Looking after kid on slopes

A snowHead

We are off to Zell am See with our 4 year old daughter soon. She can snowplough but has only skied on a dry slope and Snowzone. I would like to take her to some easy blues on the mountain but this raises lots of questions. Any help would be appreciated!

1. She does not use poles yet. Should I introduce her to those, as they seem pretty important when out on the snow for pushing over flats etc?

2. When I am looking after her I leave my poles behind too, so I have both hands free to help her when necessary. Should I take poles with me on the mountain, or will they get in the way?

3. We have shared a poma, but any tips for a sharing T-bar and chairlift would be appreciated! The blue runs at Zell seem to have both of these.

4. If we hit an unexpected tricky part, or she otherwise gives up for some reason, is there a technique for helping her back down the hill? I think I may have seen kids ski-ing between their parent's legs but is that easy and safe enough?

5. Anything else I should know!!

Many thanks im advance for any advice.

A snowHead

Lorenzo, are you going to get her lessons? if you are, that might influence your time together

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

1. She does not use poles yet. Should I introduce her to those, as they seem pretty important when out on the snow for pushing over flats etc?

NO - not yet. Too soon. If it is that flat - you can push/pull her.

2. When I am looking after her I leave my poles behind too, so I have both hands free to help her when necessary. Should I take poles with me on the mountain, or will they get in the way?

Not in the way if you are a decent skier - you say "We" - so hand them to your partner if you need to.

3. We have shared a poma, but any tips for a sharing T-bar and chairlift would be appreciated! The blue runs at Zell seem to have both of these.

If you are happy riding a t-bar with it behind your knees it is easy on gentle slopes. Steeper inclines could be a different matter. Chairs (especially detachable express lifts) are less of an issue.

4. If we hit an unexpected tricky part, or she otherwise gives up for some reason, is there a technique for helping her back down the hill? I think I may have seen kids ski-ing between their parent's legs but is that easy and safe enough?

Depends again how strong and confident you are. I have skied fair distances carrying a kid cradled in my arms, but always with a very clear idea about how I was going to fall if needed. Sometimes you just need to do that for 100m to get your child to a place where they can build their confidence again.

5. Anything else I should know!!

It is fun - but not as you know it...!
Ski School is a good idea.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Lorenzo, the only T-bar I can think of on a blue run is the one just above Arietalm. It often only runs when the ski school are using it, and can be avoided by getting the chair lift. In terms of riding the chair, the lifties should help lift her on if needed, or you can just pull her up as it approaches. At the top you may need to help her jump down, but kids usually pick these things up quick!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Lorenzo, For the steeper parts I'd take some ski reins, these are handy for any hairy bits that you or your child doesn't like the look of. Don't leave them on too long because children learn quickly they can just aim downhill and expect you to do the braking so there not a great teaching tool but they will keep them safe. Don't bother with poles yourself they just get in the way. At 4 its probably just about time for poles (although not essential) they often drop them and trip over them but they have to learn sometime so you just have to put up with this.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Lorenzo. My youngest daughter was 4 and a half when we first took her skiing she had a great time and is now aged 7 and a ski veteran. In answer to your questions...

1. Our instructor was very reluctant for her to have poles; he thought they would be too much of a distraction. Being naive we allowed her to have poles on the last two days of the holiday as she 'wanted to look more grown up', the instructor was right of course the poles caused no end of problems.

2. Definitely take your poles they are great for giving tows up inclines when she becomes tired or lazy.

3. My wife and I always sat each side of our daughter on the chair lifts, then both of us were able help her off of the chair. Where we went the lift operators would slow the chairs right down when they saw we were with small children, this helped a lot.

4. We never had to help her down the mountain but then we only ventured onto easy blues and we made sure she was not too tired or bored.

5. Make sure she's warm and dry and that she uses the toilet every time you stop at a cafe or bar, our daughter had a little accident which I shall remind her of when she's older.

I am sure others will have much better advice for you but this worked for us.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

One word of warning: On chair lifts impress on them the need to keep their tips up when coming into land. Last year in Les Arcs, my 5 year old daughter didn’t, and was catapulted off the front of a high speed 6 man detachable when they caught. My wife and I both bent forwards and tried to catch her and did exactly the same thing, bringing us all off. Fortunately everyone (including the 5 year old) had the sense to lay flat on the ground and the lift went over the top of us to be promptly stopped my the lift chap. My 7 year old son sat next to us had not even noticed, had skied off normally and was 100 M away wondering where we had all got to. My 5 year old was telling everyone her crash story once the shock had worn off.

