Young family ski holiday

just pete

Hi All,
I am thinking of possibly going on a ski holiday with my family. Our two kids are 4 & 7 years and none of us have been skiing before. None of our friends with kids have been on ski holidays before and there is not point asking people without kids 😂

Thinking maybe late February to end of March when we can go?
Would love to hear your experiences.
Pete

munchkin_utd

im failing to see the issue.
Every ski resort has a ski school and some of the bigger ones will have day or multi day courses for kids where they are taken in the morning and you see them in the evening (Kronplatz, italian dolomites, for instance is very well set up)
So you going on your own, or going with other families, you're all in the same boat.

am i bovvered

just pete wrote: »

Hi All,
I am thinking of possibly going on a ski holiday with my family. Our two kids are 4 & 7 years and none of us have been skiing before. None of our friends with kids have been on ski holidays before and there is not point asking people without kids 😂

Thinking maybe late February to end of March when we can go?
Would love to hear your experiences.
Pete

My kids are grown up now but my advice is to ..
Go
Enjoy
Ski lessons for all (kids and adults separately)
Go to the winter sports section of boards.ie

just pete

Cheers guys, should have said location experience. Just wondering were there any locations to go to or avoid with small kids

Fattes

just pete wrote: »

Cheers guys, should have said location experience. Just wondering were there any locations to go to or avoid with small kids

Austria, is your best bet, resorts like Saalbach, Alpbach & Solden all family orientated, reasonable prices and reliable snow at the time of year you are looking

Look at TX max for cheap clothing and kit.

The kids might benefit from a few lessons in the kinder classes at the Ski club of Ireland and well so could Mammy and Daddy 😂😂😂

Like all things with kids they ad a complexity layer, extra time in the morning etc. Another thread here has great info on skiing with kids.

Go you won't regret it when you watch the kids ski past you on day 3 with smiles on their faces!

- they would ski past you on day one but you will still be on the bunny slope when they have left 😉

Rew

My wife and my self both ski and plan to go this year with our kids, they will be 3 months, 2 years (almost 3) and 4 years when we go. I've been putting in the research. Were going to head for France as ESF do Piou Piou for kids but other countries all cater for small kids. Piou Piou is introduction to skiing via playing and a story within a fenced area. Piou Piou is a duck and he has other animal friends that all fit into a story. They bring them indoors if needed as well.

The 2 year old cant do Piou Piou as he would have to be 3 and they are strict on that so and with the baby as well we will get a nanny for half days so that we can ski/do lessons in the morning then enjoy the snow with the kids in the afternoon. For the 4 year old they can do morning, morning + lunch or the full day depending on what suits. Same for older kids and adults but you will have to decide if they will be up for full days or keep it to mornings.

In terms of resorts we are looking at Les Gets, Les Deux Alpes, Val Thorens, Alp D'Huez and Flaine. Les Gets seems to be very good option though the main tour operators don't seem to have a flight to suit us so looking at DIY options. They are all resorts that are heavily pedestrianised with good access to the slopes. Some parts of Les Arcs, La Plagne, Courchevel and Méribel would be options as well (I have been to these before). Being near the slopes and ESF and the main things for us, I don't want to get ski buses or long walks with small kids.

yankinlk

munchkin_utd wrote: »

im failing to see the issue.
Every ski resort has a ski school and some of the bigger ones will have day or multi day courses for kids where they are taken in the morning and you see them in the evening (Kronplatz, italian dolomites, for instance is very well set up)
So you going on your own, or going with other families, you're all in the same boat.

Spoken like someone with no kids. Stick to Austria if it's your first time with kids. They are without a doubt the best setup all round.

Been to Italy and the kids area was halfway up the mountain! A long steep walk is one thing but having to take a young scared skier on a lift before any lessons is a bad idea. And when the lessons are over... having to ski down the mountain ! Crazy setup.

France was OK but I found the schools were only half days... where in Austria you get morning and afternoon... huge difference.

3 was the youngest I have taken ... and we lied to say he was 4. Get them in young it really pays off having them learn with NO FEAR.

uck51js9zml2yt

We were in Slovakia this year, got my son a skiing lesson for 2 hours. He loved it despite falling over with exhaustion by the end of it

olaola

Hey Pete, we went to Westendorf a few years ago (without kids!) but we really thought it was a very family orientated resort. There seemed to be loads of kids and Irish families - all of whom seemed to be on their return visits. And they all knew each other after going for years. Looked like a great place for it. Small village, baby slope in the centre. I didn't ski myself that year (was preggers) but I did a good bit of the (free!) organised hiking offered by the tourist office. If it was just the family again, I'd consider it. We stayed in the Jakobwirt hotel, enjoyed the stay.

I do know that Saalbach (we've been a good bit) has an extensive skischool for the kids. I think Austria is your best bet in any case, they do full day school for the nippers. Gives you a chance to get some skiing in yourself.

Went to Villars in Switzerland last year (also preggers again) and that was VERY family orientated. But it was quite a small ski area. The Club Med there seemed to be only families. I brought the little fella to the kiddie-snow-play-place with nice gentle slopes for tobogganing etc. He had a ball.

jimmyging

Austria is the place for kids that age , you could do worse than look at kinder hotels ,we stayed with them twice and found it superb