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For ski chat, join the Mumsnet Ski forum. Check out our guide to the best resorts in Europe and our family ski holiday packing list.

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Ski and snowboarding

To start lessons on a dry ski slope or wait until the snow...

15 replies

TopsysMum · 29/01/2015 11:03

Ok, I'm in a quandary. We're going skiing at Easter with my seven and four year old who've never skied.

My question is do we start the boys in the mini ski school at the local dry slope (nearest snow dome is around 150 miles away...) or just go to Milton Keynes when next at my parents or wait till we go...

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Busydad2011 · 29/01/2015 11:30

Personally we're waiting until we get to our resort before starting lessons for Dc. Certainly wouldn't do a 150 mile drive. If there is the opportunity for a taster session when you are near a dry slope then take it if only to keep the enthusiasm up for their holiday. Having skied both as a child and adult I didn't find being on a dry slope first helped that much, any advantage was over after the first 20 mins of lessons. Just mho

lavendersun · 29/01/2015 11:39

Dry slope all the way if it is at all convenient. I had never skied until I met DH who went to Uni in a ski resort and is very very good.

Year one - very embarrassed me skiing with someone I had known for two months, badly.

Year two - DH was away with work for 6 months and I went to the slopes every Sunday for an hour - I was amazing .

We took DD (then 7) for two courses (12 weeks I think) before her first skiing holiday and she was signed off to ski out of class. First time on snow she joined the intermediate class (can't remember what level badge she got). The instructor chap said she was like someone they see in their 5th year of ski holidays.

Ours is only 30 miles away though (still a pain every week).

PestoSnowissimos · 29/01/2015 11:40

Do the local dry ski slope lessons. It is soooo worth it. Your DC's will get the feel of the boots & skiis and you have enough time now to get them started. If they learn to do controlled snowplough turns before you go, they will be streets ahead and it will give them confidence.

I did this with DD2, booked her a day's course at our local dry slope & she was flying by the end of it. The next time we went she was able to just do 'open practice' with me. She had a great time when she finally did hit the slopes with her school and was put into the top group and they went all over the mountain.

Since then she has skiied with me & has no problem at all in keeping up, she has taken to it like a duck to water and is a very competent skier

Go book those dry ski slope lessons, you won't regret it

TopsysMum · 29/01/2015 12:03

Dry slope is only 10 miles away and has Pom o lift and nursery slope. They do an hour clas for 3-7 year olds every sat morning. Only £8 which I think is a bargain!

Great to hear from those that have done it. Thankyou!

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TopsysMum · 29/01/2015 12:04

Ps lavender your post did make me laugh!

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PestoSnowissimos · 29/01/2015 12:06

Good, I'm glad we helped. To be honest, as the slope has a drag-lift, that's another skill they will master prior to their holiday. I forgot about that - fab!

Our local slope is 3/4 hour drive from us, but we often go on a Sunday afternoon now, just to keep our hand in. T'is great fun

lavendersun · 29/01/2015 12:22

Topsy - it was all a bit Bridget Jones , I had barely known him for two months (7 weeks) I think when we went skiing.

I am fairly fit and sporty but god it was embarrassing - I remember being on the nursery slopes (lots of worried parents) with him skiing backwards and me holding onto one of his poles.

We were in the Dolomites and thankfully the divine Italian cafes dotted around the slopes helped me to forget my ability issues.

TopsysMum · 29/01/2015 13:34

Lavender I now have an image of Bridget Jones skiing down the nursery slope! Hillarious! (Now Colin Firth turning up on holiday could be a bonus

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Tokelau · 29/01/2015 13:38

I would definitely have a few lessons on a dry slope, it will save a few hours when you get there and hopefully you will progress more quickly once you are on the snow.

Don't be put off by the dry slope though. I find skiing on a dry slope a bit slow and boring, and I get cramp in my feet for some strange reason! It's much more fun on the snow!

museumum · 29/01/2015 13:41

skiing on dry slopes doesn't help a huge amount but it's DEFINITELY worth having experience of wearing skis and boots and getting clipped in and out and going to the toilet in salopettes, getting gloves on and off and all that stuff...

so for that reason only i would do what you can and is convenient and fun. Also - it will build excitement / anticipation and also make the whole thing less weird and scary when you go. also, it's a fun thing to do of a weekend.

I learned on a dry slope at age 10/11 (last year of primary) with a term of friday morning lessons. It meant I wasn't at all daunted or scared by trying on snow but it is different - you slide easier and faster on snow but you also have more control than on the dry surface and it's easier to turn.

lavendersun · 29/01/2015 15:35

museumum - it really did help me, a huge amount. I went from falling over, a lot, to being really confident and not falling over very much at all.

Honestly, I was clown like despite paying a rather handsome Italian instructor the first time I skied.

Second time I was fairly confident on blue/red runs - the only difference was the dry slopes during the year.

Now I am so good I make Eddie the Eagle look like an amateur .. oh wait .....

We are not skiing this winter - we decided to go to Venice and Rome instead.

This thread makes me want to go to the dry slopes, so much fun now that DD & I can go together. DH is absolutely NOT invited with his level of skill.

TopsysMum · 11/04/2015 20:28

Well to anyone reading this later on...

We did go to dry ski slope lessons and it made SUCH a difference. Really glad we did it.

Ds1 (7) bypassed the first group and was skiing blues by the end of the first day. DS2 (4) completed the first level skiing (he was allowed out of the snow garden!) after three days and was able to ski with us by the end of the week.

It was fab to be able to ski with our boys by the end of our hols, they were so proud of being able to show us what they'd achieved. We paid just £7.80 per hour lesson in the UK and it was so worth it as we got that extra family time on our home

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TopsysMum · 11/04/2015 20:30

Hols not home! bloody autocorrect!

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MeanwhileHighAboveTheField · 12/04/2015 11:12

Glad you had a great time :)

puffylovett · 12/04/2015 16:30

I'm just hopping in with my two penneth, we are planning our first family ski hol next year and have started my two boys at our local dry ski slope in March - it's been sooooooo worth it, they are total demons now and go twice a week, my eldest is aiming for the freestyle academy (we have pipes and rails at our centre!!)

I know that a transition to snow might not be the easiest, but they are really confident little skiers now, and having tried it out myself, it really showed me that a dry slope forces you to develop a good technique - I think you get away with a lot more on real snow.

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