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Ski and snowboarding

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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Original poster

ski lessons for 3 year olds - does anyone apart from Esprit do them - is 3 too young?

27 replies

dueinnovember · 09/02/2009 22:53

We're planning a ski holiday and I think my DC would enjoy some short ski lessons. Esprit seem to be the only company that provide them for this age. Do any MNers know of any other companies that organise them or are you better off waiting until they're 4?

OP posts:

TheRealMrsJohnSimm · 09/02/2009 23:10

Where are you planning on going to? Perhaps ESF do a class that you could book direct? My DCs have gone to ski class since 3 (bordering on 4 by a few months tho) and loved it. We then had them in the local creche whilst DH and I skied in the afternoons. Really depends on the child. The instructor I had in France this year reckons that 3 -4 years is a perfect age to start.

Original poster

dueinnovember · 10/02/2009 11:42

Thinking of Val d'Isere but I've checked the links from the tourist board websites and ESF, Evolution and Oxygene are all 4+. We're quite flexible on resorts though France, Switzerland or Italy would all be good.

OP posts:

verylapsedrunner · 10/02/2009 11:49

I guess all children are different but certainly DS was not ready at 3. At that age they are best just playing in the snow and perhaps putting on some skis for a very short while. DS started properly when he was 4.5.

JRocks · 10/02/2009 11:51

ESF take them at 3 in Morzine - Club des Piou Piou I believe

happywomble · 10/02/2009 11:54

We went with Snow Bizz last year and our 3 yr old had a one hour lesson each day which she loved. I would highly recommend this company - have posted a review in the ski section.

ESF also do their Piou Piou class for 3 yr olds in most French resorts. We went to La rosiere at new year (eucharts area) and used the ESF ski school and creche. DD (still 3) enjoyed the piou piou lessons but they were longer (2 1/2 hrs a day) and there were only 3 English children in the class of 8..DD didn't complain as she got on well with the other English girls.

Of the two options we've tried I think Snow Bizz would be a safer option for children skiing for the first time. (Snow bizz is cheaper than Esprit but their child care is very good - Snow bizz is a smaller company so they offer a friendly service..the draw back is that snow bizz only go to one resort whereas esprit have a more extensive choice of resorts).

snorkle · 10/02/2009 15:25

I've observed many more 3 year olds having tantrums & refusing to go skiing than I have older children. The three year olds tend to take a lot longer to master skills and so are more likely to get fustrated, but this does depend on your childs temperement and coordination. When we took a 3 year old skiing 50% had dropped out by the end of the week. This didn't include dd, but she had to pretty much start again the following year as she'd forgotten what she'd learned by then.

snickersnack · 10/02/2009 15:50

Snow Fun in Val take them from 3. Our dd loved her lessons there last year - not sure she really mastered much skiing, but she had a fun time trying.

DebInAustria · 10/02/2009 20:48

Our ds2 started at 3 but we were living here so we could just go for a short time , then back home. I think ski school at 3 is quite hard, but it all depends on the child.

spicemonster · 10/02/2009 20:49

Lots of places do very little on skis, just get them used to the snow, play games, cart them about on sledges etc. I'd say that was more suitable and no more than a few hours

Original poster

dueinnovember · 10/02/2009 21:04

Have now checked Snow Fun (thanks snickersnack) and the main ESF site, it looks like its just a blip that ESF don't run them in Val for 3yr olds as they do everywhere else. Definately just want something short and I like the idea that you can try it for one day before signing up for the week. DC1 knows we're going on a snowy holiday in a few weeks so keeps putting white blanket on floor going 'whoosh' and pretending she's skiing. Think she'd be really disappointed if she couldn't even have a go. Now just need to organise childcare for 1 yr old? Snowbiz looks great but is the skiing ok for adults in Puy St Vincent? DH is very good so can't cope with him being a bit bored?

OP posts:

snickersnack · 10/02/2009 21:14

The "pay for one lesson and see how you get on" thing with Snow Fun is great. My friend's ds hated it after the first lesson, and that was that. There's a little cafe kiosk with some chairs right next to the nursery slope so you can sit and watch them ski.

Try T4 Nannies in Val if you want childcare there - they were fab.

happywomble · 10/02/2009 21:58

dueinnovember - Puy st vincent does not offer miles and miles of piste but there seemed to be enough blues and reds to keep us happy for a week (given that we couldn't ski all day due to spending most afternoons with the children)

I think the puy st vincent lift pass gives you a day skiing in serre chevalier which is linked to a much larger area but you would need to hire a car to get there (check with snow bizz that you can ski in serre chevalier on the psv lift pass)

The thing we liked best about puy st vincent was the snow bizz set up for the children, and the convenience of staying right by the piste & childcare facilities.

However the skiing might be a bit limited for an advanced skiier who wants to ski all day and cover a lot of terrain. Although snow bizz do offer a slalom competition on the last day so your DH would be able to excel there!

snorkle · 11/02/2009 10:39

Puy isn't huge but the off piste is quite good. Snowbizz used to do a coach trip to Serre Chevalier once a week too.

