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Our New Kid’s Programme
We’re very excited to announce that we have a new and unique training pathway for our children’s ski lessons! These changes are to help young children become more confident, skilled skiers who can ski safely on the mountain from a young age. We hope to inspire young skiers and support them in developing a real passion for the sport, so they can reach their full potential in ski classes.
Our aim is to build foundational skills from a young age, to help them to learn to ski with ease in our group lessons. Skiing can help to prepare them for real-life challenges and frustrations, as an individual and as a team. Ski schools can also help children celebrate the triumphs and successes of being outdoors and having fun on their ski holidays.
Our new kid’s programme for children’s ski lessons is more defined and sets clearer boundaries so that parents can keep track of their progress and instructors can ensure they are the safest, most rounded skiers on the mountain.
What’s new in our kid’s ski lessons?
- New challenges
- More prominent focus on safety
- Longer lesson times
- New badges
- Updated awards
- New kid’s ski passports
New ski challenges
Our children’s programme combines a mix of technical and exploratory challenges to keep everyone engaged. All our ski lessons are tailored to ability levels, so they can learn at their own pace. With a focus on helping children understand the mountain and slopes to build confidence and help them make great decisions for themselves, rather than just follow an instructor.
We’ll be focusing on learning new things, exploring a variety of terrain – like learning how to jump and do tricks in the park, and most importantly, learning about safety in the mountains. These skills are vital for children of any age, so the sooner they can learn the importance of safety in the mountains, the better.
The new ski challenges progress up through the levels, so one skill they may learn in a lower group will work towards a more complicated skill in the next level up. So our new pathway is all part of their journey to become awesome skiers with New Generation Ski School.
Safety first in ski lessons
Here at New Generation, we love a challenge and strive to make your little ones the best skiers on the mountain. So, from this year onwards, we’ve added new challenges and skills to help any young skier have fun, be independent and have the knowledge to make safe decisions.
We want to equip our mini shredders with the tools they need to become more independent and safe on the mountain, which means you’re in for a more relaxing time when you all ski together as a family.
Longer Ski Lesson Times
It may seem like a minor detail but our children’s ski lessons are also designed to help you make the most of your incredible holiday. The longer running time means you can get out and explore in the mornings when the snow is best.
Your child will be safe with our experienced instructors making new friends in small groups on the mountain. So you’re not stuck in a weird limbo between having just dropped your children off, and then needing to pick them up again. And you can enjoy your holiday in the snow.
New Badges
In previous years we have given our kid’s groups Snow Life Awards, but this year we’ve made our own badges to personalise your child’s ski journey with us.
Our updated awards in detail
- Whippersnapper & Wallabies: 1 & 2 Star will now become Penguin, Polar Bear & 1 Star
- Arrows will still receive 2 & 3 stars (albeit a new badge design)
- Bombers will still receive 4 & 5 stars (albeit a new badge design)
- Rockets will still receive 6 & 7 stars (albeit a new badge design)
- Freeride: 7 & 8 stars will now become 8 & Bronze star
- Prorider: 8 & 9 stars will now become Silver & Gold star
New Ski Passports
Say hello to new shiny new kid’s ski passports this winter! We’ve used up all of our stock and thought it was more than time for a shiny update! Our new passports will be handed out this winter and replace any existing passports. They will easily display which challenges your child has completed and which they are still working on in order to achieve the next level up.
This will give both parents and instructors a clearer vision of where your child is at, in terms of skills, knowledge and safety. They are essential for documenting progress in children’s ski lessons.
Our Children’s Ski Lessons
WHIPPERSNAPPERS (4-5YRS)
The perfect beginner group lessons for young children who want to learn to ski. Our whippersnapper’s group lessons are shorter than our other groups, running for 2 hours daily. This short time is much more appropriate for little legs that get tired. It also allows our instructors to better manage the children’s enjoyment.
Our top priority for this age group is to ensure we manage their energy levels and that they are having a good time. We will ensure that your children have a positive first experience on snow and get them used to the weather, clothing and equipment. As anyone with young children will know, the second they are too tired or uncomfy, it is game over.
By the end of the week, your child may have started linking turns and have the ability to control their speed and stop. They will also have gained experience with a variety of ski lifts and will be much more confident putting their own skis on. Our main aim is to ensure they are excited to ski again each day.
WALLABIES (6-12YRS)
Wallabies is also for children who have never skied before, but for an older age group. It could be their first time, or they may have had an intro session on a snow dome, and still be learning to snowplough turn.
Enjoyment and your children’s safety are still our top priorities, but the older ages allow us to focus a little more on development too.
We also try to introduce a feeling of self-responsibility, which may seem small, but teaching children to properly carry their own skis, get up on their own and reset their own bindings makes them feel much more accomplished.
ARROWS (6-12YRS)
In our Arrows group lessons, your children will escape the beginner slopes and start to explore more of the mountain. Your child will need a lift pass from the first day as they will be travelling around the ski resort.
We will focus on making the snowplough smaller and starting to ski parallel between turns. Then begin exploring rollers, bumps and jumps.
As the week goes on, the group will start to tackle more challenging blue runs. As well as learning basic tricks in the park, like box slides and how to ski backwards, as well as linking jumps and features together. Arrows always have a lot of fun and their development in just one week can be huge!
Our team will also start to cover essential safety information, including the mountain code of conduct which includes mountain awareness such as how to choose a safe place to stop and how to ski safely in a group.
BOMBERS (6-12YRS)
Bombers are the perfect ski group for those at an intermediate level, who are ready for a challenge. Our instructors will gradually start to introduce skills that enable your children to go faster whilst remaining in control.
