 Poster: A snowHead
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I have 2 little ones (4 & 1 by the time we go away next) wife does not ski yet but wants to have a try.
Would love to get our 4 year old out on the little slopes too.
Looking to go with a few other families maybe 4 in total all with children no older than 5 - some ski some just want to play in the snow.
Having been skiing for the first time this year and completely hooked I also want somewhere where I can continue to learn, and take the family so I can ski but also have sometime with them too.
Any recommendations? Maybe Europe as a first option as don't fancy a long flight with children just yet!
Many Thanks - need to plan/book my next fix ASAP.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Wengen, Switzerland.
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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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beanie1, Wengen cable car much too scary, I nearly had a heart attack stepping out onto the grate at the top where you can see straight to the valley floor!!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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tizzyb, you can avoid the cable car......they have trains 
Would second the suggestion of Wengen...and throw Zell am See into the mix.
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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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tizzyb, what grate, i never noticed it?! Maybe if you have a bad problem with heights but the Wengen - Mannlichen is not particularly vertigious as cable cars go.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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beanie1, if you exit the cable car on the right (as you look up) there is a metal walkway that has holes in it. Just don't look down!
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Les Saisies. Nobody has heard of it, which makes it a lot quieter and more family-friendly than the big places. Look at lessaisies.com
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Elizabeth B, yep took the train the second time. Much more fun...I love those angled seats to stop you sliding off.
Wengen is very pretty though.
Also liked Saas Fee, lovely village, good toy shop, little museum, and the snow play area is fab for kids and those wanting to do a spot of sledging. Total hotel (Ambassador) basic but big rooms suitable for families, reasonable price, and well located.
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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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tubbs, if the nippers are the only thing putting you off N.America, I shouldn't worry. They are the least trouble on the 'plane and seem to worry less about jet lag. We had good experiences in N.America with tuition for nippers from age 4 (just) upwards, specifically at Mammoth and Banff.
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well I was in Whistler last week and it did look good for the children - was OK on my own didn't know if too much for the children a long day overall getting there.
Funny enough a friend mention Banff - a potential I am sure 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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tubbs, if the nippers are the only thing putting you off N.America, I shouldn't worry. They are usually the least trouble on the 'plane and seem to worry less about jet lag. We had good experiences in N.America with tuition for nippers from age 4 (just) upwards, specifically at Mammoth and Banff. Banff is as good as any ski resort for non skiers, I reckon, and kids seem to love the town (me, too).
Have you considered leaving the 1 yo at home (with someone, obviously)? It's a bit of a fag taking it to the hills just to spend all your time and money trying to get someone to look after it (nothing personal, I'm sure it's charming, but it won't get a lot from a skiing hol).
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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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it won't get a lot from a skiing hol
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"it" will get a lot more from a skiing holiday than from being dumped for a week. IME one year olds sort of like to be with their parents. And some parents even like to be with their one year olds. I didn't get the impression that tubbs intended to spend all his time and money getting someone else to look after the baby; they are planning a family holiday, with other families. Sounds like a great idea to me.
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In some ways, I'd worry less about the resort than your accommodation. In particular, if you're planning childcare or ski-school, you want to stay as close as you possibly can to it. Little kids + winter gear + skis + long walk (or, worse, a bus) = miserable parents. Also, don't stay in a hotel - according to how much you like cooking, a small catered chalet or self-catering apartment is most practical in the evening.
When you've shortlisted your resort, look closely at the piste map. Ideally the beginner runs should be somewhere where advance skiers aren't likely to want to cut through in a hurry.
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You know it makes sense.
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| In some ways, I'd worry less about the resort than your accommodation. |
I'd agree with this, above all if you are in a resort without a car. Even with a car, getting them all in and out is a mission, and it's much nicer to have somewhere with snow outside, a suitable place to play, and maybe a little nursery slope within a short walk. If you are a little distance from the slopes (and even a few hundred metres is difficult for a 4 year old in ski boots) it's easier to use a car rather than inflexible ski buses. But only if you go to a resort where you can park close to the nursery slopes. You should also think about easy, free, gentle and accessible free lifts, for the kids and adult beginners.
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| need to plan/book my next fix ASAP |
Understandable, tubbs, but stick to planning rather than booking at the moment - there's a lot to think about and masses of advice (sometimes conflicting, natch) on Snowheads. Where? Self catering or chalet? DIY or TO? Group lessons or privates? Paid child care, or adults in the party taking turns? By the way, you didn't mention dates. Unless any of the adults are teachers you will presumably be able to go for the cheap, uncrowded option, rather than the half term scrum?
You also didn't mention your budget....
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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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| pam w wrote: |
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it won't get a lot from a skiing hol
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"it" will get a lot more from a skiing holiday than from being dumped for a week. IME one year olds sort of like to be with their parents. And some parents even like to be with their one year olds. |
I didn't mean to touch a nerve; it was merely a suggestion.