We used mainly the high speed chars last year, and the queues were generally non existent. We were generally able to sit the children straddling two seats with the safety bar coming down to rest between their legs, thus preventing them slipping forwards while in the air. We then allowed them to sit a bit forwards with the lower legs over the edge, rather than forcing them to sit right back with their backs against the back rest and the ski’s vertical in front of them

After all it is free

Lorenzo, no, leave her without poles. You might be better off without them too, if you're confident without them and can skate/herringbone etc. Only old farts need poles to poodle around easy slopes and in and out of lift queues. I had to spend day without them last week (because OH forgot to load them in the car rolling eyes

) and it did me no harm at all. But those reins do look quite a good idea for little ones. But unless you are both very competent and very patient, and willing to give up all your own skiing, I'd get her into some lessons.

Have fun!

snowHead

What everyone else has said. If you're using non detachable chairs, the liftie should slow it down (not too much or it becomes more difficult), especially if the lift serves beginner slopes. If she's little, check that she can't slip under the bar on the chair, hang onto her if necessary. Don't forget that you'll need to lift her on. On buttons, get her using it on her own asap, kids seem to find them easy enough unless the combination of a strong spring and a light kid means that they take off! On Ts, again, get her using them with other kids as soon as possible; our kids found it much easier to use T bars with each other or other kids than with us (and so did we). When we had to take them on Ts, I found it easier to put them in front of me, as on a button, than next to me.

4 is pretty young; she may ski from first lift to last, but more likely a few short sessions each day will suffice. Plenty of hot choc /coffee/coke stops. Lessons would be good unless you are or fancy yourself as a teacher; apart from anything else, kids enjoy learning with other kids, snowballing the teacher and generally arsing about. If group lessons are too much for her, a creche which offers an hour or two's lessons may be good for some days. She should learn how to use the various lifts and she's more likely to get good treatment from the lifties with the school than with you.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

richmond, Good point about kids with kids on Ts. I've ridden them with my mates son... he's ok but being dragged up with the bar at the back of your knees for ages is not fun for me Laughing

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I hate getting stuck with my poles when teaching kids, and tend to fling them at the first lifty I see. Just makes life harder and skating is way easier than poling anywhere anyway. You might find she's not all that into it - encourage, but don't force too hard - the most important part is your little guy has fun. Chairs, sit next to them and scoop up (this is where no poles is really important). T-bars - no idea Very Happy

Seriously consider getting some lessons. Parents tend to instill bad habits that are tough to break. I know you didn't mention it, but please, don't use a leash. I've had so many kids that just want to straightline everything and actively fight against any kind of turning or steering.

snow reports

Lorenzo, If you are going to ride theTBar make sure your daughter is on the exit side and Knows when to get off.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Agree with much of the above - our youngest was just 5 when we first went skiing.

Would agree with the suggestion you get her lessons - if you don't want to book her a full set ie every day (which can be a bit of a pain as it means firstly you have to be up, out, skied and booted and at ski school meeting point by 0900 usually and second because you have to get back 2 hours later to pick her up) then consider say a private lesson for a couple of days. As others have said she'll learn much quicker with an instructor, not pick up your bad habits and ours always enjoyed the social aspect of lessons with other kids.

Forget poles for her at this stage but I would take your poles - you'll ski better with them and they are useful for towing!

Re lifts - get her to start using pomas on her own asap, the lifties will make sure she gets on OK and kids take to them quite quickly. Pick one of the learner lifts to start with and then move on to the catapult variety when she is more confident - she'll love it! The newer fast chairs aren't that much of a problem - they slow down a lot and seem much lower than old chairs. Beware the old chairs that just come round and whack you on the back of the knees. When they are 4 they just get whacked in the back and knocked over. Be ready to give your daughter a lift up so she's sitting on properly - getting of they don't seem to have so much of a problem.

Be prepared that one of you will probably have to come in early with her - don't push it if she's getting tired. Lots of hot choc's often do the trick - we always pack plenty of chocolate in the rucksack and even a sandwich or two for that tiem when they unexpectedly get hungry.

