 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Guys,
I am seriously thinking about taking my 7 year old Daughter on her first Ski trip was thinking about surprising her for her Birthday or Xmas and taking her away just the two of us.. so was wondering does anyone have any advice for me...
I am an able solid intermediate snowboarder and my daughter has never been near a set of skiis or a mountain before so she would need to go into a proper ski school if i go ahead with this is it possible to get a ski school for say a short break rather than a week so maybe 3/4 nights just as a tester to see how she gets on?
I was thinking to have as short a transfer as possible so was thinking maybe Morzine?
Also how do these ski schools work is it a case of dropping them off and coming back when..? Also if she did say 3 days (if possible) would she be capable of coming with me on some gentle slopes on day 4? (i understand everyones different just trying to guage the rule of the thumb)
Any advice appreciated
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My personal advice is book with a family operator, I can personally recommend Esprit. This way you can have a bit longer skiing while she is in lesson and have children her own age to play with.
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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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| NickyJ wrote: |
| My personal advice is book with a family operator, I can personally recommend Esprit. This way you can have a bit longer skiing while she is in lesson and have children her own age to play with. |
Thanks Nicky i will take a look.
I guess most of these things will be set up for week trips?
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A short trip would be tricky to organise in these circumstanced and I wouldn't be so nervous about taking her for a week unless there is something particular about your daughter that may cause issues. With it just be you and your daughter it should be easy enough to manage with all the option open to you. Key thing is to find a good ski school and work from there, sorting out flights, then accommodation, then transfers and equipment hire. Or you can do the TO route and have them all sort it - for a cost. Esprit is well thought of as a family operator as mentioned.
Ski school - yep there would be a drop off and pick up time specified and a location clearly given.
You should be able to ski with your daughter from day one but with the proviso you will need to find pistes to match her increasing ability. So probably on day one err on caution and just stay on the nursery slopes or very easy runs you've reccied. And then build from there. You'll soon see and figure out what she is capable of. Note: kids of that age love to do bumps and jumps and weave in and out of stuff, like lift posts, piste markers, trees.
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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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Usually by 7yo the stamina is pretty good and they can do full days, with a bit of sledging for afters. Chocolate (hard or hot liquid variety) can keep them going!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| dave_wick wrote: |
| NickyJ wrote: |
| My personal advice is book with a family operator, I can personally recommend Esprit. This way you can have a bit longer skiing while she is in lesson and have children her own age to play with. |
Thanks Nicky i will take a look.
I guess most of these things will be set up for week trips? |
Yes they are. Missed that bit, sorry.
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If you can do any dry or fridge slope lessons before going it gives you a kickstart and means you will make more of it. Mind didn't so it's not a necessity but they were a big younger anyway. Plus we taught them ourselves.
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@dave_wick, group lessons may be trickier to organise for a short break, as they will usually be 6 days, 2 or 3 hours in the morning or afternoon. If you only want 3 or 4 days in total, you may only have private lessons available. The plus of this is that she will likely come on in ability and skills, very quickly. The negative is that she will be on her own with the instructor, no peers for camaraderie etc.,
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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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Given that NewYears eve falls on a Sunday, some of the TO's might be altering their weeks start/finish days to accomodate that. It could result in some short breaks being available either the week before or week after to get them back to normal change over days; It did last year.
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| dave_wick wrote: |
my daughter has never been near a set of skiis or a mountain before
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Hi Dave,
Believe this is the most important part and being a father of 10 yo girl who is skiing since she was 5, she may not enjoy it very much from the first day. For my daughter, sports is primarily a social thing, being a netball, running, cycling or skiing. Frankly, she wouldn't do any of that if not for the social element. Try to make it more fun for her, let her enjoy the snow, goof around, hot chocolates as already suggested, do stuff together rather than putting her into the ski school with a bunch of unfamiliar kids that she many not even understand.
Make sure she is comfortable with snow/cold/wetness, buy some very colourful clothes and hope for the best
best
Misko
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Start skiing yourself at the same time - she'll take any knockbacks so much better when she realises she is still much better than daddy.  Plus you can share private lessons making it clear that it should be kid focused not really address your needs.
