 Poster: A snowHead
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Morning all.
We are booked to go skiing over Christmas (keeping everything crossed it'll happen). We have two children who will be 10 and 8 when we go and both have expressed an interest in snowboarding.
We'd rather they did the week skiing as boarding will put them back on the nursery slopes, and on Christmas Day they'll ski with us as there's no ski school and we're not confident enough to take them as boarders after only 6 hours of lessons. But I was considering booking them in for one 2 hour lesson on the Sunday to give them a taster. If they wanted then, they could have snowboarding lessons next year
I'm wondering if it is worth booking in for the two hours? We don't live anywhere near a snowdome and the dry slope isn't the same at all.
Both children are confident skiers and the eldest has decent balance on a skateboard too if that helps.
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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2 Hours probably isn't enough but after 6 hours they'll either be smashing it or will have given up and be back on skis. Avoid T-Bars when they're with you though!
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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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Thanks for the speedy reply.
In fairness to them,starting as beginners last year, they smashed skiing crazily fast. We were all beginners and they surpass my husband and I. We can navigate our way down fairly happily (and slowly) now.
I suppose we're concerned about being able to help them as we don't have the first clue about boarding.
The resort we're going to only had one T bar, and that route is also served by a gondola so no worries there.
Watching snowboarders on the button lifts looks like hard work though (only one of those in resort too).
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@Owlette, where are you located. If near a snowdome then take them there for the taster.
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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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We're in Wiltshire, so nowhere near one unfortunately. We keep being teased with the one in Swindon but it appears to be perpetually delayed.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just don't take them to a dry slope!
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Definitely no plans to take them to a dry slope to try snowboarding.
We go to Mendip occasionally just to get a skiing fix, but we know that they'll learn much faster on snow.
I was doing some lurking on old threads on here and am I right in thinking that boarding is better on powder?
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Just been looking at Chill Factore as my dad lives about an hour away as well as the ski school in resort.
Its £109 for a private 50 minute lesson for two people there.
In resort it's £102 for a private two hour lesson for two (€120).
Wondering now about booking them in for that on morning number one and then skiing the rest of the time.
Boarding courses for beginners start on a Sunday or Monday. But we don't fly in until the Tuesday and start skiing on a Wednesday, so there's no option to start them in group lessons that week and private will increase the cost significantly.
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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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You could always say not this holiday for reasons stated
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Wondering now about booking them in for that on morning number one and then skiing the rest of the time.
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That's not a great idea. If they love it they'd be gutted not to be able to carry on.
Best answer has to be for the whole family to start snowboarding - with private lessons for the four of you.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I was doing some lurking on old threads on here and am I right in thinking that boarding is better on powder?
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Yes, and no. Snowboarding on a proper powder day is to experience the true joy of the sport... but its really a skill that comes with some experience so beginners tend to find it very heavy going.
From my experience with my 2, commit to them learning. Book them a week of half day lessons like you would ski school and they will progress. Half-arsing it with a couple of hours for a day or two and they might start getting a taste but more likely they'll get stuck and retreat to the familiar.
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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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Another vote for either fully committing or delaying a year. If go for the former and just accept that Christmas Day may well be confined to the beginner slopes/lifts
But it's your holiday and your kids so what ever decision you make will be the right one
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Thanks all, that's some great advice.
We're happy for them to board if they want to and I hear what you're saying about committing.
We'd normally try to do Saturday to Saturday, but because Christmas falls on a Saturday this year, we've opted to do Tuesday to Tuesday. Because they're not beginners, they can start ski school any day.
It sounds like the best plan is to wait until we can do Saturday to Saturday again and they can start with other beginners on a Sunday.
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You know it makes sense.
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Listen to Sideways - he's versed in the arts of turning his offspring to the darkside.
Seriously though don't overthink it - if they are athletic kids they will be smashing it after 6 hours of quality lessons. Even better if you get them on a Bosu or wobble board ahead of time to get feeling of moving between heel and toe balance.
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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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'Don't overthink it'.
You've got my number 
They are athletic kids. Eldest in particular just gets these things but the youngest isn't usually too far behind.
We think that they'll end up in different ski groups this year as despite learning at the same time, the eldest picked it up faster. And in all honesty, that's no bad thing as they can drive each other nuts.
I'm now off to Google Bosu boards.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Definitely take them to a snowdome if you can. If not, dryslope is great too, don't discount them for snowboarding. Kids will learn just fine on carpet!
A 2hr taster session is not enough. It's something I find really frustrating. After 2 hours, most people will be able to control their speed and direction on the nursery slope, but will NOT be able to turn. This stage of learning can be hard work and frustrating and may well be just enough to put people off snowboarding. After a 3hr lesson, I can get most people doing their first turns and the smile factor goes up exponentially. After 6 hours, most people will make it up the chairlift and down their first blue run.
Commit! If they're skiers and, especially, skateboarders, they'll pick it up fast.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 31-03-21 14:58; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Do they still do learn to ski/board in a day at snowdomes? In the summer they used to be very reasonably priced.
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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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Following this with interest. My (just turned) 13 year old son is desperate to try boarding. He's got 8 weeks skiing under his belt and also skates (on a longboard).
From my own personal experience of being a skier, who also skated and surfed loads, I picked up boarding easily (when I was about 25). I fell over once in my first long weekend of learning in Cervinia, which is, apparently, unheard of for new boarders (especially back in the early 2000s). I was linking turns at the end of the first day.
I would hazard a guess that if your kids have good balance on a board, and understand how skiing works, they'll probably pick it up fairly swiftly.
That said, when my lad does it, I'll be chucking him in ski school for the whole week so he can learn how to ride a poma and get off a chairlift!
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Not suggesting you follow this idea or if it is the right approach but...
My son skied twice a year from when he was 3/4. When he was 8 we stayed in a resort with a carpet that serviced a small learner piste and ran until 6ish. So we finished a little bit earlier, hired him some boarding kit and took him on the aforementioned noddy slope. He did a couple of hours on a couple of days like this. Neither me or the wife had boarded but with a bit of trial and error mastered the basics. Before the next trip we bought some second hand kit and a couple of days he switched 2/3 in the afternoon and played around for a couple of hours on the lower slopes. He got some tips from other boarders here and there. By the next trip he started doing the odd full day until ultimately by 11/12 years old he will just pick and choose whether he skis/boards each day depending on the conditions (doesn't like to board when pistes are hard and icy) or what we are doing or just how he feels. Daughter who's a couple of years younger as followed a similar path.
Just one thing, he did at one point find it beneficial to do 2/3 days straight boarding to accelerate his learning and feel more comfortable.
He loves doing both still.
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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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@Layne, That's a cracking idea. I'm stealing that!
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