Children generally learn easily.

In Montana a favorite pastime for many families is skiing, and professionals say there's no harm in starting them young.

Kevin Taylor, owner of the Great Divide Ski Area, said a lot of youngsters start as early as 18 months.

"It's intensive for the parents because it requires short intervals on the hills with lots of hot chocolate warm-ups," Taylor said.

Avid skiers Colleen Murphy and Jim Cancroft of Helena took their son, Logan, skiing for the first time in a front pack when he was 6 months old.

"People either thought we were abusive or cool," Murphy said.

As he got a little older they moved him into a backpack and Logan, now 8, was so comfortable, sometimes he'd sleep.

Logan stood on his own two skis at the age of 2, but Murphy said it was too challenging.

"The frustration was larger than the fun factor," she said.

So they backed off until he was 5.

"We'd take him up to the mountain, and he'd just play," Murphy said.

That's the exact response a family of skiers should have with a beginner in the family, says Ben Haugan, snow school director and area operations manager at Showdown Montana.

"I've had kids in diapers that learn to ski, and kids that are 6 and talking having trouble," Haugan said.

Pick a nice sunny day, Taylor says, without wind. Rent the equipment for the children and play in the Backyard area, which is protected and safe.

"Parents don't even get gear on," Taylor said. "Push them up the hill and just get them used to the boots and the fun sensation of sliding."

Nearly all Montana ski hills offer a package of three trips including lift ticket, lesson and equipment rental for a specific price. They all offer private and group lessons as well.

At Great Divide the three-pass package is $99, and at Showdown it's $109.

Neither ski hills offers a shuttle from Helena, so families are forced to taxi.

Taylor says when children are learning is a perfect time for non-skiing parents to pick up the sport, too.

Taylor said it isn't feasible to learn in just one day and those who expect that often give up.

Haugan says age 4 is about the best general time to start children on the slopes.

"For the most part, you demonstrate it and they do what you do," he said. "We don't even think about the skis right away - we play and let them see the lifts and people skiing."

Haugen says pretty soon the children are watching and wondering why they aren't riding the lift and standing on the skis.

Once they've had a few lessons with an instructor, mom and dad can come in and take over. No matter what the age, ski enthusiasts agree it's about being patient and learning slowly without pushing young children to do too much too fast.

When Murphy and Cancroft were helping Logan learn to ski they used a hula-hoop.

"We put a hula-hoop under his arms pits and go down the hill," Murphy said. "That way you can keep him from going to fast."

Today Logan is a very confident skier and snowboarder.

"You should see his face," Murphy said. "He just grins"

Reporter Alana Listoe: 447-4081 or alana.listoe@helenair.com