Kids Ski Camps

[BoysSons]

I’m looking for some advice and recommendations. My 11-year-old son is desperate to go skiing. He’s never been before, and neither have I, although I’m not particularly interested in skiing myself. I’m wondering if there’s a ski resort where I can take him for a few days during half term, where he can attend ski school all day, every day, to learn to ski.

We don’t have any ski wear, so this would need to be provided or available to hire. Since I won’t be skiing, I’d also need some activities or things to do while he’s in ski school. Any suggestions?

Group lessons in ski schools in Austria are usually all day (in France and Italy it is more usually only mornings or afternoons) and the kids go off with their instructor at around 09.30 or 10.00 and return at 15.00-15.30. There are groups for all abilities, whether beginners or more experienced. The instructors supervise lunch, which is taken at a mountain restaurant.

Few places actually rent out ski wear - beginners beg and borrow from friends and family, buy stuff on ebay that has often only been used for a week or two (and then re-sell it later) or buy reasonably-priced clothes from Decathlon or Aldi. You rent the skis, boots, poles and helmets in resort as a package.

There are planty of activities for non-skiers. Many hotels and apartment complexes have pools and "wellness" spas. There is ice skating, snow shoe hiking, guided forest walks, tobogganing, riding, horse-drawn sleigh rides, tree-top walks and cafes and mountain restaurants selling coffee and cake. It is often warm enough to sit in the sun on a mountain terrace enjoying the view and a drink, even in February.

You may be a bit late to find anything for this coming February, and most trips are Saturday to Saturday rather than for just a few days - Saturday is when there are most flights to the alpine airports such as Salzburg, Innsbruck, Lyon etc. - and group lessons at the ski schools always start on Sundays. As beginners the easiest way to make your first trip is to take a package holiday with a company such as Heidi, Inghams or Crystal who organise everything for you.

An alternative time to go would be Easter, but this year Easter falls so late that many resorts will already have closed by the first week in April.

Given you need ski clothes I am wondering if there is a dry slope or snowdome near you or a dome an OK ish drive and a premier inn and you do that in half term "ski in a day" type thing.

Most operators will help with full day beginners lessons and equipment hire although many break for lunch and you can meet up. Some offer a wrap around nanny service like Ski Scott Dunn and Club Med but tends to cost. Ski Club of Great Britain run courses but probably more aimed at competent skiers, Usually you buy or hire clothing in uk. Decathlon is good value and covers everything you need.

Most ski schools in most countries will offer full day school for an 11YO. Austria and US it’s more full day by default but France there’s usually an option to book AM and PM group lessons and add a lunch club in between. Or he could just do mornings then you could do other stuff together in the afternoon- swimming, snowmobile driving, ice skating etc. Book a nice spa hotel so you’ve got that and maybe look at some things like walking tours or snowshoeing, fitness classes, whatever you’re into really! You can buy reasonable ski wear from Decathlon or perhaps he could borrow from a friend? You’ll need stuff too even if not skiing because you’ll likely be walking around outside whilst it’s snowing and may want to ride gondolas up to mountain restaurants and viewing platforms which will be wet because skiers have been in them with their snow covered equipment. Maybe an easier option though would be booking him a session at your nearest indoor snow centre, they’ll also rent him all the clothes, and see if he likes it before committing to a holiday abroad.