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    10 Top Tips for Taking Your Kids Skiing

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    kids-skiing-lessons.jpg kids skiingSeeing your Kids skiing and enjoying the snow as much as you, can make for the perfect family holiday. However with all the kit and things to remember, family skiing holidays can become a stressful affair!

    Follow these simple tips and ensure you and your kids have the best possible skiing experience

     

    1: BEG, BORROW OR HIRE 

    Children grow fast and ski gear is expensive. Snow suits are warm but are difficult to take off during loo breaks. Only get poles if they can use them, ideally for the more advanced kids, otherwise guess who will end up carrying them…?

     

    2: ONION LAYERS 

    Yes you did read that correctly. Kids get cold on snow and warm in restaurants. Lots of layers are the key.

     

    3: PUT A ‘STRING’ ON IT

    Tie gloves on elastic through their jacket arms otherwise they CAN and WILL lose them. Gloves with zips are much better to use.

     

    Tips for skiing with kids kids skiing4: CHEAP SKI SOCKS?

    No, no, no. Warmth and comfort are key. We all know ski boots aren’t the most comfortable of things , so Its worth spending a little bit more on a good quality pair of well fitting ski socks to keep their feet warm and blister free.

     

    5: SKI SCHOOL IS FUN!

    Kids love ski school and they learn best when they’re having fun. Also handing them over to an instructor saves you the time and patience and frees you up to enjoy your own skiing. At ES all the kids in ski school are equipped with the Flaik system, which enables you to see exactly where they have skied during the day. 

     

    6: LIDS ON KIDS

    Safety first! Enforce the ‘no helmet, no snow’ rule. Protects against falls but also being hit by lifts and other peoples poles and they keep them warm!

     

    7: CHOCOLATE/SNACK

    We all like an extra energy boost and whilst skiing, kids will burn through their breakfast pretty quick! Put some snacks in their pocket and also stop for cafe breaks. They will thank you later for it.

     

    8: ‘ONE MORE RUN, ONE MORE RUN’

    Resist the temptation. Stop before your kids get too tired and miserable, and you will grow the next Freeride Champion.

     

    9: SUN PROTECTION

    Who wants to send their child back to school with a massive goggle tan? Slap on that factor 50. Protecting their eyes from the glare of the snow is equally important; goggles are more comfortable than sunglasses and less likely to fall off too.

     

    10: ENJOY IT

    You’re on holiday! The more you relax the more the kids will, and want to go skiing again. If you get everything organised and planned you will enjoy yourself more and even have time for that Vin Chaud you wanted!

    What is Good Skiing? Part 2 – Good Skiing The Equipment

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    What is Good Skiing? Part 1 covered the basics of technique: the relationship between balancing over the middle of the skis and your ability to efficiently turn the legs. In Part 2, I want to look at the equipment we use and give you the essential knowledge you need to better understand what you’re doing. [Read more…] about What is Good Skiing? Part 2 – Good Skiing The Equipment

    How do I get my kids into skiing? Children’s Skiing

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    If you’re a skiing parent, you probably want to pass on the joys of skiing on to your kids. This shouldn’t be hard; skiing’s about the simple joy of sliding across snow, exploring pistes and having fun with friends! You won’t need to motivate your children to ski but choosing the right ski school, Instructor and equipment is important.

    Children’s Skiing – What age can my kids start skiing?

    Children can ski from 18 months, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Generally, they will only last for about 40 minutes, cannot coordinate properly, struggle to communicate with an instructor and lack the strength to make the necessary movements. Three years old is the best age to start; at three years, a child can handle a three-hour ski lesson with a solid hot chocolate stop. A good guide to tell if your child is physically able to ski is if they can go downstairs one foot over the other, rather than one step at a time. If they can do this, they are ready to ski. [Read more…] about How do I get my kids into skiing? Children’s Skiing

    What Is Good Skiing? Part 1 – The Basics

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    Verbier’s famous Swedish Instructor Jonas Sundstedt, director of the Alps’ only Swedish Ski School ESSE Verbier, once said, “the best skier is the one who has the most fun” – what more do we need?

    It might do many instructors some good to remember this quote, however a more technical analysis should probably be attempted; this is our aim. [Read more…] about What Is Good Skiing? Part 1 – The Basics

    5 reasons why Verbier, Zermatt and St. Moritz are the world’s best ski resorts

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    5 reasons why Verbier, Zermatt and St. Moritz are the world’s best ski resorts

    Since Zermatt has recently been voted “Best Resort in the Alps”, we decided to have a look at why we think that the three homes of ES are not just the best ski resorts in the Alps, but in the world! 5 reasons why Verbier, Zermatt and St. Moritz are the world’s best ski resorts.

     Verbier, Zermatt and St. Moritz are the world’s best ski resorts

    World’s best skiing.

    Verbier is well-known as the world’s freeride capital, having hosted the Verbier Xtreme for 20 years on the awe-inspiring Bec des Rosses. The powder turns and deep couloirs are famous in Verbier with a large proportion of them being accessible from the chairlifts and telecabins. St. Moritz boasts a huge 350km of pistes but is famous not just for the skiing. A range of activities take place on the huge frozen lake throughout the winter, including polo, horseracing and cricket, and the town has the last natural bob run in the world. [Read more…] about 5 reasons why Verbier, Zermatt and St. Moritz are the world’s best ski resorts

    My kids want to ski in the snowpark – help!

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    Kids in the snowpark. Since ‘slopestyle’ was added to the 2014 Winter Olympic freestyle events in Sochi, the buzz from freestyle and park riding has reached much wider audiences. The new snow that came to Verbier allowed the park crew to build a snowpark using boxes, rails and beginner sized jumps for all the skiers and snowboarders to rip around on. There are still a lot of exposed rocks and large cliffs in the off-piste areas so the snowpark has been noticeably busier than usual, with all the keen freestylers practicing their tricks and having way too much fun! [Read more…] about My kids want to ski in the snowpark – help!