From the first day, the group will start exploring the snow parks, challenging their balance and coordination by learning tricks e.g a 180 flat spin on a green run. Building the foundational movement patterns for essential skills like side slipping, hockey stops, absorbing bumps and skating on skis.
As the foundations start to come together, kids will automatically begin to ski more dynamically, developing the skills to deal with steeper, more challenging terrain.
Our instructors also build on the knowledge children need to ski safely when not in ski lessons. Explaining what piste markers mean and how they can stop you from getting lost, covering the rules of snow parks, how and when to overtake other skiers and who has the right of way. These are essential skills for when you ski as a family or with friends.
ROCKETS (8-13YRS)
Our rockets group builds on the parallel skiing skills developed in bombers. It’s entirely normal for children to spend a couple of seasons in the Rockets group before joining our FreeRide team.
We will practise varying turn shapes and sizes, making long parallel turns and linking short turns. Then introducing pole plants and edge rolls to work towards higher performance skiing.
In the parks, we will move on to bigger jumps, focusing on how to land safely whilst remaining balanced. We’ll also practise tricks like a 5050 box slide and 360 flat spins on green runs.
These skills all help your child become an all-round balanced skier who can tackle any terrain and conditions on the mountain. At the end of their time in rockets, students will be confident on black runs, making basic carved turns and have started exploring the variable snow.
As your child’s confidence and independence increase, it is essential that their mountain awareness does too. Our instructors will teach them how to safely lead a group down the mountain, think about safe places to stop and start, and ensure they are aware of other skiers. We also cover accident procedures, including how to contact the piste patrol, what to tell them and how to share your location.
FREERIDE TEAM (10-14YRS)
Our Freeride team members are focused on improving piste performance and gradually expanding their skills into all-mountain skiing. Most children will spend at least two seasons in our FreeRide programme. It is a great place to make new friends of similar abilities.
On Piste, the team will be working on how to confidently ski black runs, maintaining control at all times, and looking to build edge grip earlier in the turn. On gentler terrain, we will focus on higher-performance carved turns and start to explore how we can use turn shape to control speed.
In the park, we will work on consistently clearing the flats on jumps and starting to link switch (backwards) parallel turns.
The team will also work on techniques for skiing in variable terrain off the sides of the Piste. We will teach them how to judge which drops, jumps, and lines are safe to ski. As well as practising small natural drops, learning to spot the landing and ski out.
Navigation skills also play a crucial part in their development, and our instructors will work to ensure each student knows how to navigate around the resort with a piste map. Something we encourage you to ask them to do when skiing as a family too.
PRORIDE TEAM (13-17YRS)
The final group lesson for teenagers, delivered by a dedicated team of performance coaches. Successfully completing your Gold Star and earning a New Generation Team Trucker Hat will take almost all students two seasons. Our Proride team are high-level skiers who could comfortably start their instructor exams once they have finished this group.
On Piste, the team will work on skiing blacks in all conditions, with a range of turn shapes to control speed, no matter the snow conditions. Building towards skiing a fall-line descent of a mogul field, with a rhythmical pole plant whilst staying in control.
To prepare them to ski off-piste, we will also work on techniques to ski ice, powder, variable snow, crust and narrow gullies or couloirs. We cover the use of transceivers, shovels and probes in rescue simulations, with students needing to find and rescue one hypothetical victim in 6 minutes.
With the basics mastered, we will head off-piste, working on technique, looking at bigger drops and learning how to safely lead groups.
OFF-PISTE: Please Note
Our ProRide Team ski off-piste when conditions allow. We will provide full avalanche safety kit for these days and cover the use of this equipment as standard in all ProRide sessions.
How are we different to other ski schools?
- We have a variety of ski groups suited to all abilities and age levels
- We’re focused on children’s safety
- We have a team of experienced ski instructors
There’s no better feeling than dropping your kids off at ski school, knowing they are well looked after, happy and in complete safety with our dedicated team. And with our new challenges and awards set for this year and the future, we hope your kids are as excited as we are to get back into ski school this year!
A positive future for talented young instructors
What happens once my child has completed all of the ski levels and children’s ski lessons?
Once your child has completed all our kid’s levels, they will be a strong skier who could further their skills by becoming an instructor. Our top ski school kid’s level group is at the same level as a Level 1 BASI Instructor.
BASI, the British Association of Snow-sports Instructors run instructor programmes in the UK and across the Alps. The Ski Level 1 Instructor is an entry-level course for students who wish to join the BASI Education System. This qualification is ideal for those wishing to find employment in a UK snow-sports centre.
What about snowboarding?
Unfortunately, we do not provide training options for snowboard instructors, but BASI does have Snowboarding Instructor qualifications that keen snowboarders can book.
If your teen would like to become a ski instructor, we run instructor programmes in various resorts across the alps. To learn more about our pathway to developing technical skills and getting qualified as an experienced instructor, head over to our Development Courses website.
Book private lessons to see if your child is ready to start their instructor career.
Transform your family ski holidays
Have you booked your children’s ski lessons for this coming winter?
If they are, please tell them about our fun new challenges and awards they will receive this winter! And dig out your old ski passport for reference, as they will be getting a shiny brand new one this year! Feel free to still bring or keep your old passport for old times‘ sake.
Book Children’s Ski lessons today
If your children aren’t booked in just yet, get in touch today or view our live lesson availability online as peak weeks are filling up and we’d hate your children to miss out.
If you can’t find the availability in group lessons that you’re looking for, we also offer private lessons for children of all ages and abilities. If you are a large group and have children of a similar ability, a private lesson can work out cheaper, so it’s worth exploring both options.
