Parents Information
- Prepare your child about ski school - he/she should be looking forward to it.
- Make sure your child has warm clothes on. Mittens and ski boots should be dry. Important: good sunglasses or ski goggles.
- Your child should be wearing a card with details of name, address and telephone number in Gstaad, and his/her native language.
- Have trust in the ski teachers and let them work with the children in peace.
- If your child cries on the first morning, stay in your child's range of sight for a while. As soon as he/she has calmed down, please leave him/her alone with the ski teacher.
- Your child should be brought to us at 09.45 am and be collected again at 15.00 pm. Please be on time. The children will be given lunch between 11.45 am and 13.00 pm under the supervision of the ski teacher.
- Your child is on holiday. We want him/her to learn to ski playfully. Don't expect an alpine champion after 1 week of ski school!
Enjoy your holidays!
Starting a snowsport
When, how and what equipment?
The most frequent questions from parents to a snowsports teacher
- At what age can my son/daughter use a snowboard?
- My daughter is 4 years old. Is this to early?
- Should the child start with skiing or snowboarding?
It is difficult to advise depending on age, weight or the height of a child. It differs from child to child depending on the childs physical ability. It is often easier to advise after watching the childs behaviour rather than relying on ist growth pattern.
Three years of age is often quoted as being the ideal age to begin the snow adventure but it does depend on the maturity and emotional development of the individual child. As soon as a child can walk and run it has enough coordination to start skiing.
Depending on how a child is introduced to the snowsport is very important. It should be fun not something the parents want their child to do but something the child wants to do!!!!!
Equipment
Clothing
Clothes should be warm,waterproof and slide proof. Movement must not be restricted. The trousers must be long enough to avoid snow getting into the Boots.
Buy gloves making sure that ski poles can be held firmly.They should also be warm and waterproof. Mittens are sometimes better for smaller skiers.
Gloves with wrist protection are recommended for snow boarders.
A helmet is a must for both skiers and snowboarders. A well functioned helmet protects not only by falls but also from other dangers e.g ski lift bars etc.
Glasses or goggles should protect from UV rays and be the correct size¨Ski poles should not be too long and the grip on childrens poles not too thick.
Shoes
A shoe that fits well protects from the cold. Shoes to big or small cause pain and are a higher accident risk. (remeber this when borrowing shoes from family members) Skiboots must be hard at the front and stable at the back and sides. Ski boots with two or more clips provides a better fit.
There are two different types of snowboard boots and bindings. Softboots with a soft binding and shell boots with a plate binding. For safety reasons never use skiboots.
Ski / Snowboard
For beginners the skis should reach the chest but not be taller than the chin.Advanced child skiers should not have skis taller than their height.
At the beginning it is best to have an all-round snowboard that is not taller than ones height. Flexibility and weight must correspond. The board must be wide enough to fit both boots and binding.
Binding
Skis must have an up to date binding that opens perfectly. It is also important to get in and out of the binding easily. The binding must be tested yearly at a ski shop.
Snowboard bindings for children must be easy to use and fitted with a catch device fastened on the lower leg before starting which means the board does not go off on ist own. Remember there are is no safety binding on a snowboard.