Hi
As other posters have said 2.5 is a bit too young. Ski school generally starts from 3 or 4. When you do start, go for morning lessons as your child will be less tired - we did afternoons the first year and kept getting calls that the kids had fallen asleep mid lesson !!

Mark Warner and Espirit are all fine and include childcare options. We have also been twice with Ski Famille, who are a bit more high end and in our experience a better option for a relaxing family holiday.

One final thing, look at transfer times - I would keep it under 2hrs with little ones and beware the trip down the mountain on the return. Windy roads and an early breakfast are not always a great combination.....

Hi there,
I have my own company that specialises in bespoke ski holidays and would be delighted to offer advice.

As others have already said, 2.5 yrs is too young for formal lessons. Most resorts will offer a kids club where they get used to just shuffling around on snow which is about all they can cope with. Any more than that and they get really cold and tired. Some of these have a minimum age of 3.

When thinking about resorts, I would suggest a short transfer ie Morzine, Les Gets, Chamonix (all less than an hour), Chatel (90 mins) or Meribel (2 hrs). Bramble Ski are excellent (I work with them a lot) but their properties are in Verbier and St Anton, which aren't very child friendly resorts although they are both quite short transfers.

I would also consider going after half term rather than before as Jan can be really cold, and March is much warmer, which is better for little ones, although Jan is the chespest time of year and most likely to get a bargain.

I would strongly recommend taking little ones (or beginners of any age) to an indoor ski slope like Milton Keynes or Hemel Hempstead before going away, just to get them introduced to all of the kit and what the boots etc feel like, so that they don't have a melt down on the first day.

Please feel free to send me a message if you would like any further advice or help booking a chalet.

With best wishes
Julia

Chamonix is an amazing place for little ones to start skiing.
They have great slopes with a choice of two places to learn.

I have been on many winter holidays as a nanny and this school was by far the best http://www.esfchamonix.com/ the teachers were amazing.

You can hire the skis and all the gear from a little shop only seconds away from the school, there is a little cafe nearby for you to wait for them as lessons are 1-1.

Hope this helps

Amanda

Thanks v.much, I will look at Esprit & we'll give lessons a miss for a year or 2 & check out the snow creche

http://www.brambleski.com - toppest of top end chalet companies.

Lessons are too much for 2.5yr old, if they have snow club or somewhere they can play in the snow and have creche facilities this is much better. At that age they can't stand up on skis and they get cold and exhausted. The kids' club option means they get used to being bundled up, being in snow and sliding about on it.

You'll probably find ski schools won't take them that early anyway and will suggest the kids' club/creche option.

I know from experience, I live in the Alps with 2 small children, and 2.5 is too wee! (BTW Bramble Ski is not my company, in case anyone thinks I'm pulling a fast one and advertising!)

Happy holidays.

I'd advise no formal ski lessons until they are 3. Before then, it is more just having fun in the snow. Skiing is hard on your little legs and hips. Have fun!!

Ps. If you really want high end then Scott Dunn offer a high end version of the same sort of thing - think private nanny instead of nursery etc etc. Be warned though - we were quoted £16,000 for a family of 4 to go during school holidays vs about £4,000 with Esprit...

We are going with Esprit holidays who are amazing for chalet holidays with kids, with full childcare included. Our daughter is taking half day ski lessons (which is assume will just be getting used to having skis on her feet!) and she will have just turned 3. They also provide optional 'snow club' childcare for the rest of the day in case parents want to do more skiing, and full time nursery for younger ones. It's a great service.

I'd love to know this too as I've always thought the minimum age for skiing lessons is 4. My little boy is almost 3 and my daughter is 1.5 but I'd love to go skiing next year and take my son.

We would like to go Skiing in the New Year with our DS who will be 2.5 by then, avoiding half term week(s) & would like him to have lessons in the morning & then spend the afternoon with us. We've only ever been Skiing before we had him so we have no idea where is a good resort to go with little ones.

We're thinking of a high end chalet? Does anyone have anywhere that they have been to & can reccomend or know of?

Thanks v.much