 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
We are having our first family ski holiday in Austria in February. My question is should I get a couple of group ski lessons for my son (he will be a month short of turning 7) before we go or leave it until we get there? The only snow experience he’s had is a 1 hour private lesson in Lapland last December- by the end of that he was snowploughing down a short slope and going up the drag lift in front of me. I’d love him to be able to ski a couple of easy runs with me during the week (regardless of what we do before we go he will be in ski school for the week we are out there).
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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Yes...and treat yourself to one while you're at it 
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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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@Lozza1uk, are you handily located for an indoor snow shed?
If so, a couple of group lessons should be fun. I wouldn’t worry if not. If he can already snowplough in control and ride a drag lift, after a 1 hour lesson, he should make fast progress in Austria.
Enjoy your first family ski hol, one of life’s highlights.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Yes.
Just dont bu pushy dad like soccer dads.
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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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Yes.
Just dont bu pushy dad like soccer dads.
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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’m a mum so shouldn’t struggle with not being a pushy dad 
I’m 15 mins from the chill factore so it’s easy enough to do, it’s just whether I can face the early mornings which seem to be the best times available! I think I’ll book the block of 3 if I can get three weekends that don’t clash with football tournaments!
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@Lozza1uk, Can I ask where in Austria?
We booked ahead on our kids first ski holiday (St Johann iT) at ages 7 and 10.
We only paid on arrival.
To be honest, being able to spend some quality time with your partner is one of the highlights of a ski holiday.
After 5 days of lessons they were pretty good and the last day's skiing with them was one of the best days I've ever had!
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I would say 100% yes
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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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Yep, definitely. I love skiing with my kids who are about the same age. The better he is beforehand the more decent and fun skiing you'll be able to do together.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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It'll help but if he can snowplough in control, ride a drag lift, turn both ways and stop he won't be in the "never skied before" beginner group and if keen and active ( I sense he is!) he'll make good progress.
I took my nephew a few years ago at the same sort of age and his ambition was to ski down from the top of the mountain. Easily achieved after he had done three lessons at X-Scape and a few days of group lessons in resort.
Top tip: no matter how well you think he is progressing only take him on runs he has skied in his lesson. It's so much a confidence thing that somewhere new, even if "easier", could set him back. Skiing the same run he did with his instructor but doing little jumps off the edge highly recommended!
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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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@Lozza1uk, if only 15 mins from CF I’d say definitely worth a few sessions, assuming your son is keen to do them.
The early mornings and blast of bracing cold air will be good practice for when you’re in Austria too.
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@drammeister coincidentally we are off to St Johann too!
Thanks all, I will definitely get him some lessons then. I’ve had about 6 weeks of ski holidays so I will probably get one lesson out there to try and improve my turns. And he can go into ski school. Unfortunately my husband won’t ski due to a previous knee injury (and complete lack of interest  but he’s coming anyway this year as it was the same price without him! If my son loves it we’ll go with friends or my sister in future years. This year I’ll just have to ski alone or tag along with people I meet.
Thanks for all opinions
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
This year I’ll just have to ski alone or tag along with people I meet.
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Why don't you do ski school all week? You'll improve a lot more that way, and it'd be a lot more sociable.
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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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Without question, and for all of you. The technically better you are (or, know what you should be doing) the more fun you’ll have).
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Poster: A snowHead
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A couple of other things...
There’s no need to buy a lift pass for your child until the ski school ask you to. They can use the free beginners lifts at the start of the week.
Also, the Wilder Kaiser ski school had an offer for kids with lessons and equipment at a really good price, it would be worth checking if they’re still doing it.
The price also included lunch supervision, which would give you the chance to explore some neighbouring resorts. Eg Kitzbuhel is a short train ride away.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks.
I’m not sure I want to do ski school myself all week, but actually it hadn’t even crossed my mind so I’ll have a think!
Thanks for the tips Drammeister. I don’t suppose you remember if there was anywhere to hire a bike? My husband is either going to spend the week catching up Netflix box sets or I’d thought about hiring a fat bike for him.
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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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It’s very confusing what to book at chill factore - the lessons that look good need to have a paying adult with him as he’s under 10. Or it would be mini moose stage 2 - he’s had a couple of hours in Lapland and was doing a basic snowplough by the end so I don’t want to pay for a 3 week stage 1 course which seems to be more about putting the equipment on than skiing. I’ll have to give them a call.
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@Lozza1uk, yes to lessons before you go, and I think @pam w's idea is excellent. Ski school will be fun and sociable AND you'll improve and probably ski places you wouldn't have done alone. I hate skiing on my own, for me it's such a great experience to share.
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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 would always recommend doing some skiing before you go. Apart from anything you go through putting on skis and boots for the first time, which can be confusing enough and gets it out the way. A lesson before you go is well worth it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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skiing lessons on the mountain are much, much better than here. here you get 160 meters before you stop, queue for the lift and get back to the top. a 1 hour lesson on resort is like 3 hours at home
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@Lozza1uk, I don’t know about bike hire, but St Johann is a reasonably sized town, I’m sure it’s possible.
You might want to visit the pool in town. Our kids love it, there’s some water slides and an outdoor bit.
