Help please! No clue where to start on ski-ing with small children....

[pootlebug]

A bit of background....DH and I both keen but somewhat out-of-practice skiers. I haven't been since eldest DD was born nearly 6 years ago.

We have 3 small-ish kids:

• DD1 is nearly 6
• DS is 4.5
• DD2 is 20 months

I need somewhere where in an ideal world:

• the older two can do ski school for half the day and something fun the rest of the day. In an ideal world we'd be able to take them out if we decided to and ski/sledge/whatever with them sometimes
• the youngest can have full day childcare if necessary
• we don't have to do too much messing around travelling etc so that we can maximise our time with the kids as well as maximise our time ski-ing.

I don't mind whether we self-cater or do chalet/hotel.

Can anyone recommend any companies / resorts that you think would work for us? Not sure yet when we'd go....realistically either Easter hols or take them out of school - half term is just too £££.

What's your overall budget -including lift pass for two adults, childcare, ski school, equipment hire, hotels, etc?

I know what you mean about £££ in half term -is horrendous. If you're going out of holiday time I would seriously consider going with an operator like Esprit. They do half-day lessons for the older ones plus afternoon clubs for the rest of the time. Your toddler can go to the creche. However, they are pricy and the standard of accommodation is not always brilliant so choose carefully. If you're able to go in a non-peak week (January?) then it will be loads cheaper and you might get a deal providing you can be flexible on who sleeps where IYSWIM (adjoining family rooms go quite quickly in some properties).

There are also operators like Snowbizz who get absolutely rave reviews - they are cheaper and go only to Puy St Vincent, but have an appealing setup.

There are smaller outfits like Ski Magic in La Tania (three valleys) which might do the job as well.

Ski Famille always strikes me as well organised: we have never been with them but they have been so helpful on the phone when I've rung up to ask them for quotes. With them, a nanny comes to your chalet to look after the kids who aren't skiing. It sounds like a great setup.

Thank you Ragusa that is really useful - I will look at some of those companies. I'm not 100% sure on budget....we don't have a fixed figure in mind but the ~£6k-ish that it would cost with some of the family operators in Feb half term isn't going to happen!

I looked at Family Ski which seems to work for our set-up....in that 4 year olds and 6 year olds are together (my 4 year old will be much happier if with his sister), and can ski in the mornings then do activities in the afternoons. Will check out the others now.

Kranskja Gora in Slovenia is fab for small children. The Hotel right at bottom of slopes (Larix?) has a big pool for the evenings. Ski school is fab, easy to book extra lessons too. Snowbiking, husky driving, tobogganing in the Narnia-like woods. It's wonderful and a very easy place to be. I took my small children two years running, they loved it.

Can definitely recommend Ski Famille - nannies come to the chalet to look after the babies/little children not skiing and take others to and from ski lessons. We stayed with them in Les Gets and Reberty.

Reberty is in the three valleys so much more snow sure than Les Gets although this season looks pretty good everywhere already! They have one nanny free day so you would only have childcare 5 days. Food was excellent and chalets are very child friendly with playrooms, cots etc - I think the money is worth it (outside school holiday ) - although slight word of caution about your toddler and chalets - we have found in the past that most places do not put stair gates in chalets or hotels

When my two were similar ages to your oldest and youngest, we went to Champery in the Portes du Soleil. Ultimately, my search was driven by finding somewhere that could provide the childcare we needed, and then slotting everything else around that.

We used Jack Frosts - they have a creche in the town, and will also collect older ones from ski school and look after them for the afternoon, if you want to spend a full day skiing. They were very good, and also very helpful when we had a problem, and needed additional childcare from them.

The downside of Champery is that the skiing itself is not particularly well suited to beginners - the kids' ski school is a bus ride out of town (well served, but still a faff), and the only blue run at the top of the lift is borderline red towards the bottom. So the little ones need to get quite good before they can go up the mountain. On the plus side, however, you have access to the huge skiing area, plus Champery is a lovely village in its own right.

My main advice to you would be to source your youngest's childcare first as this seems to be the most scarce commodity, and then fit the rest of you around that - there's always a way!

