Thanks.
Does anyone know what the age requirement/minimum is for a kinder ski school? I searched some previous posts about ski school but found nothing on age minimum.
The ski school we used in Einsiedeln was a 4 year old minimum but it varies. If you want them to take lessons earlier than that, they usually advise you to go to private teachers.
There is a specialised childrens ski school in Siviez (4 Vallees) called Arc en Ciel who take kids from the age of 2.5. They are very professional and have a great reputation.
If you have babies and tiny children, many of the ski-schools also have a creche, so that you can ski while the babes are looked after.
In Champery, in the Portes du Soleil, they are taking my 1-year-old grand daughter during the New Year holidays.
We've gone to Serfaus (Austria) with the kids - and started them at 3 1/2. I think that is probably the youngest I would want to do, as they are potty trained by then. Serfaus also has a great childcare organized by the town, or many hotels have childcare if you want it.
I'm a private professional ski instructor and I don't take kids under age of 6, but we have a special where we have kids from ages 4 - 8 and get introduced to skiing with a lot of success!
Most resorts take kids from 4 and above- we tried hard to get my grandson into ski school aged 3 3/4 - but they wouldn't budge- and he had to go into kindergarten pre ski school the first year we went together. Last year he joined ski school aged 4 3/4 and he was skiing from the top of the mountain by day 3. Starting too young can put them off for life.
In his class last year, there was a little girl who cried all day long for the whole week. Parents just dumped her, kicking, screaming, crying- and she never stopped for hours. The parents obviously wanted to have time skiing together, and Oh I understood that - but it seemed clear that this little one would hate hate hate skiing forever and ever. With young children it really pays to have lots of patience when first on the slopes - and then you will have an absolute ball skiing together for the rest of your life.
My youngest started at 3.5, he has done 2 seasons now of morning lessons on a Saturday & loves it. He now asks every day when the snow is going to come as he really wants to get back on skis again.
was this here in Switzerland? We have been going in Austria but I would be willing to try something here if the facilities are right! Are there any other recommendations for ski schools that would take a 3 1/2 year old?
Thanks!
I am also searching for a ski school for a 3 1/2 year old.
Gurten (Bern) offers ski lessons starting at 3 years old, but they have no snow yet I think they are 1 hour lessons for 20 chf. You can also rent skis/boots for the kids right on site.
Engelberg have ski kindergarten from 2.5 and ski school from 3. My daughter took some group lessons here.
http://www.skischule-engelberg.ch/me...011_150dpi.pdf
From Zurich you could call/ look online at Flumserberg as well if you are looking at weekend lessons.
Our daughter started at 3 because she saw it and said she wanted to do it. She's now 5 and she can stop, turn, etc on decently steep bunny hills. I suspect she will be doing blue runs by the end of the season but no rush.
Shhh...don't tell everyone about Engelberg!!!
Skiing lessons without parents start there from age 3 but many of the younger kids I see in the classes either won't start the class or get tired fast. The like to put the day lessons right after lunch too, right during nap time for the younger ones.
so are the lessons only 1/2 day, then? We, bad parents who love to ski, have put our 3+ year olds in full day lessons - even included lunch for the 2nd one as cousins and sister was doing that option as well...but this was in Austria.
The lessons are 1/2 day with lunch and afternoon care until 6pm for a little extra.
Thanks!
I keep going back and forth as to whether or not we should try someplace new, or stick with where we have always gone and know the routine (the kids know it as well...) and have a great hotel where we like to stay. Probably we will eventually try a new place, but maybe not for 2 years or so. You spend SO much money when you go for a full week, I would hate to go somewhere and the spend the whole time comparing it to what we know!