The St Johann area isn’t large, but there’s some great runs and generally apart from the main blue into town, not too busy. I’m very fond of it!
We tend to have a couple of days there a year.
One of the best things about it are the mountain restaurants, (the highest ratio of huts to km of pistes). I particularly like the Angerer Alm on Red 1 just above the mid station.
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Unless your husband is a keen mountain biker, @Lozza1uk, he might not like the idea of biking on snow. Snowshoes might be a better bet - they feel very secure underfoot and most resorts will have organised excursions so he can get out and see the scenery, and meet people, with less risk of injuring himself.
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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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No.
Waste of money and time.
Your muscle memory forgets what it learnt.
When you arrive on the real snow weeks later, you're back to square one.
Best way to learn and get good is to take 2 weeks of simultaneous vacation.
Cluster all the lessons and practice in one big chunk and the body learns fast.
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| Whitegold wrote: |
No.
Waste of money and time.
Your muscle memory forgets what it learnt.
When you arrive on the real snow weeks later, you're back to square one.
Best way to learn and get good is to take 2 weeks of simultaneous vacation.
Cluster all the lessons and practice in one big chunk and the body learns fast. |
muscle doesn't have memory.
also, saying you'll be back to square one isn't true. hundreds of people benefit from lessons before to maximise the on piste time and enjoyment.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@pam w he’s a keen cyclist so think he would enjoy it. He’s also antisocial so the idea of a group excursion on snow shoes would be his idea of hell! I suspect he’ll generally be in the pub. He’s only really coming because it was the same price with him as without him and he was taking a career break when we booked it so doing nothing over there was the same as doing nothing here 
@drammeister I presume a non skiier can get to some of the restaurants on the mountain or will we need to meet him in town?
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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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| Lozza1uk wrote: |
@drammeister I presume a non skiier can get to some of the restaurants on the mountain or will we need to meet him in town? |
There are pretty nice places at the top station and mid station of the main gondola.
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@Lozza1uk, if chill factore insist on a ‘paying adult’ with your son, because he’s under 10, what do they mean? Do they mean an adult has to be there as a spectator? Or using the slope but not in the lesson? Or actually in the same lesson?
Does it cost much for the adult if they only need to be there watching?
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You know it makes sense.
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Good question, I’ve assumed a paying adult on the same course, in which case another £120 or so but I will check!
And thanks, Drammeister
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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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@Lozza1uk, the chil factore website says parents and guardians cannot join children in their lessons, but can watch from the balcony.
You could shout advice, like Statler & Waldorf in the Muppet Show
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Poster: A snowHead
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PeakyB - a nice idea, I’ll warm up my vocal chords,  but that’s the mini moose ones but the guaranteed to ski lessons need a paying adult!
. These are mixed group sessions for anybody aged 6+. Children under 10 must be accompanied by a paying adult, with 1 adult to 2 children.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
Children under 10 must be accompanied by a paying adult, with 1 adult to 2 children
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But isn't that for free skiing? When it makes sense to have that rule.
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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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No idea, I’ve emailed them to ask as it’s a bit strange, unless they want an adult to control their own child in a mixed adult/child group for safeguarding purposes. I’ll find out and let you know for future reference!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Yes, yes, yes.
It was a bit different for us granted (being adult novices) but I'd recommend any newbie/beginner to have lessons (preferably in a snowdome) before getting on the mountain.
Being able to do the basics, from the boots, to standing up without falling over, snowplough, turns etc before you go means that you don't spend the first few days of the holiday covering this stuff. Hopefully you can go explore the mountain a bit more!
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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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Another vote for yes 
I did it for snowboarding and skiing - and the difference was clear. Go for a snowdome if you can, as dendex is truly awful to fall on!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Lozza1uk, I'm not certain whether St Johann has a Ski Club of GB rep but you could always do a day skiing with them (more than one day and they will want you to join).
Yes, get lessons at the indoor slope and perhaps a bit of free skiing at the end. I don't agree about muscle memory, it is like learning to ride a bike. Years later your body remembers (mostly).
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Save your money, IMHO.
Don’t give him preconceptions. Let him find his feet in the real stuff.
Little Lord Seagrave had never been on skis before his first trip, despite being 5 minutes from MK Snozone.
Had a fab time, and came back delighted. Has had weekly lessons ever since and mad keen to go out again.
LS
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I would say yes but just an hour or two, if only to get used to the gear and equipment. He'll learn to snow plough, too.
Theres no substitute for learning in resort, though. The indoor UK slopes are too short and mostly too busy to really do any serious learning imo.
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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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@Lozza1uk,
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No idea, I’ve emailed them to ask as it’s a bit strange, unless they want an adult to control their own child in a mixed adult/child group for safeguarding purposes. I’ll find out and let you know for future reference!
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Probably not to control, but to help, encourage, pick up when they fall over. In my experience anyone teaching beginner under 9's in a group situation needs eyes in the back of their head, and the arms of an octopus, because while they are helping one child do what they are asking the class to do, half the others will have fallen over and/or slid back down the slope again and need rescuing! With a parent in tow, the instructor actually gets a chance to teach, so more progress can be made.
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Thanks all. I’ve just booked him in for 3 sessions in January at the mini moose ski school.
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FAQ
