 Poster: A snowHead
|
kolkie and I had been thinking of not skiing this Christmas, but the prospect of a week of grey weather in Brussels doesn't sound appealing, and there's finally some snow forecast for parts of the Alps, so we're considering booking accommodation somewhere and driving over.
It's been a long while since horizon jr learnt to ski as a toddler... now we're considering whether to start firefly on his first skiing steps.
The most likely approach is that the two of us take him on the baby slope a few times...but is there any ski school who may take a 2-yr old? (who is a very keen walker - started at 10 months old and just did his first 2 mile hike a few weeks ago). Ideally in France since that's what he speaks, but at this age anything goes.
Friends of us just told us that theirs started at 2 with Marmottons in Val Claret - he was supposed to be at least 2.5 but they took him anyway.
If there's no ski school we have more options - where would you go? (We have good snowhead friends who will be in St Anton but we're also considering something more family oriented).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Give Davina a buzz at Ski Connections in Serre Che and have a chat explaining it all, she might be able to provide a private instructor for a couple of hours.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Think Oberlech and Zurs have a kindergarten which includes a bit of skiing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Les Gets - great family resort, enough for adults in the wider PdS, and Helena at Ski Beyond is well accustomed to teaching littles, including her own. Also plenty of Nanny agencies. We use them in a mix of full and half days to give us ski time and family ski/ snow time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@horizon, might be worth a chat with the Arlberg Ski School in St Anton too - officially kids have to (should) be 2.5, but they have an indoor creche and play area as well as the outdoor snow play areas (including various little magic carpets and spinning carousels to get used to sliding on skis), a little 'restaurant' onsite for food and a tractor-pulled train that can take the kids for a ride to Nasserein and back. Just to the side of the bottom station of the Gampen chair, a few doors down from the Basecamp bar.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
@horizon, In our experience its just more expensive Child Care at that age and that might be a better option if the other three of you want to ski together. Ski Esprit run a good set up but not cheap. Might also be worth exploring which resorts do a two parent lift pass. Ours does. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| RedandWhiteFlachau wrote: |
| @horizon, In our experience its just more expensive Child Care at that age and that might be a better option if the other three of you want to ski together. Ski Esprit run a good set up but not cheap. Might also be worth exploring which resorts do a two parent lift pass. Ours does. |
I think you'd be lucky and also unlucky to find this! We had difficulty finding tuition for ours when they were three. Also depends very much on the temperaments of both you and your kids. There will be tears. You need to be able to walk away- like at nursery, rathe than hover nervously. Continence is a deal breaker. Ski instructors don't change nappies.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Not all kids are the same but ours were both on skis at the age of 2.5, That's was in Poland though and the quality of their kids set up was brilliant.
We've used Esprit on their BAT weeks(cheapest weeks they do)which was also good, they have a nursery for little ones and take them out and about but dont let them ski.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Unless this is a way to find childcare (which is an entirely acceptable answer IMO!) I wouldn't get your hopes up about the value of lessons at this age. There's a phrase I heard from a couple of local instructors "what takes a week at 4, takes a day at 5" i.e. kids generally don't learn very fast/much at the younger ages.
My daughter started lessons at 3, having been ice skating since she'd turned 2. By age 6, her skiing ability was identical to her brother at the same age, except he didn't start lessons till he was 5, and so by 6 she'd had 10 weeks more tuition than him. Since then they've progressed broadly the same over many more years, so there isn't some huge variation in latent ability.
They both loved the experience, so I don't view it as wasted in any way, but it might set your expectations for a realistic outcome!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@snowdave, however you also don't know where they would have been if they hadnt had early introduction.
With my youngest due to her being autistic and dyspraxic her skiing level is often well behind kids who have had a lot less experience BUT she is happy - loves skiing, and can ski reasonably well. Not sure we would be as far advanced as she is now if we hadn't started her at 3 (and playing with plastic strap on things in the garden for fun when under 3).
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
@snowdave, I'm with you, both as a Parent of 3 and a Ski Instructor. They are so much better at learning once in pre-school/Primary (FS2 in UK parlance).
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Many thanks everyone for all the advice!
After having a look at a number of French resorts and not finding much decent accommodation for a reasonable price (at least not where the driving time / distance are a bit shorter...we had a bit of a disaster on the drive back from Serre Che last year), we decided to go to St Anton and most likely forgo the skischool for jr.
We'll have my wife's parents with us, hence childcare is taken care of and we can ski a bit with our friends. If we can get him into an early ski program for a couple of days even better, otherwise we'll try to get him on skis ourselves. If it doesn't work, no big deal. We're not trying to get him to do much, just get used to snow and mountains and the idea of skiing as a wonderful thing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| horizon wrote: |
Many thanks everyone for all the advice!
After having a look at a number of French resorts and not finding much decent accommodation for a reasonable price (at least not where the driving time / distance are a bit shorter...we had a bit of a disaster on the drive back from Serre Che last year), we decided to go to St Anton and most likely forgo the skischool for jr.
We'll have my wife's parents with us, hence childcare is taken care of and we can ski a bit with our friends. If we can get him into an early ski program for a couple of days even better, otherwise we'll try to get him on skis ourselves. If it doesn't work, no big deal. We're not trying to get him to do much, just get used to snow and mountains and the idea of skiing as a wonderful thing. |
That to me sounds sensible.
When my lot were very small, we went S/C and brought Lady F's Mother or Sister along to baby sit. At two they will be happy messing about in the snow. I think ours were 4 or 5 before they went into any form of skiing kindergarten.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
