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Keeping the Kids entertained..

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi All..

Have trolled through various search results on this topic, but thought I'd try and get some feedback from the experts please!!

I'm taking my nine year old son for his first trip in March, and am trying to find a resort that will not only have a good ski school, but will also have a good range of off-piste activities too? Something like bowling and a leisure centre etc etc.. he's quite timid, and i suspect that he won't want to ski all day every day, so some other options to stop him getting board (see what i did there?!) would be good.

I'm a big fan of Austria, and suspect that somewhere like Ellmau or Saalbach may fit the bill nicely.. Anyone been there or can offer some food for thought for elsewhere in the Alps?

Many thanks
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
thatmanwoody, when in March are you going? In France, the week beginning 8 March will be the best bet; first week still big school hols. Not sure about Austria.

If your lad is not too gung-ho, it will be vital to find him a really good ski school for his first experience, with small groups - not with another 12 kids. Courchevel 1850 has a range of activities - including a climbing wall and a swingy bungy bouncy thing which looks like a lot of fun. Excellent tuition available too, and brilliant nursery slopes. Not the cheapest resort though. When my lads were that sort of age they did love the skiing, but also toboganning, snowball fights, etc. But they had each other, and on some holidays their cousins. The very best thing to amuse him might be another 9 year old lad - especially another beginner he could be in ski school with, but probably that's not practicable.

What sort of accommodation are you thinking about? In a family-oriented catered chalet you could, with luck, find he makes some good friends for the week. It's easier in a chalet than a hotel, especially for more timid children. We once did a "chalet hotel" which had a hot tub which sounded fun in advance, but my kids never used it because they said a clique of "big fat kids" monopolised it, and were a bit intimidating. In a chalet, where families are meeting each other and numbers are smaller, it's a bit easier to make friends. There are some good chalets in Courchevel 1650 and it's not far to 1850 on the bus.
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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?
thatmanwoody, you could try La Rosiere 1850, it's got some very good ski schools and new this season is a bowling alley.
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David@traxvax, what else is in La Rosiere for non-skiers? I can imagine one could get pretty bored of bowling after a few hours.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
A big hit with our boys are the cheap €4 plastic sledges. The ones that are the 21st century equivelent of your mothers tin tray. Our kids are 5 and 7 and want to sledge every day. Our eldest is a bit shy too and I agree with pam w, a good ski school is an important choice. He loved the ESF chreche when he was younger but I would be reluctant to put him in ESF childrens class now.

Another French recomendation for me would be Meribel, again with a climbing wall plus pool and ice rink but it is expensive as well. Have no great knowledge of Austria though but Im sure others will have some advice. For the skiing side our boys love to ski with us so we tended to put them in for the morning plus lunch and then ski/sledge/have snowball fights or just go to a cafe for hot chocolate in the afternoon. Fridge the elders aim is getting better so maybe we might have to reconsider the snowball fights
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thatmanwoody,

If you ask my kids (and I've got one timid/sensible/whatever one) getting the right ski school in the most important thing. They hated ESF (anywhere) but liked BASS in Morzine. Just a thought!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I would suggest a "family" orientated chalet, but to be honest after a full days skiing the kids were not bothered about organised events, but did like playing outside in the snow, The big problem is then getting their gear dry for in the morning.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
snowbizz at Puy St Vincent ticks the boxes for me. Lessons are in english by good english speaking instructors who only teach snowbizz kids. There are half a dozen nannies in the resort who were uniformally excellent. 2 hours kids club in the evening where they do a wide range of things. there is a sledging area with inflatable walls whihc is a lot of fun for kids (and dads). Skiing area is small and filters into the same area (a plus for kids & parents - not so good for good skiers). the ski school does free family guidng in the afternoon so all the kids can show the parents all the little ramps and routes through the trees.
They also had skidooing and dog sledding as well. Not that much in the way of non-snow related activities though - but then I didn't look.

Within a couple of days you feel like you know everybody in the resort as do the kids.
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Hi guys,

Sorry for the delay in replying. Many thanks for your thoughts. We're looking at booking something from the 8th March so thankfully that will be after the half term has finished. Will have a look at France as we've never actually been there to be fair. Its always going to be a struggle when he's coming on his own, but I'm hoping he'll meet some friends when we get wherever we go. There's always an abundance of kids in any resort regardless of when we go!!

We've thought about chalets, but being a nine year old he's 'particular' about what he eats!! If we looked at Self catering, are there reasonably priced eateries? we've always been put off France by the price..

Activity wise, I'm sure we'll find stuff to keep him entertained.. He seems quite keen on the prospect of being able to 'snowball' me and trip me up whilst skiing..
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thatmanwoody, the 8th March is the best week to choose, for French resorts. Possibly the best week of the whole season; good choice. If you choose a chalet where there are a number of kids you might well find they do earlier evening meals, with child-friendly good choices and not too much YFS (Yukky Foreign Stuff). Self catering might be a bit lonesome with just the two of you. You could have a look at Les Gets - the BASS school generally gets good reviews (we found it very good, if a bit pricey, and on the whole most Snowheads feedback has been positive). Snowbizz at Puy St Vincent sounds very good too.
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