The ski course is booked, the equipment bought. But: The child does not want to. He stands at the children’s ski course and refuses. “This is pure stress for everyone”, knows Isabel Zinnagl. The mother of two is a blogger for the online magazine “Salon Mama”. The situation is known to her, albeit in a different context. “My daughter definitely did not want to go to swimming lessons and I persuaded her to. The result was that she didn’t go into the water for a year and a half”.
Ski course booked
She learned it anyway, but only later. “For our winter vacation, we booked a ski course for her. She said to herself that she wants to learn it.” If her daughter doesn’t want to take part, after all, Isabel Zinnagl wants to stay flexible. “I hope the ski school will be willing to talk to her. And we’ll just go sledding with the kids or do something at the hotel.
In her experience, the first swings of pressure and compulsion do not bring success. Neither does overtax children. Martin Seebacher, head of the ski school on the Katschberg, says: “The trend is for three-year-olds to be enrolled in the course. In general, however, it is ideal to start at the age of five. Seebacher advises parents not to constantly monitor what happens in the course. “Some parents are not fast enough or they know everything better. That only confuses the children.” According to Seebacher, after about three days the little ones come down the first slopes and can use the lift. “After a week they are safely on a blue slope.”
Search for alternatives
And if parents want to teach their children to ski themselves? Then patience and skill are required. “If all this doesn’t work out, it’s not too bad,” says Isabel Zinnagl. “But the most important thing is that the children have fun. And if skiing is still too difficult: Zipfelbob always works. In addition, further alternatives are always a hit:
Ice skating
If skiing doesn’t work out or a break is due, you can try skating. In the beginning, children need something to hold on to. Often there are walking aids in the size of children, which girls and boys push in front of them. Otherwise, mom or dad has to do the following: stand opposite the offspring, squat down, and reach with both hands.
Relax in the hotel
Fresh air, lots of exercises: Little snow bunnies have to take a break there too. You can relax wonderfully in the hotel’s own wellness area. The Falkensteiner family hotels have their own spa areas for families. There the little ones gather new strength.
Visit animals
Stroking the hares, watching them being milked, feeding the goats and chickens, or taking a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the winter landscape: When animals are around, children have more than enough to do. On a short hike off the slopes, with a little luck, you might even see a deer. Directly at the Falkensteiner Club Funimation Katschberg, there is even an own petting zoo.
Small night owls
When it gets dark, many children only wake up. A good opportunity for evening action is a toboggan ride under floodlight. On the Katschberg, the Nassfeld, and in Schladming, this is possible without any problems. Especially exciting is the seven-kilometer-long natural toboggan run on the Hochwurzen in Schladming. Hold on tight and off you go. Afterward, you will sleep much better.
Indoor playground
When it gets too cold outside, it’s good if the children have plenty of room to play inside. An indoor area in the accommodation is then worth its weight in gold.
Have fun and good luck for the first ski attempts of your little ones!
