 Poster: A snowHead
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We are going to Morzine in just over a weeks time, and taking our son whos 2yrs 3mths old with us (along with the grandparents!). This will be his third trip to Morzine, having been each year since he was 3mths old, but this year he is obviously more interested in skis and skiing – largely due to the skis currently residing in our dining room and the Channel 4 World Cup coverage (we are always awake that early!)
My question is this – Can he have some skis this year? And if so, would they be real skis and boots or toy skis that strap onto apres ski boots? We’re not wanting to put him in a creche or have lessons, but just wonder if we can get him some skis one sunny afternoon and play about on the nursery slope sliding him between us? He has feet size UK kids 7 – European 24.
Any advice?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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You can also get cheap plastic clip on 'play skis' that any kids normal boot will fit, no need for ski boots and it just gives them a chance to try it ...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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Sarah L, The plastic clip on skis are about EUR 20 in Morzine so wait till you get here. If you want ot go for the proper ones the smallest boot size should fit along with the smallest skis. Living here our youngest who is now 4 1/2 started on proper skis when she was 3. At that age they are most happy on something relatively flat where they can just shuffle around on the skis and are then getting used to the gliding motion without a slope. Next year you will be able to use the Piou-Piou (creche and ski school) for lessons which are great.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Nice picture geetee - although Mrgeetee was obviously not holding Msgeetee's attention very well!
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You could try Decathlon for little plastic skis (like the ones in the first pic in the sequence here) - or if you're driving over to the Alps think about stopping at one of the big Decathlon or Intersport shops on the outskirts of many towns in France, as you should be able to pick up small equipment there very cheaply at this time of year. We bought junior's first real skis (70cm) and boots (15.5) (in 2nd pic) in a French Decathlon store at Easter for less than we'd have had to pay to hire them for a week, even if we could have guaranteed being able to hire in the correct size - and he was using them before he was 18 months old, so unless yours has tiny feet you should find something to fit at 2 1/4.
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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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Sarah L, got ours from Intersport cost about 10 euros I seem to remember
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We bought junior's first real skis (70cm)
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Yes, that's much more like it than 90cms, which are going to be very long for the average 2 year old. Easiski recommends no more than chest level for littlies. We found some 60cms somewhere - worth picking up if you see them because it's hard to hire such short ones.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Actually thinking about it little Geetee's skis were probably closer to 80cm this year. I do remember though that they were the smallest skis in the rental place but then the Whistler ski school cater for 3 years and up so they would be a little longer. I think the skis we borrowed last year were about the same length.
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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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Sarah L,
Hi, like you we wanted our daughter to start at about 2yr 2mths but we had the advantage of having several slightly older children in our group who were happy in the afternoon to lend their skis (80cm) and boots for the 30mins or so that she could hold her attention for.
She really loved the moving carpet (Rond Point in Meribel) and I felt happier with her balanced in proper boots in fixed bindings.
The following year in Courchevel she was able to slide down the baby slope with me helping her (she was in a forwards snowplough while I was going backwards).
Last year in LaPlagne see did a full morning of Oxygene ski school each day and a couple of sessions with us in the late afternoon. At the end of that she could use a nursery poma and snowplough through gates.
This year she had a few private lessons in Lenzerheide and skied all morning with us (she had been on dry slope this winter) on 90cms with her own boots (the smallest Head make which have little windows in them to check how they fit).
We are off to La Thuile at easter; she is now on 98cms that are really a bit long for her but at no time have we really thought that the size of boots (being too large) or length of skis (too long) hampered her much. Provided they aren't too heavy she seems to cope with the kit fairly happily.
I suspect once she goes more parallel ( this next week hopefully) things will need to be a bit more precise!
Of course, colour of skis and boots is a completely different matter; the only time she has ever kicked up a fuss about going skiing was when her cruel Daddy tried to get her to wear black boots and blue skis(they were 80cms but so what!)
Have a great time with him; I am sure you will.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Only spent about 45 mins or so, but that was mainly because Daddy's legs and back were getting tired !!! |
Sarah L, I know how he feels but he'd better get fit because towing Harvey on the flat bits of blues and reds is much, much worse!
Glad it went well.
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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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Sarah L, 2 years is really young to start skiing, but there's every reason for small kids to enjoy the slide. My daughter Lucy started at 3 years and a bit.
We found that she enjoyed skiing as just another activity in an amazing environment (Saalbach, as it happened) and an hour or two in a day was plenty. Toboganning will be more fun (and much easier to do as a parent).
I wouldn't worry about the equipment side of it at all. A local rental shop will set you up and there's no point in buying stuff for rapidly-growing kids.
Find an area of flat snow with a very gentle slope running into it. Spend lots of time just walking around on skis on the flat. Then pop him a few feet up the slope, pointing downhill. Very important - get him to stick his arms out like aeroplane wings. This will enhance balance enormously.
Just keep giving him run after run, straight downhill, with the run-out stopping him.
Don't introduce the snowplough, turning or anything else. A child of that age is much too young to get involved in ski technique, unless he/she lives in a ski resort. I used to teach hundreds of kids to ski, but they would start at school age.
I'd advise against reins, harnesses or any other devices like that. If the slope's too steep for the child to ski independently (and at that age almost anything beyond 'very gentle' will be too steep) then there's no point straining your back and grappling with the little body. It's hard to control two people (yourself included) on a slope and it isn't very safe. It's very tiring!
Just play on the flat, and that very very gentle little slope. He'll love it!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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David Goldsmith, he's already been - the photos are a bit further up.
You're right about 2 years being a bit young, although Okanagan would probably disagree as Okanagan Jr was a very early starter. My daughter enjoys the magic carpet ride best of all and the skiing is the bit in between. We did the sliding about thing last year but this year she actually did some snowploughs on her own. Not very many and not for long either but enough for her to have fun (which I think is the key to it all - we want them to like it after all!)
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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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David Goldsmith, As geetee, said we've already been, but thanks for your advice, it will be useful next year when he is a bit bigger. We never intended to teach Harvey to ski, just wanted to let him have some skis like Mummy and Daddy one afternoon and have some fun.
He was more impressed by the magic carpet, the skiing, although fun, was just a means to get to have another go on that 
3 weeks on he still says he liked having skis and recalls the "in, doors, bang, bye bye, whoosh" (or "gondola" in grown up language!) all of which hopefully bodes well for the future
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FAQ
- any idea where I can get some cheaper?
