Skischool for children who've never skied before - 2hrs or 4hrs per day? Group or individual?

A snowHead

I want my kids (aged 6 & 9) to get the best out of their first ski trip this Christmas.

We're booking skischool for 9 - 11 every morning (we're only 50 metres from the meeting point), but I am wondering if it would be sense to book afternoon lessons too.

My worries are that they can only do afternoons from 2:30 - 4:30 or 3 - 5: I reckon by then they will be knackered, and it could well be brass monkey weather on the slopes, particularly in December: which will mean they won't enjoy it at all.

I know that all children are different; ours are pretty fit (we cycled 15 miles at the weekend), but skiing does take it out of you! Has anyone got any experiences that they could pass on? It's another 100 euros to take the afternoons as well: for the same money, we could book them 2 personal lessons at lunchtime instead.

Whilst I've got your attention wink

, would they get more from the group (max 8 children) lessons, or would I be better booking them all their lessons as a pair? The cost is actually not that much more to have 5 x 1 hour as a pair, rather than 6 x 2 hours in a group...but I quite like the idea of them being in a group.

Any help would be great.

Thanks in advance.

Nuck.

A snowHead

my tuppence worth, book them in for group lessons in the morning then get them to "show off" what they've learnt with you in the afternoon until tiredness/weather intervenes. you'll still be able to add the afternoon lessons mid-week if they are enjoying it so much that they want to carry on.

enjoy it while you can, they'll be far better than you soon Very Happy

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Nuck_the_king, Dont forget that ski school might put them in different age group classes depending on the number who are learning.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Just have the lessons in the morning! Ask the instructor where they skied that morning and ask the kids to show you what they did in the afternoon. They'll be pleased as punch to show you the slopes they took on that morning.

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Nuck_the_king, my boys skied in two hour lessons in the morning (this was in France), we met them for lunch and then 'practised' all together. It was a different kind of ski holiday for us - we were used to skiing from early until late, with a just a couple of short breaks - but it was brilliant Very Happy

They loved being able to show off, and we loved all being together and having the experience to chat and laugh about.

For the second part of your question, our first 'family' ski holiday was in a small, very French resort and group lessons would have been a waste of time (all French children and ours only had a smattering of the language) so we put them in private lessons but together. This worked very well for us all, and they learnt immeasurably more than if they had been in a group (this was ESF by the way).

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Nuck_the_king, I agree with the posts above - it will mean a lot more to the kids if they can share their (probably pretty fast) progress with you. And if they're tired, or a bit bored, or the weather is completely horrible (not unusual at christmas, and it gets dark early) do other stuff.

After all it is free

Another thought. In France, the morning or afternoon lessons are alternatives - so they'd be doing the same things in the afternoon, but with different kids. I suspect that might not work too well - the dynamics of the group through the week can be quite important.

Morning only IMO. En famille in the afternoon.
At Xmas it is cold after the sun drops behind the mountains about 2.30/3.00pm the kids can get tired and cold and you can undo all that confidence they have gained in the morning lessons. Lots of hot choc breaks and a bit of tobogganing or snow fun can be fitted in as well.

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You dont mention where are you going Nuck_the_king,

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Lessons AM - Family fun PM snowHead

snow reports

Nuck_the_king, Definately Lessons AM - Family PM

Agree with the others here, morning is plenty for lessons, then familly practice in afternoon if they're up for it. (That might be limited for the first couple of days while they master the basics.) Keep it easy in the afternoons though and close to home for when the cold/tiredness sets in. Depends on the children, but trying too much, too soon, can knock confidence (even though they think they can do it to start with!). Being confident to carry them down if they've had enough helps, but you 9 year old might be on the big side for that!

Try and ensure they are in group of english speakers with an instructor who speaks good English (unless they have language skills of course). Have seen my son alienated by ESF before by being in the minority of an English/French group with an instructor who spent most of the time teaching in French, then getting cross because my son didn't understand.

You know it makes sense.

Yes great advice. We took our kids on a similar Christmas trip to what it sounds like you are trying to do. It was their first time skiing and they went to their classes with instructors in the morning and during the afternoon showed us what they learned. This gave us plenty of time to enjoy our own skiing in the mornings and then share our skiing experiences together in the afternoon. It was the best of both worlds for sure.
Burton snowboards

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

not sure who you are going with ( company that is) - last few time we have been with esprit
we arranged to collect kids and had alternate dads/mums after noons
that means the mums or dads went off in groups and did a bit of sking with the other
half of the pairing taking the kids for show off sessions, buboarding, snowballfights
etc

even if you can only arrange if for 2 days in the week it can be excellent fun

A snowHead

Thanks to one and all for your extremely helpful replies. As suggested by all of you, we will use the afternoons for family stuff.

We are going to Aussois, and, after all your advice, I have booked a moniteur for 2 hours every morning just for the 4 of us.

The idea is that he will teach the kids and Mrs Nuck for the first 90 mins (probably with me there too, in case I have forgotten anything..); then he and I will go off for 1/2 an hour to practice slightly more advanced stuff.

I've gone with an independent school (but included in the Aussois website) and they're going to charge 35 euros per hour - so if we have five 2-hr lessons, 350 euros actually works out just slightly cheaper than all of us in groups of 8 with Ecole du Ski.

Hopefully this will work out. Thanks once again for all of your help.

Nuck.

A snowHead

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

Dave,

Have a great time. have responded to your PM.

Nuck.

Help!!

Skischool for children who've never skied before - 2hrs or 4hrs per day? Group or individual?

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