about changes, so confirm yourself. Book doesn't take payments, so say how you're paid. Book costs €5/month, everything included: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no contract.