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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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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| Start skiing yourself at the same time - she'll take any knockbacks so much better when she realises she is still much better than daddy. Plus you can share private lessons making it clear that it should be kid focused not really address your needs. |
Not a bad idea. It would also be easier to help her up (when she falls), or on lifts, or when she loses a ski or whatever, if you are on ski's. Although if you are a complete newbie may be it will be the other way round!
Why is she skiing and not snowboarding anyway?
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| Layne wrote: |
Why is she skiing and not snowboarding anyway? |
NSPCC innit?
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You know it makes sense.
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| Layne wrote: |
Why is she skiing and not snowboarding anyway? |
NSPCC innit? |
TBH it's a half hearted question. I'm not a boarder myself. My son duals (70/30 Skiing/boarding), whilst my daughter hasn't gone for the boarding yet, even though the kit is available and she's seen her brother doing it). I was just thinking as a boarder himself the poster would have been naturally thinking of his daughter doing the same.
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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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| NickyJ wrote: |
| My personal advice is book with a family operator, I can personally recommend Esprit. This way you can have a bit longer skiing while she is in lesson and have children her own age to play with. |
I would agree with Nicky's first post. Took my daughter when they were 5 & 7, both had a great time because we were in a hotel with lost of other families and they organised kid entertainment after ski school and in the evening. They had ski school all day with lunch with us. Classes were all sorts of nationalities but this did not matter to them (more difficult for us as parents). This was an independent hotel when we went but later we went with Club Med. As they grew up we organised it all and did self catering and Hostel accommodation.
For young kids starting out there needs to be more than just the skiing.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Layne wrote: |
| If you can do any dry or fridge slope lessons before going it gives you a kickstart and means you will make more of it. Mind didn't so it's not a necessity but they were a big younger anyway. Plus we taught them ourselves. |
Might be bit of a trek from Wick to the nearest fridge. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Avoriaz would be better than Morzine. Kids area is in the center of the resort. Short distance to go in the morning.
Special kids ski school http://www.village-des-enfants.com/en/winter/
But Esprit in Les Gets would be better still as you are guaranteed mostly English speaking kids
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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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@dave_wick, +1 for advice from @NickyJ, a specialist operator likely to make it much more enjoyable for both of you. As mentioned, a short break much more difficult to organise in your circumstances, but not impossible. Personally, if you're going, I'd suggest a full week.
Weather important too but notoriously difficult to predict. Generally, later in the season gives you a better chance of warmer weather. Christmas/New Year can be very cold and bleak - not ideal for a 7 year old on skis for the first time. March often the best balance of decent snow and warmer, longer days.
Les Gets, Morzine, La Clusaz, Flaine, all would suit I think.
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We're in the currently organising a short trip for an 8yo to try skiing for the first time. It seems pretty straightforward to organise a short trip to Austria with a novice 8yo (snowboarder). Organising a similar trip to France seems tricky.
If you can get flights to Munich then there are several suitable resorts within 2 hrs drive (or train in some cases), with cheap accommodation and ski lessons for the number of days you choose. The ski schools in Austria appear more set up for short breaks and generally more family orientated than in France.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I saw the Esprit 2-7th Jan breaks and was interested but no more space for a family of four!
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@dave_wick, VIP ski are also good but Childcare is a private nanny, whereas Esprit is group care and kids have much more fun in my experience.
My tip though is to steer clear of ESF if you can. Whilst we have had some good weeks with them...the majority have been average or below average. So do your homework on ski school as you want you daughter to learn and enjoy.
The ski schools in Austria have generally been better and my kids had a better time all round. But that could be just luck/chance.
Esprit have an Obergurgl place, haven't stayed there but school is good. Also in St Anton and we had a good experience there with the school.
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Our resort has excellent facilities for children and we do shorter (less expensive) trips, which seems to suit parents unsure if their kids will like it ).
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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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