 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone, just wondering if any of you have any advice about ski school or ski kindergarten for my little girl. We are going to Zell in March and are considering putting her in ski school but am worried it may be too much for her, do they have specialised pre-school / childrens instructers for the little ones or do they rotate the "normal" instructers? Also in ski kindergarten how much skiing do they do as compared to indoor activities? Do they look after them i.e making sure they have their gloves on properly, fastened up there jacket properly.......... Would we be better off booking her a private lesson or would that be too intense for her?? Would welcome anybodies comments / experiences.....
Many thanks
Sam.....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Babs 2004, welcome to snowHeads 
I've not got any experience of kids ski lessons for that young, but a few years ago the school group that I was with had an instructor who usually worked with the tiny ones. (I think her name was Kat - was based at Schuttdorf). She loved it with the little ones and I can image would have been really good with them. I don't know if the others who had the little uns had that age all the time or not.
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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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Hello
I have a little girl, Daisy, who will be 4 in the middle of Feb. Last year she went to the ski kindergarten and this year has done her first week of proper ski school (age 3 and 11 months). I would definately do the ski school if I were you. Firstly the kindergarten is at the bottom of the nursery slope and may be a bit slushy in march. Also they dont leave the designated area, the ski course starts at the middle station. Both will teach her how to snow plough turn and stop but once they have mastered this then the ski course will take them up the mountain on some gentle blues. Daisy was the youngest in the class and did get tired by the last run but they just helped her back down between their legs. I think when they have never skied before one on one tuition is a waste of money, also they use a travelator in the ski school to get them back up the slope which you wouldnt have in a private lesson. The instructors are all really nice with the kids but Im not sure how much they rotate. So ´far as making sure they are warm etc they tend to let the kids get on with things a bit and will only help if asked. It sounds a bit harsh but I think its the best way as it teaches them from the start to be more self sufficient, putting on their own skis etc. I have 3 children so I definately would rather that than have to put on all of their gloves skis etc as well as my own.
If theres anything else you wantto know about the resort then let me know.
Mel
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hi there
Thanks for the welcome Elizabeth!! and your advice!! I've had a look on the ski school website and it looks like all the ski schools for tiny ones are over in Schuttdorf, we are booked into the Hotel St George, it looks like a bus ride to schuttdorf, do you know how long??
Mel, well done to little Daisy, sounds like she did really well!! My little girl is only just 4 (end of Dec) and I think she will definately be tired after 2 hrs skiing!! Did Daisy manage to do any skiing her first year? we took Sophie skiing last year when she was just 3 & 3 months, rented her some skis but she didn't really get the hang of it, didn't get her any lessons though. Think we will see what the snow is like and book her into the Mini Kids, think I would be too tempted to stalk the class if we sent her up the mountain!! (just kidding). Thanks for the info
Sam.....
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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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If you are staying in the St Georg then send your daughter to Skischule Zell am See kid's ski school at the Schmittental (at the bottom station for Trass Xpress lift). You can jump on the bus outside the hotel which takes you directly to ski school (5 mins). The kids ski school here is excellent, they use a Skidoo and trailer to take the kids up and down the slope, rather than a magic carpet or travelator, so it's much more fun for them. They will have your daughter snowploughing within the first day, and the instructors are really experienced. Look for the big inflatable teddy bear and you will be in the right place. THey take kids from 3 if they are strong enough, and you can decide whether to do 2 or 4 hours.
The kindergarten at Schuttdorf is too far for you to go to everyday.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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That's great, thanks very much, think 2 hrs will be long enough for her first try.
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Babs 2004, when are you going? We are off to Zell with our 4 year old daughter on 28th February and are asking ourselves all of the same questions! She is not very good at joining in group activities but loves the ski-ing part. We are in a dilemma about what to do with her - ski school or just kick around with dad on the nursery slopes for a couple of hours?
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Hi Lorenzo, we are going 14th March, shame we could have got them together! Our little one is a bit of a social animal so I think she will love being with other kids if there's any close to her age but not sure she will concentrate for a full lesson, 2 hrs is a lifetime for her to stick at anything at the moment. We took her to Bansko last year and rented some skiis so she could get a feel for them and try to get her balance but mostly we skidded about on sledges and made snowmen n snowcats n dogs which was great fun. We'll be really pleased if we can get her snowploughing as we can do a bit more together this time but I don't want to leave her in school for 2 hrs and her have a miserable time, could put her off forever! I think from past experience (of swimming) that she will have a go and learn more if I'm not there to mollycoddle her. Definately think we'll book 3 half days and see how the first day goes. Hopefully she'll love it.
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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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Babs 2004, there are two web-sites for kiddy ski lessons in Zell -
http://www.sport-alpin.at/skischule_english/ski/kiddy.htm
and
http://www.ski-zellamsee.at/en/kidsonski.html
I can't distinguish much between the two, or really work out with any certainty where they operate.
If you get any recommendation of one over the other, I would be interested to know!
Our daughter has done a block of dry slope lessons (about 8 hours in all) and that was enough to get her snowploughing, stopping, turning and even using the grab lift. It doesn't take them long to pick it up.
I think 2 hours will fly past for your daughter if she enjoys the ski-ing part. We are planning to book for a single session and see how it goes!
Have fun!
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Thanks for the links Lorenzo, have had a look and , like you can't really work out what's what! Will have a word with the rep on the bus, hopefully they will point us in the right direction.
Looked into getting some dry slope lessons for Sophie but they have to be 5 yrs here so she'll be an (almost) complete beginner, think she'll love it though.
Have a great holiday!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The top link operate at Schuttdorf, on the nursery slope next to the Arietbahn I gondola or at Schmittental near the Schmittenhoe/Sonnenberg cable cars and the trass xpress gondola. The 2nd link operates at Schuttdorf, in the same area as the other one. Neither place is near the centre of Zell, so depending on where you are staying will involve a bus ride.
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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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I was offered a job at www.ski-zellamsee.at 
My teacher for the first half of my Anwarter is from that school; and i found him fabulous!
He said the're one of the biggest children ski schools of Austria...
As for care of sunnies, gloves etc etc, I consider that a primary concern of a childrens teacher!
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Thanks for that Ronald, would have hoped that the first concern would be to "look after" the little ones, and if they have fun and learn to ski then that's a bonus! Not that I am expecting her to be nannied by the instructer but they tend not to have the foresight to keep warm and look after their eyes at the tender age of 4!
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