 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello all. We are taking the kids skiing this year for the first time, now that the youngest has reached an age where we think she'll be able to handle it.
Our kids will be (one week short of) 6, 8 and a half and 10 and a half. None of them have skied previously. We are going mid-March, so I am assuming that we may struggle to find 6 day ESF lessons for them (have heard tales of people pre-booking them and finding them cancelled when they arrive due to numbers being too small).
So I have a few questions:
Would you put three kids of those ages in the same private lesson?
If so, do you reckon three days x 2 hours would be a good start, or should I break the bank and go for the 6 days?!
If there are group lessons available, are any of them likely to be in the same group together?
Is there an ESF group for absolute novice kids older than the Piou Piou stage, and what is it called? I've found the ESF booking system pretty incomprehensible.
This is entirely new territory for me, so all help appreciated!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Where are you going?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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bagginsmum, yes - sorry! Oz en Oisans, linked in to Alpe D'Huez.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Mid march is still pretty busy - I'm surprised schools wouldn't be running lessons and if not most schools are good ime about turning your payments into private lesson credit so you could book group lessons and see what happens?
6-10/11 is a big gap imo, either pair would be fine together but as a 3 the elder is going to need to be patient and the youngest coordinated and reasonably stoic. It's doable though definitely, and I would think they would do as well as a 3 together as in group lessons apart as long as they have a kid friendly instructor (Source: I used to teach kids on a dry slope, but no experience with kids of my own)
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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rainman, I don't think you'll have problems getting them into ESF lessons, if they are complete beginners then they may be ok in same class but the older ones may progress quicker.
If you can, I'd really try and get them to a snowdome or dry slope for a lesson or 2 before you go - just getting ski boots on and standing on skis can save you lots of time on the slopes.
Kids tend to learn quickly and aren't as scared as adults, so sure they will be able to ski with you later in week.
Would suggest, particularly for the younger one, a complete break from skiing one afternoon mid-week. Sledging, playing in snow, mooch around shops whatever. Always found with ours (13,13, 11) that Tuesday afternoon they were grumpy and tired and a change of scene was welcome
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'd support Boris's points. An afternoon - or even a day - off skiing might be helpful for the littlest. But they might all be very keen - you never know. Private lessons with 3 kids together would probably be no more expensive than 3 separate groups - though you might find timings restricted. It will make a huge difference which side of mid-March you are. French school holidays in the first two weeks of March (though the last week won't be too busy this year). I don't know Oz at all, but round my way ALL group lessons are likely to be almost entirely Francophone, which will also make a difference, whereas in a private lesson with 3 British kids the instructor will just have to speak English, and will have enough English to cope, provided you stress when you book that you need an English speaker.
I'd say go for as many lessons as you can afford - but one introductory session in a fridge before you go will make a big difference to how much they achieve in their first lesson.
They are all an ideal age to learn - stand by to be surprised.
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Come to think of it you have 3 ourson kids all of your own which is enough to justify them running the class for at least 4 days. Another 2 join and you are sorted. I wouldn't worry about it.
That said privates are pretty similar if the 3 kids get along?
ESF = E132 for 6*2.5hours (396 for all 3 kids)
Privates = E110 for 2 hours. (440 for 4day*2hours): http://www.vocoaching.net/vocoaching-tarifs-en.html
e.g. Sunday, Monday lessons: Tuesday off: wed, thur lesson. Friday big ski day together.
Either would work well as long as the kids get along  , I'd do the one that suits you best!
aj xx
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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would they put a 10 year old in Ourson?
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Boris, and pam w, fully agreed on both points. We are planning on at least one lesson at Hemel for all three in late Feb, to familiarise them with the sensation of being on snow, and definitely like the idea of some time off for the littlest.
pam w, from memory a large chunk of Oz's winter population is Dutch, so I suspect English will be pretty widely used as well. But you're right - at least in a private it will be English.
a.j., thanks for those tips - I've mailed Monica at VO and she's happy to see all three in one lesson. I just fear that the sporty ten year old boy is going to need to be VERY patient to share lessons with his two younger sisters!
That link from the Oz ESF suggests no need for a skipass for Ourson - I'm presuming that's them using drag and travelators on the nursery slopes?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pamw - If they are short on numbers, sure  I thought they still called it ourson even when they are running multiple classes by age anyway tbh (they flip to adult lesson at 14), but not many of my friends have kids so I've not been paying close attention
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| pam w wrote: |
| would they put a 10 year old in Ourson? |
Yes. Still a child. The beginner adult lessons start at 13
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You know it makes sense.
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a.j.,
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it might if you are lucky leave him with some helpful picking-up-your-sisters skills/habits
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we could do with some of that!!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I'd definately invest in a day in Hemel as your profile says your not far - learning to button boots up, clip ski's in, fight the button lift, be terrorised from the top of a hill etc.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Yeah, I wouldn't place them all together unless its a private lesson. But the 10 year old and the 8 year old will be away pretty quick. I'd put the 6 year old on their own.
Hard for me to answer as I got mine going at 2 years 7 months in Jackson Hole for one and then the other at 3 years old in Chamonix. To give you an idea on the difference in quality of instruction / facilities, the Jackson Hole child learnt to turn and crucially even stop in 1 to 2 days. The 3 year old in French ski school in Chamonix wasn't even confidentially stopping after 2 weeks at the panda club in Chamonix with the new Evo 2 takeover. It was like night and day.
So the summary of my advice is it is all about the instructor and facilities at that age. But at 6 - 10 I think they'll florish in group lessons no probs 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Having had an 11 year old nephew out with us over Christmas (it was his second week on snow after three days in a fridge) and got our two kids to black run capable I'd suggest:
1. Do a course of lessons in a fridge before you go (say 4 sessions)
2. If they all progress from the above to a similar standard (unlikely) do 3 private lessons with practice days between
3. If there are clear differences between their abilities either manage some private lessons (you will need an instructor who understands what they want) so thay all progess or put them into the group lesson system.
4. Sacrifice a good chunk of your skitime to work on whatever they need (may be day off, cruising the blues, ducking trees and jumping bumps or whatever.
The older ones could be skiing reds and easy off the side of piste after a few fridge sessions and a week of resort lessons.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Definitely one or two trips to a fridge. When our children were just a little older, we used the BASS at Morzine for private lessons, going for a half day on each of Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. It worked very well. They were given things to practice and pistes / areas were suggested to us.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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It depends on the kids if they need a break, mine were 6, 10 and 14 on our first trip and the 6 year old was seriously p*&ssed off we had break from skiing mid week and made me take her night skiing to make up for lost time!
We'd all had snowdome lessons up to recreational standard before going and that was a huge help, meant all the rather tedious side stepping up a few m to slither down in a couple of secs was out of the way and we all ended up in the one step up from complete beginner groups who had far more fun getting out and about round the mountain!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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In my experience it's likely that 6-10 years olds will be mixed together in group lessons anyway - booking group lessons isn't guaranteed to separate them by age. I'd say any hampering of the eldests progress by the youngest in a private lesson would be much less of an effect than a group lesson with many other children slowing down drills, and likely everything being in French first, then a short repeat in English.
Also, any gain from a fridge at home is removed by being in beginner group lessons, as the group will all do the putting skis on stuff anyway. So if private lessons are not a great deal more expensive, I'd certainly use them instead. If the eldest progresses quicker you can always ski with them while the other 2 stay with the instructor (might not be popular with the kids though). Finally, assuming they all get on OK, they will probably enjoy it far more being in a small group together, than the risk of being separated in groups with others who don't speak English.
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