What age did you first put your little ones on skis?

Three and half depending on strength and determination - yours!

My little one will be 3yrs 3mths when we go for his first time to la plagne.I have just recently started taking him to parent and toddler ski sessions at snozone and he loves it making them pizza shapes and walking like a penguin.You must take into account the ski school i read many reviews before plunging for oxygene ski kindergarden for ages 3-4 instead of esf ski school 3-6years!!!!7 weeks and not counting much!!

We're going to Zell am See in January for 5 days, and hoping that our 4 year old will take to the slopes for the first time.

I have a question regarding ski school for kids - does it usually only run on set days to tie in with the usual change over day in the resort? We're going to be skiing Friday - Tuesday, so I hope it's possible for him to go in to ski school these days (have literally just booked so not looked in to this too much yet).

Do you usually leave them at ski school the first day, and go off with your own group / class and leave them to it? I'm not sure if I should be staying to watch or help?

I'm happy to spend a few days just hanging out skiing with him if a private lesson is the best option?

shining star wrote:We're going to Zell am See in January for 5 days, and hoping that our 4 year old will take to the slopes for the first time.

I have a question regarding ski school for kids - does it usually only run on set days to tie in with the usual change over day in the resort? We're going to be skiing Friday - Tuesday, so I hope it's possible for him to go in to ski school these days (have literally just booked so not looked in to this too much yet).

Do you usually leave them at ski school the first day, and go off with your own group / class and leave them to it? I'm not sure if I should be staying to watch or help?

I'm happy to spend a few days just hanging out skiing with him if a private lesson is the best option?

Most ski schools will be completely flexible about the days - the main disadvantage of your plans is that the composition of the class will probably change completely on the Sunday - not sure this matters much to 4-y-os though!

One piece of advice: drop him off, then get out of there. It may sound callous but it really is the only way to go. I think the point has already been made earlier in the thread that if you hang around, he will more than likely act up and nobody will be happy - let him and the instructor get on with it. If you must check on him, do it from a distance, where he cannot see you. Oh, make sure he has a chocolate treat in his pocket for a snack during the day :!:

I started to ski when I was 3 and loved it!! :D

Most of the Austrian Instructors learned to ski from the age of 2 or 3. It is just taken for granted in the Tirol, as no doubt it is in other Alpine countries.

But as with all other aspects of life at that age, it is treated as playtime. (Well actually, I haven't grown out of that mindset!) The young ones are there to have fun.

So they don't need parents there.

There is usually a back up, in the case of the young ones becoming fractious.

As they get a bit older, and are skiing on the mountain, there is a teacher at the front, and one at the back, and that makes good sense.

Wanderer wrote:

shining star wrote:We're going to Zell am See in January for 5 days, and hoping that our 4 year old will take to the slopes for the first time.

I have a question regarding ski school for kids - does it usually only run on set days to tie in with the usual change over day in the resort? We're going to be skiing Friday - Tuesday, so I hope it's possible for him to go in to ski school these days (have literally just booked so not looked in to this too much yet).

Do you usually leave them at ski school the first day, and go off with your own group / class and leave them to it? I'm not sure if I should be staying to watch or help?

I'm happy to spend a few days just hanging out skiing with him if a private lesson is the best option?

Most ski schools will be completely flexible about the days - the main disadvantage of your plans is that the composition of the class will probably change completely on the Sunday - not sure this matters much to 4-y-os though!

One piece of advice: drop him off, then get out of there. It may sound callous but it really is the only way to go. I think the point has already been made earlier in the thread that if you hang around, he will more than likely act up and nobody will be happy - let him and the instructor get on with it. If you must check on him, do it from a distance, where he cannot see you. Oh, make sure he has a chocolate treat in his pocket for a snack during the day :!:

thanks for that advice!! I'm nervous about leaving him and him getting upset, but I know it's the best option!

A couple of years ago I was in Seefeld and could not ski, I had broken ribs and thought it best not to. So I sat myself at the top of Rochutte mountain and watched Hubby and every-one else. There was a group of kiddies with one instructor, they fascinated me.
They were probably in the 4-6 yrs category they went down six abreast, ziz zagging along behind the coach, chatting away, giggling, one dropped a glove, one managed to pick it up and throw it to the other, giggling all along, patting each other on the back, chatting. One took what looked like a small pocket game out of his pocket, the other one leaned over and had a look. All the while they never stopped skiing, never fell, never looked back. I stood up and watched them all the way to the bottom. Such confidence, and fun. They were naturals.