Building Resilience With Ski School
Building Resilience with Ski School
At ICCC International Kindergarten, we believe that children flourish when they are stretched, supported, and surrounded by people who believe they are capable. Ski week is a good opportunity to challenge kids and to teach them resilience. It is a brand-new adventure which can make kids anxious and take them out of their comfort zone. And that’s exactly where the learning begins.
ICCC’s teacher Ms Irina Radeva, PhD, explains why at ICCC ski school is much more than learning to ski.
The Power of the Right Challenge
Children don’t build confidence by staying in their comfort zone. They build it with exposure to age-appropriate challenges – tasks that feel a little hard, but achievable with effort, encouragement, and practice.
At ski school, children are set to learn a range of new movements and skills related to skiing. While doing so, they are challenged. They have to overcome not just the difficulty of the new skill, but also the discomfort of the hard boots, the awkwardness of moving on skis, and the challenges of bad weather.
Giving up when it’s hard is easy. Staying on the slope is the real lesson.
When children are encouraged to try again, and again, they learn something incredibly powerful: “I can do hard things.” Each small success – standing up, gliding a little further, turning for the first time – adds another layer to their confidence.
Learning to Trust Themselves (and Each Other)
Resilience isn’t just personal effort; it’s also connection and trust. At ICCC ski school, children aren’t left to challenges alone. They are surrounded by familiar faces – friends from their class and their trusted teachers who provide reassuring support and encouragement. The whole experience teaches kids to trust in difficult moments.
Encouragement Makes All the Difference
A kind word or a high-five can change the game. The teachers notice every small victory, making kids feel capable and proud. When children feel safe and supported, they are more willing to take risks, explore, and persevere when things feel difficult.
Emotional safety is the foundation for courage, resilience, and growth.
Strengthening Friendships Through Shared Experiences
There is something special about learning together in a new environment. Ski school creates fun moments and memories that children carry back into the classroom. Joy is greater when it is shared, and learning feels better in good company.
It’s Not About Being the Best
We make sure ski school is not about competing or performance at ICCC international kindergarten. It’s about not giving up, about effort and joy.
It’s also about children learning new skills, celebrating small wins, and finding that they can. And all this comes packed with laughing in the snow, rosy cheeks, and the pride that comes from giving something a go.
An Amazing Place to Flourish and Grow
Experiences like ski school reflect what ICCC International Kindergarten stands for: nurturing confident, resilient, and kind children who feel safe to explore the world around them.
We are grateful to our ski school partner Atmosfera Sport who share our understanding about how children should be supported on the slopes. Together, we help children build the skills they need not just for skiing, but for life. 🌱❄️
Snezhana Daneva is a Director at ICCC since September 2010. She gained experience in teaching, marketing and client relations, as well as cultural diplomacy and regional project management after a diverse career at the British Council in Bulgaria and in the UK. She worked as a volunteer in not-for-profit organizations related to child birth and child care.
Snezhana has MA in Education Management and MA in English and American Studies from Sofia University, and Management Certificate and Diploma from Open University, UK. Her recent Education Management degree thesis focused on children’s social-emotional development in the early years, comparing government standards and practice in Bulgaria and in the United Kingdom.