 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi snowheads ...i am looking for your advice. We haven't taken our kids skiing yet but we are at a stage now that we don't want to go without them.
They are 3 and 1.5 years. The three year old is well advanced and I would say he is fit for kindergarten ski school.
Myself and wife ski every year but We do know the 1.5 year cannot do alot if we did go and might or will curtail the holiday ..
Is it a mad plan or has anyone ideas. We have an urge to go last minute this season.
Usually ski in zillertal valley , haute savoie areas but never with kids. If it isn't a crazy idea where do you recommend. We like nice traditional villages and not man made resorts.
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Depends a bit on your budget and preferences. If you have the money and are happy with TO chalet type weeks, then take a look at the family ski specialists (Esprit, Ski Famille, Mark Warner, etc). We've used Esprit a number of times and their child care is excellent, which lets you get some decent skiing time. They have places in a number of the big French resorts, plus Austria and Italy.
If you'd rather do a DIY trip, then I think a lot of resorts have child care options. However, you're going to end up doing a lot of the legwork yourself, both planning and in resort.
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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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@skimel, not a crazy idea! Mrs B and I both agreed that kids would not mean end of ski holidays. We had a gap in 01, with twins being born Jan that year, but went Jan 02 with them and again in 03 when there was also a 3-month old with us (yep we had 3 under 2 at that point!!!!)
When they were a little older (4 I think) the boys went into ski school in morning and we had a short ski with them in the afternoon. Daughter did start at 3 but only an hour session with the nursery we used.
My advice would be to pick a resort you like and then research nursery and ski schools with tourist office (and here of course) - gut feel is that such services may be more readily available in man made resorts.
FWIW we've stayed in Vallandry, which is a smaller and more family friendly resort, but is linked to Les Arcs. However it has a nursery we were pleased with and one year we also hired a nanny for the week, which worked out cheaper for three of them when little.
I'm sure people can, and do, do it, however our experience with kids at this age is plan and book early - last minute is not for us!
Again it's going to be what suits you, many love the all inclusive catered chalet, we prefer the self-catered DIY deal. Worth noting that some chalets and people like Esprit will have childcare etc
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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familyski.co.uk has all sorts of childrens clubs
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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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I've got 2 kids the same ages doing the same. We're off in a couple of weeks for the first real ski for the older one.
We're off to the Grand Massif, we booked a chalet in Samoens and then ski school/nursery in the area.
I'd recommend morrilon 1100 just up the way as its got a combined place for both age kids, the nursery in Samoens decided they didn't want to take holiday kids any more which kind of threw a spanner in the works... . I'm going to drive to morrilon and then gondola up, drop off the little one and then board over to the rest of the group...! I can let you know how it pans out if you like.
Only thing with last minute is the childcare. If they are full you are screwed. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We've taken ours since those ages and younger, but we've always used Espirit or Family Friendly Skiing or similar. Both of them always loved being with the childcare teams, doing activities and going on outings in the snow. Espirit do particularly well IMV when it comes to the kids starting ski school as they always send out a staff-member with each lesson group to assist and act as Tail-End Charlie, picker-upper, nose wiper, glove putter-onner and toilet trip guide, so the instructor can concentrate on the lesson and nobody gets left behind.
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We've used Ski Famille mainly because (as an ex instructor) the nannies take the toddlers to ski school and stay with them. I've spent hundreds of hours managing small kids who all need a pee at different times and frankly the only thing you should care about is them having fun. Peeing yourself as your instructor can't take you has never engendered positive feelings from what I have seen !
We go to les gets, it's nice enough, the kids get insanely well looked after and I have nothing but praise for them. Chalets are nice, skiing is good, price isn't cheap but then I'm happy to pay for that service. YMMV as there are other operators but small kids like that enjoy stimulation.
