What's the youngest children can start skiing?

[massistar]

My DS started when he was about 3 1/2 with some one on one lessons and loved it. The following year he went into ski school and hated it, the groups were too big and the stupid instructor was more worried about chatting up pretty girls. Then last year he went into a smaller ski school with only 6 in the class and loved it. So very mixed experiences. My DD will be just turned 3 in January when we go at the end of February next year. Is that too young? They do have a little tiny tots area where we are going or we could do one on one again. Has anyone else's children started at 3?

in Europe they start at 2 yrs, so I am sure 3 yr is fine...

2 for skiing. 6 for snowboarding.

ds1 started on his third birthday. i think dd1 did too? can't remember.

tbh we just put them on reins though and skiied a bit on the nursery slopes, and then they had the tots lessons through daycare, which was only an hour or so.

it's all they are interested in. until they are 5 or 6 a proper ski school is a bit ott - ours have always wanted to be playing with the stuff in the lodge!

if you only go once or twice a year, it doesn't have much of an impact on their ability, either. kids who start at 6 or 7 are likely to be just as competent.

Thanks all. I wasn't going to go for full on ski school, will be just for an hour and she had loads of fun last year sledging and playing in the snowpark that there will be plenty to keep her amused I'm sure!

I didn't know they could board at 6, thought it was 10. DH and I are both boarders so makes skiing with them in that between your legs way quite difficult.

Think boarding depends on being able to hire the kit as well.

Ds2 tried boarding first at 4, but that was in a resort that made a point of having small stuff and letting kids start early.

Where we now go I think group lessons start at 8 but they can have 1-2-1 as soon as they fit the hire kit ( or you buy your own!) ds3 is desperate to try, but expect even at 7 he will still be way to small for rental kit.

round here they say 8-ish for boarding. there are folk who buy kit and start younger, but there has been some discussion of issues around posture and bone growth for youngsters (as it's not quite symmetrical in the same way that skiing is, esp when you are learning etc). i'm not a boarder though (although dd1 wants to try it this season - typisch, heinm just when we've forked out for a new pair of twin tips for her. ) i'm not that bothered, she's just going to try it at the mo, and will mostly ski, and even if she decides that boarding is her thang then her new skis are just right for me to put them into use, and i really must try my boots in her bindings... . she's nearly 12.

we thought ds1 would want to board last year (he's nearly 10 now) but we met a great (male) aussie instructor who hit it off with ds1 and so he was completely hooked back onto skiing.

On the Italian Alps it is usually suggested to put them in group school at about 5/6.

Before then, they can have 1 to 1. I think it is up to your child's stamina and personality at exactly what age they can start.

Mine both started at about 4.5. Personally, I couldn't be bothered when they were younger than that.

My DS went to ski kindergarten in Bulgaria when he was just turned 4, they did some skiing in the afternoons (mornings indoors) but it was optional and DS preferred making snow men and playing on snow bikes and things. The skiing consisted of very basic strap on skis and little boots, he would just lean forward and glide down a little slope.

At 5 (nearly) 6 he went to ski school in Austria, morning and afternoon and absolutely loved it. I was worried about him being cold, or worse having a wee accident in all his layers but he was fine. They knew exactly how to keep the children keen the whole time. By the end of the week he was able to go up 'the big mountain' on a gondola or ski endlessly on an easy run near the ski learner slopes.