I wouldn't necessarily equate staying with, for example, g'parents for a week with 'dumping' (although it depends on the g'parents, I guess). I wouldn't say that having a kid cared for in a resort kindergarten or by a TO nanny is necessarily 'dumping', either, BTW. IME, 1 yos like to be with other family members than parents or even with other carers from time to time (I also happen to think that it's good for the nipper to be with others). And some parents find that 51 weeks out of 52 is enough time to spend with their 1 yos (I also happen to think that it's good for the parents to spend time away from their kids).
I realise that satisfactory alternatives to taking them along are not available to many parents and that some parents wouldn't want to leave them anyway. For some families it's an almost ideal solution, particularly for skiing hols.
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Poster: A snowHead
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richmond, as a devoted grandmother, one who does a fair bit of childcare, and one who regularly suggests on this forum that families take grandparents along on skiing holidays, to help share childcare (and also do some skiing  ) I do think that very few babies of 1 year old will enjoy being separated from both parents for a whole week. Many will be very unhappy, especially at night, even with a carer they know well. Most parents won't enjoy it either. That doesn't mean 24/7 contact is better or necessary. I worked when my kids were young (their dad looked after them, mostly), quite frequently had to travel internationally without them, and am definitely not a "tied to apron strings" parent. I left a 3 year old with a beloved grandma for a week, when we and the older two went sailing, and it worked a treat. But a baby is different. A holiday where a group of friends share child-care sounds good to me, and more affordable than the upmarket firms which look after them all day.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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tubbs, I was in Kappl recently and the childrens facilities and Kindergarten up the mountain looked impressive though we did not use them as our children are a bit beyond that stage. I don't know what age they start them from but you could have a look at this link. Very nice ski area as well.
http://www.kappl.com/en-sunny-mountain-winter.htm
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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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pam w, fair enough. Let's agree to differ a bit.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Go with Mark Warner if you can afford it and book their childcare. Worked a treat for us. Hilarious to see all the Mummies and Daddies unable to leave little dahling coz it was crying.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 27-02-08 12:20; edited 1 time in total
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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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Frosty the Snowman, I'm surprised that you hung round long enough to see the other parents
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Elizabeth B, The creche was between the boot room and the exit door. It was all I could do to keep my big gob shut.
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pam w, Well all are teachers but all part time now due to children and fingers crossed my wife won't need to go back this time if she does not want to. Great points about the location etc, I don't want to travel miles a day to get somewhere - where I stayed in Whistler was perfect, maybe I am answering my own question but I don't want to go to the same place all the time - maybe I need trips with friends as research
Budget - blimey er, less of an issue certainly not unlimited but I am not expecting a week away for less than £1000 either. I would imagine a chalet would suit us all best - maybe pool costs to get a better place/location We don't plan to party every night but that way we could easily go out as a group or cover each others children if some want to go out. I suppose I prefer a less mobbed place, all still quite new to me so not a lot of experience to base my decisions on.
Oh and it is a family holiday not a "dump the children off" and do our own thing - each to their own but not our thing - that isn't to say a few hours at ski school for the oldest isn't an issue just we are not looking for full time child care. As they grow in confidence I am sure in years to come they can go off and ski together but one step at a time me thinks.
T Bar, Kappl looks good thanks, we want them to play in the snow and hopefully love it, I am not strapping on ski's and forcing them - so anything to show them some fun will help - will look into it more - thanks.
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I think Mark Warner is too frenetic and stressful for small kids (ie under 5). It's great for older kids to make friends, great if parents ski to different standards and also great if you are a single-parent skier. Tubbs wants a family holiday ie spend time together, and I also agree that it's stressful for small kids to go to a strange place then be left with strangers for the best part of the day.
If you have small children and you want full-time skiing, either take grandparent or other known and loved adult to have the kids while you go off and ski (the expensive option), or leave kids behind with ditto - much cheaper, especially if like me your OH doesn't ski and never will . . . .
I started taking mine skiing with me when they were 5 and 7, with Mark Warner for 5 years, then on our own for 3 and this year with a bunch of good friends in a chalet.
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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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SuburbanSkier, are you saying we should give up skiing when the kids are young?
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No - I'm saying "either take grandparent or other known and loved adult to have the kids while you go off and ski (the expensive option), or leave kids behind with ditto". Ie go skiing but IF you want to ski all day every day (like me but not like Tubbs) then make your holiday arrangements fit with your kids' needs for a familiar carer and fun.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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tubbs, does that mean you have to go in school holiday time, if you are teachers? Bad luck. Your £1000 budget; is that per head? You should be able to do it for less than that, but definitely not for £1000 for the family. A catered chalet would be a good option, it's sociable and not nearly so much work, but self-catering would obviously be cheaper. Big self catering places are very hard to find, but with some research you should be able to find a catered chalet that would do the trick, including with some of the Snowheads who run chalets.
Have a look at Les Saisies, but there are no catered chalets there, and no Tour Operators. More English people each year, but DIYers. Some very nice apartments, including Le Village des Lapons (Erna Low have that one on their books) with a pool (nice for bad weather days) and very near everything.
Belle Plagne might be worth looking at - some good accommodation there, and some catered chalets, and there'd be snow outside the door. Which there might not be in otherwise nice places like Les Gets and Morzine. La Rosiere is also well worth a look.
Next big question then, is when to go.
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