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If you don't use one of the family operators you will, as mentioned, have to do lots yourself and accept that adult ski time will be severely curtailed. Or take a grandparent. Preferably not one who wants to cane the off-piste. I am a grandmother and spent Christmas and NY week being transfer driver, chalet maid, cook, snow digger, snow chain expert and child minder.  Hard work. Now on Eurotunnel going home. No kids!!! Bliss...
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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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Another +1 for Esprit. First time we used them we had a 1yr and 4yr old and I wished we used them sooner. Previously when we just had the one we did manage two ski trips one with my parents and one with my sister in law. Which although went OK, were hard work and we had a few issues with differences in opinion as to how much babysitting was being offered to us.
One of the things that made a huge difference is how much Esprit supply in terms of high chairs, booster seats, access to changing mats, cots, microowaves, bottle warmers, child suitable cups and curtlery etc, toys in their nursery, baby listening service, pushchairs.... It made for such an enjoyable and relaxing holiday.
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@skimel, We’ve were in the same boat as you. Our girls are now 3 and 6 and we are about to go on our 6th ski holiday with both - 8th for the eldest. We’ve been taking them since they were under 1.
My best advise is that you need to be realistic about the amount of ski time you will get and for the next few years you just have to accept you may have to do half days, tag team with you other half and use child care etc or even not ski if they were to get sick Time flys and before you know it they will be skiing.
We’ve always gone DIY and selected hotels that have good child care facilities. We now go to a Kinder Hotel in Serfaus AT called Hotel Bär. They have amazing kids facilities including childcare from 8am to 11pm and a massive kids area including soft play. They will feed them, take them to ski lessons and even provide mountain buggy push chairs. I highly recommend hotel affiliated with the Kinde Hotel group.
The other advise is always take their car seast - don’t rely on transfer companies providing the correct ones for their age/weight despite double checking.
We are finally at the point where the youngest is now happy to stay in ski school for the whole day (ski morning, play in the PM) giving my wife and I the option of skiing further away as long as we are back by 3:30.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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we have gone skiing with our two (now 10 and 9) since they were born. we chose to take my parents with us and go self catering and then we curtailed our skiing for the first few years to make sure they loved the snow and skiing! this meant doing half days so my parents had them in the mornings and then we would all meet for lunch and have fun sledging, snowmen, snowballs etc in the afternoons. now, the kids love skiing as much as us and we have the best holidays all able to ski together all day.
it depends on the kids and what you want from the holiday, we wanted a family holiday where we happened to get some skiing for the first few years until they could ski so this model worked for us. if you want to be able to ski all day i would say pay for childcare, all day in a ski resort with toddlers is hard work for grandparents!!
good luck!
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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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Kappl has got a great kids area mid mountain which means you can ski but keep a Wee check on things if you really wanted to. Serfaus has a great rep for being kid friendly but have not been there myself.
If you’ve got a big budget then Oberlech is great as I think you get free childcare if the kids are under 3 or 4????? Stayed there around 10 years ago and it was the case then
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In the same position as you! Off to Chatel this year, DIY self-catered. We have a four year old who is going to half-days with ESF and a one year old who I was hoping was going to go to the local nursery but that is already full! We have gone every year since having kids, with close friends and family who are happy to help out with some of the child care but there is definitely less time spent on the slopes! We also like traditional villages and have taken them to Les Gets (used the local nursery and was very happy with them) and various places in the Dolomites (shared the child care). Good luck with your planning!
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You know it makes sense.
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We took our son on skiing holidays since he was 8 months old. We used mostly Crystal and Mark Warner childcare - initially just childcare and then when he was 3 childcare with ski lessons - this meant we could ski full days (a lift pass is too expensive not to ski all day every day). Once he was skiing we could we could pick him up for a little bit family skiing, so ski in/ski out was a must to do this. When he got to 7, he was able to ski a short afternoons with a break. Now he's 8 he can ski a full afternoons and is happy on most runs. Family ski afternoons where so much fun this Christmas in Les Arcs, we could ski whole resort together. All we look for is good lessons and a ski area when they're plenty of variety accessible in the time he's in ski school.
