 Poster: A snowHead
|
Yeah, first post in anticipation of the 11/12 season 
Anyways, thinking we might have a go at getting littlealways / sideways_junior on the snow this winter when he'll be just 2. Possibly a ridiculous idea, not least because they might not make kit that small - does anyone have idea about smallest skis / boots commonly available for hire? Or perhaps some kind of "toy" skis we could use?
Thankyou!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
i'd recommend borrowing some toy skis from a shop in resort, that's what we did for our daughter when she was just about two, then the following winter when she was getting towards three she was itching to have a go on some "real skis"!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
always29, IIRC the smallest boots you can get are mondo size 15.0 and skis 70cm, I noticed a lot of these last season in Switzerland where the ski school there had a Snowman class which took 2 year olds, I am not sure if they are readily available everywhere. The plastic toy skis are a bit shorter and just strap over normal snow boots. Keep your eye out on ebay for tiny gear 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Our little(ish!) one started skiing at the start of last season aged 2 (he turned 3 at the end of the season) - his ski day typically involves a combination of playing snowballs (Whistler/Grouse snow well suited for that!), building snowmen, bursts of highly entheusiastic skiing including finding any available bumps/jumps/pow! (he's just about got the hang of turning and stopping now), and lots of hot chocolate 
He has proper DIN soled Rossi boots for proper skis, though he's a bit of a tank so his are 16.5. The shop did have smaller ones though.
With respect to age and starting skiing, as mentioned above he's quite big and strong for his age, and we only ski for a few days in a row so it's not too much. There was a very noticable difference to his skiing as he got older; not just becasue he'd been doing it a while, but also I think because he was physically stronger and started to be able to understand and concentrate enough to be able make himself turn and stop.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
<div> </div><div> My youngest was 2 years 7 months and quite small for his age - had the kit as per Sarah from quite a small resort (tbh I think all resorts cater for 2 year old in someway - I think it is more important to make sure you do different "stuff" with them as per stuarth. A nursery slope with a travelator is a real boon though) - I think it is worth taking them, just bringa camera...</div>
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
 One of the cutest things I ever saw was little girl twins, aged 20 months, on plastic skis strapped to little snow boot things (ie not ski boots) going up a little travelator, and skiing down. Round and round. They were loving it. But it all depends on the child. Our youngest grandchild was barely walking on her first snowy holiday last Christmas. She did some gentle toboganning and absolutely loved it. But our eldest grandchild, at much the same age, hated it - she couldn't stand the feeling of sliding along, out of control, though she enjoyed pulling her teddy around on the tobogan. So one of those two will probably enjoy a first slide on some plastic skis at a young age, the other started very gingerly with "proper" lessons, with a sweet and very patient private instructor, at 5. She couldn't possibly have coped earlier, though she's a strong child, and well co-ordinated - the sort of child who never fell off sofas or down stairs as a todder because she soon learnt to get down safely. It was nothing to do with strength or coordination and all to do with mental attitude, particularly to the "out of control slidey" feeling which at the heart of all snowsports. Even with dad encouragingly waiting 5 metres away with arms outstretched to catch her, Lily wouldn't slide downhill on the toboggan though she was quite happy to sit on it and be pulled UP a path, rather than struggle up on foot, and she loved playing in the snow. She was very taken with snowboarding - this is her doing her gnarly "snowboard" pose.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
thanks for all the replies so quickly! He's been walking since 10 months and while he's not particularly big, he's very strong and sturdy. Will keep an eye out for plastic skis when we're away next - might even actually buy a pair as his little brother will be with us soon so they'll be getting more use than just one season!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Hi NickyJ, thanks for that, good to know I wasn't having a moment of pre-natal hormonal madness in thinking about little plastic skis! Will have a look out for some and use them on the result of my post-natal hormonal madness in booking a trip to Pesiey with esprit in January. I do hope you manage to find some last minute bargain to get on the snow at some point this season to get your girls (and you of course!) on the snow again (well Ellie, if not quite Keira yet).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sorry to bump this, but just to say we bought a pair of those plastic toy skis last year for our then 16 month old.
'Binding' was broken beyond repair within 15 minutes. Straight in the bin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
paulio, I'd maybe not splash the cash on those until next season. We had our wee girl on her first ski holiday last season and she had those plastic skis strapped on over snow boots. She had a blast with them, but only for very short periods of time. You need to bear in mind that our wee kids haven't yet developed the sustained enthusiasm, muscles or attention span to have a real pair of skis on their feet for any length of time. Best thing about the wee plastic ones are they are so light so the kids don't feel like they're trapped into the ski. They can really just plod about on them, and they still slide well enough for when you're holding on as well.
We'll be getting our girl real skis on her feet this coming season, but only because she's started listening more to instruction etc. (tennis club* has been good for that).
*not much tennis played, just mucking about with bats and balls and other bits and pieces.
These are the skis we got and they are great.
http://www.littleskiers.co.uk/shop/view/22_toddler_skis/114_toddler_skis__kids_plastic_skis
Will hold on to them for another year then move them on i think.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
shoogly, we had those exact ones last year.
15 minutes. Bin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
really... acht well. your kid must be harder on eqiupment that ours
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
I did it, really, with my big clumsy spanner-like hands.
I couldn't get his feet to stay inside those cheap plastic strappy binding things, and in my effort to tighten it up the whole thing just disintegrated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
In fact, here's a photograph of me actually in the process of breaking them:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
we started both of ours at 2.5yrs - bought a bundle of skis and boots on ebay (around 10-20 for a pair of boots and 10-50 for skis) and they spent no more than an hour at a time skiing (then hot chocolate, tobogganing, mucking about for a bit) - we used a great slope just outside a restaurant, and they went down about 30m run, I carried them back up with skis on, and they went down again, and so on. They are both now very good - ski the whole mountain and use any lifts - boy (5) very good technically, but then he always skied parallel right from the beginning, and girl (7) who errs a bit on the 'open jacket...look how relaxed I am ('english girl at Val') kind of style' - but hopefully she'll grow out of it (but probably won't).
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Quote: |
I couldn't get his feet to stay inside those cheap plastic strappy binding things, and in my effort to tighten it up the whole thing just disintegrated.
|
maybe if the straps had been stronger the little chap's feet would have disintegrated - in fact, they were maybe designed as sacrificial straps, with hyper-strong fathers in mind. You're the sort of guy who puts the wheel nuts on so tight that no normal person can change a wheel, aren't you, paulio?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
I am basically Lennie from Of Mice And Men.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ellie was/is desperate for poles as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Looks like I have 1 more year of not carrying Sideways_Jnr's skis as well as his mothers - CURSE THIS SNOWBOARD FOR LEAVING ONE CARRYING ARM!!!
Best to get him over to the darkside as quickly as possible. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
