Earlier this year I put a call out for parents to put questions to Ski Instructor Robert Stewart. Robert is a qualified ski teacher and coach with over 20 years experience in the skiing industry.
1. What age is the earliest you’d recommend for children to start ski school?
Physically that depends a bit on the child, but for them to understand your instructions and relate that to what they are doing requires some cognitive skills that say a toddler might not have. Four years old is a good guideline and at any age before that, playtime at a nursery might be more suitable.
2. If I wanted to teach my child before ski school, how would you recommend starting off?
That depends a bit on the age of the child. As a ski instructor with a child approaching the age of 2 years, I have asked that question of myself! Personally, when I think they are ready to start 'skiing' I will simply walk them around on a completely flat surface with their skis. Play as many games as you can, jumping up and down, throwing balls or gloves for them to catch, bending underneath ski poles etc. Other than that, what I would do is hand my child over to a qualified ski instructor who does not have any other kind of attachment to them. Teaching your loved ones to ski at any age is like teaching them to drive, in my opinion, it's best avoided!
3. Are there any training aids that are particularly useful?
Children learn more when they are having a good time. The priority for anyone with responsibility for a child on a ski slope is first of all safety, then enjoyment and after that, learning. Many ski schools have dedicated areas for teaching young children which include obstacles to ski around or under, often made with images of animals or popular cartoon characters. For very young children, you could consider using ski reins for a short period of time to give your child some confidence. Be sure not to use these as a support but just as a safety feature.
4. Would you recommend taking children to one of the snow domes before the holiday?
Yes, introducing anyone including children to skiing before embarking on a holiday is a great idea. When children are placed in an environment they are not used to for the first time, like a mountain village with lots of people speaking different languages, it can be a little overwhelming. Having even a little bit of understanding of how to ski on that first day can make a huge difference and give them real confidence. The indoor snow centres in the UK do not allow complete beginners to ski without instruction, so its best to look at the options available including group lessons for children.
5. What is the youngest age a child could try snowboarding or freestyle skiing?
Snowboarding is a completely different sport to skiing, it just happens to be done in the same place! The physical demands on a child are a little greater than with skiing and therefore snowboarding is usually introduced a bit later on. I'm coming from a completely personal viewpoint here, but I would not introduce a child to snowboarding until they were old enough to be able to ask their parents to try it out. Freestyle skiing encompasses a broad spectrum of disciplines including jumps, tricks and moguls. As your child's technique grows they might naturally progress towards this area but there is no reason, if well instructed, why a child cannot start trying freestyle skiing from 7 or 8 years upwards.
6. Is there a preferred length of time or standard a child should reach before they stop ski school and just practise alongside their parents?
Obviously most parents would like to enjoy skiing with their child once they can safely control their speed and direction. But, there is no cut off point in regards to how long a child can stay in ski school for. If the child is continuing to learn and enjoy the social interaction in ski school, and the parents can afford the lessons, then why take them out? There will always be time to ski with them before or after the lessons end. A good balance between ski school and enjoying time with parents on the slopes is the optimum solution.
7. Is it important to research the ski school before booking a holiday, does it really matter if they have magic carpets etc?
Ski schools have come along way in the last 20 or 30 years. Professional qualifications are now mandatory in the major skiing nations and expectations of the skiing public have grown enormously. There is now a choice of ski schools in many of the larger resorts and so I think it is important to do some research. Lift infrastructure has improved in many ski resorts, and this should be a consideration when taking beginners away for the first time. Does the resort have a good nursery slope with magic carpet lifts and a reputable ski school? The Ski Club of Great Britain is a good source of information in regards to specific resort information.
8. If a small child gets really tired mid-week, is it better to rest them or will they fall behind?
If a child is in ski school and they are getting tired then they might be falling behind anyway. It's better to give them some rest and see if they can fit into a group more suitable for them. In the end, they will be happier for it. If there are no alternative groups then discuss the issue directly with their instructor. Why are they tired? Is it a physical problem or are they struggling technically? Skiing can be tiring, especially if it's your first time, maybe all the children in the group are tired and the instructor is not aware of that. The responsibility for the instructor is to ski at the pace of the slowest skier, so if the child is struggling to keep up then either the instructor must slow down or move the child to a more suitable group.
9. Is there much difference between the different ski schools such as ESF, ESI and the independents?
Independent ski schools in the Alps have grown over the last 10 years and many are staffed by British workers or English speaking instructors. This has obviously made them very popular with British skiers as you have the language barrier removed. Many of the independent ski schools have also gained excellent reputations for their high teaching standards and the enthusiasm of their instructors. Teaching qualifications have improved and a fully qualified British ski instructor working in France for example, would have been through months of training and exams spread over several years. The ESF in France is a huge organisation with thousands of instructors working under the ESF 'umbrella' in all resorts. In the end, it's down to the instructor themselves and there are fantastic ski teachers working in all of these organisations.
10. Is hiring the boots, skis and helmets in resort ok or would you recommend buying any equipment?
For young children (between 4 and 12) especially, hiring skis and boots in resort is perfectly acceptable. If you ski very regularly from the UK (for example every school holiday) then buying boots and skis might be a better option. If your child is under 4 years old and you plan to introduce them to some skiing then you can buy toddler skis in the UK which are relativity in-expensive. Helmets can also be rented although the consideration here is the history of the helmet which you will never know if it's been rented out before. If the helmet has had a heavy blow to it, and that can mean being dropped of a chairlift onto rocks, then it might be unsafe for use. Sometimes you can't see the possible damage that has been done.
11. Any general advice to parents putting children into ski school for the first time?
If you have young children between the ages of 4 and 8 going into ski school for the first time (i.e. They are complete beginners) they are often taught by the youngest and least experienced instructors working at the ski school. This is understandable and generally not a problem, but the instructors should still have some basic level of qualification, training and first aid certification. Check this out with the ski school and ask them about their qualifications. If you are not happy then ask for someone that is qualified. This also goes for older children or children that have learnt to ski in the UK before the trip. Ask the instructor about their qualification and experience. They should have a licence to teach skiing from a national governing body. If they don't have this, then ask to speak with the ski school director and ensure your child is with a qualified instructor. Once you are satisfied with this then leave your child to it and go and enjoy the slopes in the knowledge your children are in the best possible care.
Follow Robert on Twitter and his blog: The Mountain Department