Not many places do lessons for 3 year olds - Mark Warner in Christina in La Plagne would be a good option as they use Oxygene (great English speaking ski school) which will take 3 year olds. When they get a bit bigger it's worth looking at the age at which they need lift passes - when my son was 5 we did La Plagne and Les Arcs as both had free lift passes until 6 (I think it's now under 5 like most resorts). Many Italian resorts do a free pass under 8, although ski school in Italy (Claviere) was poor compared to France.
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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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| Ozboy wrote: |
| My best advise is that you need to be realistic about the amount of ski time you will get and for the next few years you just have to accept you may have to do half days, tag team with you other half and use child care etc or even not ski if they were to get sick Time flys and before you know it they will be skiing. |
If you can't get other childcare, this would be my advice too. I went one year with extended family, each assumed the other would look after baby, and we all got sulky and had a bad-tempered holiday. Two years later I got it into my head that I would do zero skiing and only child management, encouraging little one(s) to stand up on skis and perhaps control them. Result - wonderful. It's very much about managing expectations; aim low, and come back smiling. Result is I should be going away at half term and having fun on the slopes with the whole family  Well worth the investment IMHO.
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Poster: A snowHead
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+1 for Esprit if you both want to ski. It's not cheap, but until the kids are in school it's worth every penny. Only down side is you barely see your own kids as they're off having fun without you! I'd recommend Gressoney, and they offer special toddler rates when it's not school holidays.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Here's another way of doing it - on a budget.
http://www.cis-valcenis.com/?l=en
It's not luxury, but it's full board, including hot lunch and dinner (both with wine) AND includes the ski pass. We often go New Years week and adults are about €480 a head. That's all food, and a ski pass. Coming back for lunch saves a fortune! Kids under 3 are free, and half price for 3/4 year olds.
The ski school takes kids from 3, and there's a fantastic creche which takes babies from 3 months! There's a mini bus to ski school for the 3 yr old, and CIS will lend you a snow buggy or sled for the creche run. It's ski in, and almost ski out. Ski bus at the door, or a short climb up to the piste.
I was lucky that my little one loved the creche and ski school as he got older, so every year I've been here I've had a full weeks skiing!!
They don't open for families every week as they take school groups sometimes, but stick some dates into the online booking system and see what works. For flights, Turin, Geneva or Lyon are all very accessible. Drive or get a train to Modane, then Altibus up the hill.
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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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| Orange200 wrote: |
| Ozboy wrote: |
| My best advise is that you need to be realistic about the amount of ski time you will get and for the next few years you just have to accept you may have to do half days, tag team with you other half and use child care etc or even not ski if they were to get sick Time flys and before you know it they will be skiing. |
If you can't get other childcare, this would be my advice too. I went one year with extended family, each assumed the other would look after baby, and we all got sulky and had a bad-tempered holiday. Two years later I got it into my head that I would do zero skiing and only child management, encouraging little one(s) to stand up on skis and perhaps control them. Result - wonderful. It's very much about managing expectations; aim low, and come back smiling. Result is I should be going away at half term and having fun on the slopes with the whole family Well worth the investment IMHO. |
An I forgot to add, that its great to take the little ones up a gondola with pedestrian access (normally all of them) and have lunch at the top. We've had many long lunches in accessible mountain huts etc and let the kids play in the snow etc. Its all about making them feel that going skiing is fun and will not be abandoned or be a burden in their parents.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@skimel, would be mad NOT to go on family skiing holiday IMHO.
Easier to advise if you told more about likes, dislikes, preferences. Also more about your possible holiday.
When? How late a booking can you do?
How travel? Prefer Austria, France or both equally OK? Budget? Eating, food included or self catering?
Hotel, chalet, apartment?
Ski in/ski out, town centre or quieter location?
Any other musts/wants you can think of? 
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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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