Make sure she's warm - kids do feel the cold especially on windy lifts - lots of layers, balaclava, hat etc and get her a helmet.

Have a note of your mobile number and where you are staying and leave this in her jacket pocket along with her lift pass for when she becomes far too confident and zooms off into the distance - yes I know you think it won't happen but ....

A snowHead

Think everything has been covered.

From experience, particularly on narrow roads, I often found it easier to ski behind my kids. For one it put me between them and muppets going to fast, it also meant I could catch them and grab them if they were about to go over the edge. Was also easier to shout instructions.

On steeper bits, I made them follow me and made sure I did wide turns - rewarded with sweet if followed!

From having taken 3 kids over the years - the 4 most important points IMHO

1. Let the ski school teach them! Kids will listen to them, not parents. Use your time together to reinforce or just have fun.
2. Before you go out make sure they go to the loo, when you stop make sure they go to the loo
3. Always have a supply of treats on you to stop tears in case of falls etc
4. Always always always underestimate what they can do - if you're sure they can do 3 runs in the afternoon, just do 2 etc. There is nothing worse then being stuck on the mountain with a child who is exhausted, crying and having a paddy. They won't listen to reason, you'll lose your temper, you'll start arguing with your partner etc

I have been guilty of all 4 of the above Embarassed

A snowHead

My 6 year old is on her 4th season and is a competent skier but doesn't use poles as she finds them awkward, whilst having yet another go with them at xmas got herself caught up in the turnstile with her pole and wrist going in opposite directions to the rest of her, I am so used to her going on her own I forgot that it was an unusual situation for her and took my eye off her!

When she wants to try poles I take some Duct tape in my rucksack and tape them to my poles when she is fed up with them, but she also has to get herself uphill as I am not going to pull or carry her, unless I really really have to.

Also in the rucksack are drinks, snacks, baseball caps and sunglasses spare gloves ,suncream and tissues.

For chairs we have a mantra for getting off the chair, sit back, bar up, tips up, stand up and ski straight. Same goes for when you fall over, skis downhill which ski to put on first etc etc
You will also quickly learn
"guess how many chairs there are on this lift" and put up with "look dad this chair is your age" in too loud a voice

For Pomas we used to send someone up in front to make sure she got off the correct side and at the end as I have seen her get off at a corner because she didn't realise it wasn't the end.
But do spend time showing them the signs and what they mean so they can decide for themselves in due course.

If she got stuck on a slope then side slipping or lots of traverses and turns were in order to get her down the run, I wouldn't trust myself to ski with her between my legs as one small click of the skiis and you are both down.

If you need to have a picnic because she has had enough then pick your spot and admire the view.

Overtired and not enjoying the skiing ruins everybody's day so call it quits early enough that they still want to come back.

Take a camera, take a video camera and use them lots, so you can bore all friends and relatives and snowheads with the great exploits of your little 'un.

In a few years you wont get near them on the slope as they will be way better than you.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

My five year old went to ski school in Italy last year and we duly sent him off minus poles (it never crossed my mind to get him poles). When we collected him the ski instructor said he needed poles for the flat bits. We got the last laugh though, as said instructor spent an inordinate amount of time retrieving the poles from which ever lift junior decided to drop them from. Laughing

I'd say no to poles until they are old enough to go fetch them themselves!

You'll need to Register first of course.

We started our children ski-ing at 4 and 3 years, first in Scotland. I would echo the above comments esp as to taking it at their pace. The big battle has been with the cold - especially as we usually go just before Christmas/New Year and to high resorts .

I highly recommend for kids the little handwarmers - small sachets of some sort of chemical . You open the packet , shake it and it starts to heat up - the instructions say they last for 5 hours but we got much longer.

Bootwarmers of a different shape ( to go on toes ) available as well. We got them from Decathlon - about £5 for 5 pairs , money well spent.

Also get inners for gloves , they make a real difference .

We also " follow the sun " and try to avoid shadow wherever possible. Probably the best ski-ing for me has been all 4 of us doing easy blue runs together , a great family sport

Then in a few years they will be leaving you behind ..............

John

Help!!

Looking after kid on slopes

snowHeads Forum Index >>> The Piste