How old do children have to be to ski rather than just go to a creche?

[ManIFeelLikeAWoman]

I am hoping to make a skier out of my baby daughter when she is old enough - I am competent but no great shakes so can't teach her myself and will need to investigate ski school for her wherever I go.

How old do children have to be to have ski lessons rather than just be looked after? How old, for example, are "the locals" when they start (she can join a French-speaking group if need be).

Must stress she's less than a year old at the moment so this is very much long-term planning - have a feeling I might need to start saving ...

Varies between countries but average is 4.

I have a three-and-a-half year old and have recently made enquiries with a number of ski-schools. The general message has been that a child can start ski-ing at around age 4/5, but that the "right age" depends on the particular child's motor skills. Apparently, a good test is to watch how the child comes down the stairs. When she/he naturally descends the stairs putting just one foot on each tread and without holding onto anything, then she or he is ready.

Thanks both - related question - what do they actually do in these classes and what do they do in the creche (any ski- or snow-based activities?)

Depends where you are thinking of going? In Farnace, they do have fun outside in the snow at the creche, if the weather is good enough.

Our ski instrucotr friends also told us 4 - provided ds wasn't too tall (if he had been taller they would have checked his mototr skills/balance).

Their onw twins started earlier, but then they were able to do it on a weekly basis throughout the season.

ski esprit start them at 3 years, they do outside creche type activities in the morning and ski lessons in the afternoon

Thanks Coopsyblue - is that something you've tried?

And is that a French company?

Usually the minimum is 4 and sometimes 5. Occasionally there is a short ski kindergarten class for 3 1/2 yr olds but in practice they make very slow progress, tire and bore easily and have no advantage over those who learn a year or two later. Locals will tend to take kids out themselves younger to slide around then up for a few runs on nursery slopes, but they are often very competent themselves first and they will put them into intensive lessons when a bit older.

My DD started skiing at 3. Most resorts have "piou piou" nursery areas where the little ones can go up on a moving carpet or rope and glide down under arches etc. DS started skiing at 5 and at that age they can do more take chairlifts, learn proper turns etc ...so I think 5 might be the best age to start but children can certainly enjoy being on skis younger than that.

Depends where you go - you won't find many places which will take them skiing (even when that only means playing around outside with skis on) in an organised setting before they're 3 though - or 2 in some places in Austria, often 4 or 5 in France.

If you're really keen to start early most Kinderhotels take them from 2.

Probably the best kids ski area I've come across is \link{this one} - trial 45 minutes lessons for 2 year olds available here too, and it's a resort which is in a lot of the UK brochures too.

The locals probably start as soon as they can stand/walk - just sliding around on an almost flat area being pulled along, or held between a parents skis. ds1 started at 8 months (pic) - this is him at 6. ds2 had his first slide on his first birthday (video).

By the way I've got some baby plastic skis (like these - only used once) for sale if anyone wants them as ds2 has gone on to real skis this year.

That'll teach me not to preview - that non existant link should have been KinderKaiserland

One of our friends grew up in Boulder, Colorado and he and his sister had annual ski passes from the ages of three.

Needless to say they are as comfortable on skis as in shoes now.

Aargh - I'm really not with it this morning - the link to ds at 6 should have said he's the 2nd skier (from about 25 seconds in), not all of them, obviously.

Lunar, it's afternoon.

Our dd went to ski school last year in the US when she had just turned 3. Not that they really "skied" - just put them on those teeny little skis and went up the "magic carpet" (moving pavement on the side of the little slope they took them on).

She didn't like being away from us, though, and we're going to leave it until she's 5 now.

Ski schools will start kids at 4 but unless you do a lot of skiing most kids dont really start to enjoy it or progress much until they are school age. I have seen too many classes full of miserable toddlers to ever put a 3 or 4 your old in. Especially ESF. My oldest went with them at 3 and after observing them from afar I took him out. It makes no difference in the long term. My 2 now 9 and 7 ski like demons and have skiied the whole of tignes, blacks included with me. Far more important not to put them off by starting before they are ready. I can still outski them both but only for a couple of years more I suspect

We did ski Esprit (English company) last year with our just 3 year old and our 5 year olds. We were a bit nervous about how the 3 year old would cope but she was fine and had a great time. Their lessons were in the jardin de neige with sympathetic and encouraging ESF instructors (which makes a huge difference) - well away from other bigger skiers which I think is an issue when they are so small. Our 3 year old had a "try ski" device to keep the skis in snowplough and went down quite big slopes and up again in yoghurt pot lifts. Also Ski Esprit had 1-2 ski rangers with the children and instructors to help look after them and keep them entertained whilst waiting around. I think this all contributed to making it a success!

Thanks for all the help and advice, everyone - looks like I'll be waiting till she's 4, then!

Any resorts or areas particularly (un)suitable? Alps or Pyrenees?

la rosiere (france) is brill for children - small and friendly resort with dead easy runs. even a tot could ski with you through the forest by the end of a week

We generally go with a large group with lots of kids so have seen them try to start at various ages, however they all seemed to take to it at 5 and thats when they started to enjoy it and take to it.

Bump - any views on Andorra for kids?

Also, what do/don't we get free for (say) a five-year-old? It will probably be just me and her, you see, as her mum (without ever going skiing) thinks skiing is up there with plunging your hands into boiling water as a fun way to spend free time.

She may get a free lift pass but only while she is in skischool or rides on a tow lift with an adult who has bought a full one. You'd probably have to pay a supplement for underoccupying a twin room.

Our youngest DS had just turned 3 and he was on skis in the snow garden. Ok so they used a travelator to go up, but learnt how to snow plough down. He spent 2 winters in the garden. This year he'll be just five and hitting the mountain. He's more than ready, French ski school are tops.

Andorra is FANTASTIC for families these days! The snow isn't the most challenging for good skiers (unless you head off piste and do some ski mountaineering) but for families and beginners it's great and for little ones it's particuarly good as it's not cold - in fact can be lovely and warm - and ski instructors are mostly native english speakers.

afraid i don't know anything about the finances either except that andorra is very reasonable anyway.

Sounds good, fluffles - I don't need "most challenging" anyway, as long as there's a couple of blacks - I can save challenging for a few years until she's ready to join me!

Will definitely bear the snow garden in mind, too. Also, daughter bilingual French/English so ESF not a problem even low season.

I booked with Family Ski and they didn't charge a supplement - me and my ds (4) in double room with an extra bed (don't want him taking up all my bed!). Free lift pass at 4 in Portes du Soleil but have to pay from 5.