Kiwinyc · 11/02/2009 15:17

I think the Austrian ski schools take them at age 3 also but i think its too young for formal lessons.

Powder Byrne do a Kids Club called 'Yeti Primer' for 3yo's too old for the Creche (2yrs and under) and too young for the Yeti Club. (4-8yrs) I think they do get them out on ski's for a short time in the day but its mostly fun and playing in the snow with less emphasis on attaining any real ski skills at that age.

Original poster

dueinnovember · 11/02/2009 22:57

I think to afford powder byrne we would have to sacrifice all ski holidays for the ten years. They do look lovely though. I've heard that Austrian schools take young children but I hate Austrian food (sorry any Austrians out there) French and Italian is much yummier!

OP posts:

DadInsteadofMum · 14/02/2009 00:47

We go in a large group of kids of different ages - various parent have tried starting them a tdifferent ages but they all seemed to click at 5 - younger than that and they just get too tired too quickly to sustain a whole lesson

busywheels · 15/02/2009 22:31

Our three year old had lessons with ski esprit this year. Once the snack breaks, toilet breaks, tantrums and naps were counted for I think he managed about 5 minutes 'skiing' the whole week!. If I am honest I think three is probably a little young. He was also extremely frustrated that he was having 'lessons' but not going down proper runs with poles!

mamhaf · 16/02/2009 08:37

I would NOT send a 3yo to ESF - they tend to be very uncaring imo (actually I wouldn't send any young child to ESF for the same reason).

However,we had excellent experiences with the ski nursery at Soldeu in Andorra. It's run by the Soldeu ski school, which is superb with lots of native English-speaking instructors who have a lot of fun with the kids.

3 yos go there and mainly play - some indoors, some outdoors, with a little bit of ski-ing thrown in.

Dd2 went there two years in a row and by the age of 5 the following year was allowed to go to proper ski school (they were supposed to be 6 but by then she was able to keep up with older beginner children). By the end of that week she ski-ed a black run with the instructor.

BoffinMum · 16/02/2009 08:47

We just booked a local ski instructor privately for what we needed, but they haven't got a lot of patience at that age and often get a bit cold and fed up.

I started at 2.5 and actually remember being quite frightened of it all. One of my first memories!

bigTillyMint · 17/02/2009 16:40

DS was almost 4 when we first went (DD 5).

We didnt put them in lessons - I taught them (proud mummy moment!) I dont think he would have coped with waiting his turn in lessons, or listening in a group.

I would suggest either the snow park / creche, or pay for 1:1 lessons, or DIY for a great sense of satisfaction!

mumof2222222222222222boys · 26/02/2009 08:56

We have tried to encourage DS1 (now 4.5) to go to lessons, but he wants to ski with us, and to be honest as he is in full time nursery at home, I think that's fine. We're good enough to teach him at the moment - he's ok on chairs, slightly dodgy on pomas but ok on green slopes. Off again in 2 weeks. He can't wait - although I am not sure if he is as excited about the skiing as he is about the airport and airplane

His cousin aged 5 has just been, but didn't manage skiing independently at all - but she isn't very sporty and parents less confident skiers.

We'll keep on trying with him, but it is actually quite fun now and it means I get to enjoy the green slopes as opposed to whizzing past looking for the next lift!

LunarSea · 26/02/2009 10:04

The first couple of minutes of this video are of my 22 month old skiing last week. Less relevant, but the second half of it is his 7 year old big brother who also started at 1.

My top tip for a European destination for little ones (but unfortunately virtually no UK tour operators go there) would be Serfuas. Not only a fantastic kids area, but a ski school approach for the 3 year olds which lets them mix and match skiing and playing at a pace which suits the child.

Original poster

dueinnovember · 26/02/2009 21:33

so cute LunarSea. I never thought about packing the video camera but will definately take it now. Am even more excited about hols now.

OP posts:

scattygirl · 27/02/2009 23:06

LunarSea, I've heard about Serfaus and really like the sound of it. Where did you stay? Did you book your travel and accomm independently?

madwomanintheattic · 27/02/2009 23:15

we went to hemsedal in norway on ds1's 3rd birthday, dd1 started in fernie at 3, and dd2 has ishoos, but had lessons last week at 5 with an adaptive instructor.

most resorts will offer a 'mums and tots' type package now - ie daycare, but mum (or dad lol) turns up for an hour to fish them out and have a joint class as an easy intro.

mine are too big now,

but it does mean they get packed into skischool to hurtle around whilst i wonder how long i've got before they outstrip my skills lol. i was slightly perturbed when they came back from their first day last week and announced they'd been doing black runs. actually, i wasn't, i didn't believe them and laughed until i got their report cards.

hope you have a lovely time! (nb it gets really expensive with 3 kids... point for the future lol)

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