Learning to ski for children - here's what you need to watch out for

"Pizzaaaa", "Pizzaaaa" - it sounds from the beginner's hill. The little legs are straddled, close to the ground the little ones slide over the snow - without sticks, without fear of falling or injury.

Children learn to ski not only more easily, but also in a completely different way to adults - with fun, lots of variety and a few tricks.

Ski course for children - yes or no?

If parents can ski themselves, many put their offspring on their own skis as quickly as possible. They clamp the "baby" in front of them between the legs and go together on the slopes. This saves money, but certainly not nerves.

If you want to get your money's worth as an adult on a family holiday, it's better to book a course for the little ones.

For the youngest: ski kindergarten

The little ones can be left in ski kindergartens, which are available in almost all ski resorts. There are no age restrictions, stable walking is the only requirement. And, of course, the child must be able to separate from its parents without crying for a long time.

In a small fenced area, the 2 to 4 year olds playfully take their first steps on their short boards under the guidance of an empathetic ski instructor, while their parents race down the slopes or attend an adult course.

The ski kindergarten is first of all about reliable supervision, getting used to the material snow and a basic feeling for skiing.

Beginner ski courses for children

For children aged four to five, ski schools offer their first "proper" ski courses: on site during winter holidays or at home in mountainous areas with pick-up from the kindergarten.

A course usually lasts for a week. At the end, there is usually a timed race down the practice slope with an award ceremony for the fastest.

In a ski course, one ski instructor looks after a maximum of six children. He teaches in a child-friendly way with lots of fun, small aids such as ribbons and cones, so that the little ones hardly notice the effort.

The leg position when braking is explained with a piece of pizza, for example, and a "magic carpet" takes the children up the practice slope again and again.

Ski courses for pre-school children

At ski courses in resorts, children are usually taught in the mornings and afternoons, meeting with their parents for lunch in between.

In kindergarten, on the other hand, children are out all day, picked up early by the ski bus, driven to the ski area and returned to kindergarten in the late afternoon.

During the bus ride, the ski instructors keep the children in a good mood with games and children's films. Once at the ski resort, there are two hours of ski lessons in the morning and afternoon, with a long rest break with a hot meal in between.

If the children are cold, they return to the bus to warm up with tea or hot chocolate. They are always reminded of the need to go to the toilet...

A change of clothes must be brought along just in case. A second pair of ski gloves and a second pair of ski socks, as well as warm shoes for the break and the journey, are always part of the compulsory equipment for away courses.

Ski equipment is usually not included in the course and must be purchased in advance or rented from the ski school.

In terms of equipment for ski lessons, children need

⦁ Ski
⦁ Ski sticks
⦁ Ski boots
⦁ Ski helmet
⦁ Ski goggles
⦁ possibly protector
⦁ ski gloves
⦁ ski socks
⦁ ski pants, ski jacket
⦁ Ski underwear with long arms and legs

In low mountain ranges or near the Alps, quite a few ski schools offer ski courses for children at weekends or during holidays in the winter months. The journey takes place individually or with the ski bus at fixed meeting points.

Regardless of whether you register as a beginner or advanced skier, on the first day the instructors assess the children's skiing themselves and put the groups together appropriately.

There are often between three and six gradations, from "never skied before" to top status "already familiar with alpine terrain and black runs".

Ski instructors stay with their charges the whole time on the slope or at the lift, even with older children and teenagers. The demand for professionals in the winter season is therefore high, many providers are already looking in September.

Skiing and fun are combined according to age and ability. Slalom runs or mogul slopes with small and larger jumps provide variety.

The prices for the course at a ski school with four dates are about 200 euros in Bavaria including bus rides, the fees for the lifts are still added.

Snowboard courses cost similarly and are offered by ski schools for children from the age of about 10 years.