UKC

We're off for a two week trip to the Alps at the end of the week, hopefully the start of a lifetime of fun in the mountains for our little ones. We're mainly planning on sledging/igloo building/walking, but I'm wondering if the older one, who is just 3 would get anywhere if she had a pair of skis.

I'm thinking something like this
http://www.absolute-snow.co.uk/V/Manbi_GIPRON_Mini_Kids_Toy_Plastic_Skis_70...

just so we can push her around. Has anybody got any experience of these things, or other suggestions on the best way to introduce kids to skiing?

In reply to Sam W:

My kids had XC skis that looked a bit like those from around that age - most Finnish kids seem to have them! They are alright but the bindings aren't particularly great and I remember my two shuffling around on them a bit but getting bored with it before too long. They didn't like falling over and not being able to get up easily again without help.

At alpine resorts some little kids ski properly with proper gear from surprisingly early. Lots of the ski areas around us now have special parks for toddlers to practice in - these include a conveyer belt to take you up the slope (easier for little un than even a rope tow) and these merry-go-round thingies where there are ropes hanging off the arms for the kids to hold on to and learn to ski going round and round!

In reply to Sam W:

Both my kids started downhill skiing at the age of 3. For the most part you will be holding them but hopefully there will be a magic carpet and a bunny hill for them to learn on.

It doesn't take long for them to become intuitive about what is required.
Ski pole can also act as guides/support and you can buy harnesses with long leashes but we never did. Once the kids know how to weight their legs and "make a pizza" (snow plough) there will be no stopping them.

In reply to Sam W:

A lot of the ski schools will take kids around that age. The downside is that they will be better than you by the time they are 7.

In reply to Sam W:

As a PE teacher I came across several youngsters who had learned to hate sport and often swimming in particular, as a result of unhappy early experiences. I once shared a telecabin in a ski resort with some teenagers who were complaining about being 'dumped' in ski school on family holidays. I think the most important thing for you to build on is what you already realise, that playing in the snow with your kids is far more important than them learning 'to ski' at this stage. Don't get drawn into the 'how old was your child when they did their first black run?' competition. Does your three year old already have piano lessons or are you perhaps waiting until little fingers are big enough to stretch over the keys? Savour childhood not skiing and you'll have some wonderful skiing holidays together in the future.

In reply to Removed User:
I had my son on skis at the age of 3 (in Canada). By the time he was six, he could ski like a pro down anything. He would break away from classes and come straight down black runs. The instructors would complain that the trouble with him is "he just goes". My other two children started at the same time but they were four and five years old. I think the absolute key is not to force them to do anything they don't want to do and make sure that they are really having fun - big fun. Make sure that they are very well dressed because children tend to feel the cold more than adults, and also make sure gloves etc are tethered or they *will* drop and lose them.

No, I don't think 3 is too young to start - it's probably the ideal age. This way they progress from snowplow to parallel naturally and almost unconsciously. Later my son transferred to snow boarding, which he found really easy because he had been skate-boarding endlessly and also surfing. But he did tell me that the skiing helped a lot, in that it had already taught him how to read the slope and plan exactly what line to take.

I used to make sure that the children had one professional lesson every day they went out. The rest of the time they would ski with me. I found that I could take the youngest up T-bars between my legs, and actually ski down the hill like this, if necessary.

In reply to Sam W:

HI Sam, You'll be able to rent some skis for an hour or two from a shop in resort if you decide that they want to ski.

it really depends with 3 year olds according to how big and strong they are, and whether they are just 3 or about to be 4. Generally they love sliding and a little bit of independence that skiing gives them. Find a nice flat area and start by just towing them with a ski pole and walking around with skis on. Then once they are used to sliding around find a really gentle slope that then goes flat that they can slide down a tiny bit of a hill on. Ski school can help with all of it as well, we half hour slots fo r really small kids to get them going, or an hour if they are a bit bigger. We also have a whole group of 3 yr olds in the jardin de neige as its known in French and by the end of the week they are normally having a ball. Its not for every 3 yr old though so it depends if you think yours will take to being away from you guys for a bit, and enjoy the independence - they normally do even if its a bit of a shaky start!

Have a good holiday - its such a good thing to be able to share as a family!

I would advise against doing much with them between your legs as it encourages them to lean back and not support themselves with their legs. And it will be a sure fire way to knacker yourself for the rest of the week!

In reply to Sam W:

We had the plastic ones when our older one was 2; managed to get some tiny boots when the little one was 2, and put him on the shortest skis, which was definitely better. Even if all he did was walk around on the flat for 5 min.

At 3 they'd both ski short easy greens on the end of a pole; at 4 they had 2 hour lessons are we're skiing greens by themselves.

And yes, they may rapidly overtake you....

In reply to Sam W:

Thanks for all the replies, lots of really useful advice. We definitely won't be booking lessons this year, mainly because we don't think she would like it, and even if it was going to be brilliant for her, we couldn't afford it. The only aim for this trip, or at least the first week of it, is to have family fun in the mountains. We're staying in a cabin that is 20 minutes walk in from the nearest parking, so hiring gear/ using kiddie areas isn't going to be an easy option, which is why I was thinking of buying something. If Anya likes them, great, if not then her little sister, who is more inclined to throw herself into things, probably will.

We definitely don't want to push them into things, but I'm also aware that I didn't learn to ski until I was 20, and I wish I had had the opportunity to start much, much earlier. Parenting often seems to be about treading a very fine line!