We went with Ski Magic one year - was lovely to be able to ski in/ski out. We had four under-fours, so they arranged a nanny to come to the chalet which was fab. Nice host, he was a good cook, but I don't think cleaning was his forte so I was underwhelmed with the chalet (which was cramped, too). However, it was very affordable for a chalet holiday - I guess you get what you pay for.
Apart from that we've only ever organised trips independently and put DCs into local crèches - these have been variable tbh. Had a fab one in Engelberg in Switzerland, but some trickier experiences in France where people weren't always keen to speak to DCs in English. I liked the Swiss ski school, too (though it's an expensive country) - though more affordable if you try the less popular resorts. Eg Lenzerheide, Arosa.

Hi - try le ski in la tania...chalet Mar Mau....has crèche in situ and great kids early supper. I am going again at the end of March.....highly recommended! Triple rooms available. It's great! Pm me if you want details :-)

There are some great ski resorts in the Portes du Soleil area of France. We go back as often as we can. It is quite similar to place like Merilbel but is far better value for money for things like lift passes and eating out. We like it because there is quite a lot to do off the slope too. The kids love Aquariaz - I think it is the known as one of the best swimming complexes in the Alps (well we think so anyway!) Have a look at this www.aiglonmorzine.com/index.php/news/2013-news/item/8-what-makes-morzine-the-best-family-ski-resort#.UrLYDifuGA4 it has got some good reasons why it is a great place for families. Have a great time! I'm sure after one season you'll be hooked, just like we were!!

I've had ten different holidays with Esprit so would recommend them. They're probably not as upmarket as some of the other companies but I've never found a child focused company that's been able to beat them on price.

Some years we've booked early and paid full price. Other years we've left it last minute and got it crazily cheap. Might be harder with three kids to do that though???

All the resorts I've been to with Esprit have been good. I wasn't as keen on their La Plagne hotel is its too big really. The Courchevel one looks great but I've not been, a friend has and said its fab. When we went to Courchevel it was with their old chalets, the new one is a great location. Val disere is a nice small hotel. La rosiere is piste side chalets and a lovely resort. Tignes you need to be careful as some of the chalets are quite a distance from the main lifts and village.

I'd avoid Chamonix, too much faffing on buses for my liking to get round.

Hi we have been with Family Ski Company on 5 occasions, they are incredibly professional and helpful. No question is ever left unanswered, they give a good service before (they even call you to confirm your details), during and after your holiday.

They offer 6 days of child care, car seats for the transfer to resort, they are bonded (that is so important!), they have dedicated crèches a short distance from your chalet (you can come back after lunch for a snooze and not disturb your children). Some of the companies mentioned do not offer those facilities or protection.

Don’t go anywhere else!!

I would recommend Esprit. They are very child-focused, with great childcare for all ages, which should fit in with what you are after. They are also generally on the lower end of the prices for family ski companies, I found, and have a great evening baby listening set up (with people outside your room) over dinner.
They have ski in/ski out in Courchevel (among other places), which also has a pool. Courchevel itself has a carousel, ponies and small soft play centre at the bottom of the slopes. The hotel is right by a beginners drag lift, and you can hire sledges there as well. The only downside is that it is a bit of a way from the village (though it's an easy ski/traverse, and there are buses etc).

I can highly recommend Snowfocus in Chatel www.snowfocus.com
This family-run company designed and built Chalet La Sonnaille specifically for the family market.
With a superb in-house nanny service, babies through to young teens are catered for. The nannies look after the children from after breakfast, through to 6pm, allowing you a full day on the slopes yourselves, along with time for some après ski in the village, or a snooze! Transport to and from the slopes is provided and the dedicated ski nanny will often accompany the small group lessons and always meets the children for lunch on the mountain. The nannies liase with hand picked instructors, to ensure the children are happy and checking on their progress to feed back to you.
The dedicated playroom in the chalet is well equipped for babies and younger children for whom half a day’s skiing is enough. A large private garden ensures plenty of fun activities inside and out.
Only an hour and a half from Geneva, transfers, equipment hire and lift passes are all organized for you, and nothing is too much trouble for Sue and AT the owners. Once the little ones are settled, the evening’s dining is top class cuisine, with great hosting by Sue, AT and their carefully selected staff.
The proportion of return visits by guests is testament itself to a great set up.
Mumsnet Best winners season after season, says it all. www.mumsnet.com/travel/top-rated-family-ski-resorts