Children can usually start learning to ski at age 3–4, and snowboarding from age 4. France’s ski school ESF offers a play-based club for ages 3–5, and schools in Switzerland run group lessons from age 3; according to Burton, snowboard schools usually start at age 4. The operator’s children’s school in Bansko is for ages 4–7. At these ages, lessons progress through play and in short sessions. For safety, a helmet is essential: research shows that helmets reduce head, neck and face injuries in children under 13. In Erciyes, children cannot ride the lifts without an adult.
At some schools, a snow play area and a first introduction (e.g. “Snowlino” for ages 2–3 in Switzerland)
Usually not offered
3–5
A play-based club and short lessons (e.g. ESF Club Piou-Piou, ages 3–5)
At some schools from age 4
5–12
Group lessons, from the snowplough to turning
Group lessons at most schools
12+
Close to adult programmes
Close to adult programmes
Schools’ age limits vary: the ski school in Klosters, Switzerland, offers group lessons for ages 3–16 and an introductory programme for ages 2–3; the operator’s “Junior” school in Bansko is for children aged 4–7. According to Burton, snowboard schools usually teach from age 4 at the earliest.
What are lessons like at these ages?
For young children, lessons are built not on technique but on play. The children’s teaching manual of PSIA-AASI, the American instructors’ association, is based on a model that looks at the child together with their cognitive, emotional and physical development: two children of the same age can progress at different speeds. In practice:
Short lessons with frequent breaks: Young children get cold and tired quickly.
Technique through games: The snowplough is explained as “pizza” and parallel skiing as “chips” (French fries).
Small groups: Schools deliberately keep children’s groups small.
Magic carpet and flat area: The first days are spent in the beginner area.
Choosing a children’s ski school rather than teaching your child yourself makes the day more relaxed for both your child and you. We will cover teaching children through play in a separate guide.
Skiing or snowboarding?
At a young age, most children start with skiing, because stopping in a snowplough gives them balance earlier and schools’ minimum ages are lower. For snowboarding, children are usually expected to be a little older (age 4–7 and up). There is no single right answer; what matters is the child’s interest and fitness.
Safety: helmets, lifts and planning the day
A helmet is essential: According to a review of skiing and snowboarding injuries in children (Research in Sports Medicine, 2018), helmets reduce head, neck and face injuries in children under 13. The same review reports that 7–14-year-olds are injured more often than 0–6- and 15–17-year-olds. In Erciyes, wearing a helmet is compulsory for everyone.
Lifts: Under Erciyes rules, children cannot ride the lifts without an adult. Under Swiss rules, children shorter than 1.25 metres may ride a chairlift only with a companion who can help them. For lift rules, see our guide How to Use Chairlifts, Drag Lifts and Gondolas.
Planning the day: Children get tired and cold before adults do. A morning lesson, a lunch break and a short afternoon are enough; take a break at the first signs of feeling cold.
Doğadayız winter programmes are designed for adult groups: the Erciyes and Bansko programmes are open to ages 12–55, and the Sarıkamış programme to ages 14–65; under-18s can join only with parental consent or accompanied by a parent. For younger children, the resorts’ own children’s ski schools are a better fit.
A family winter activity holiday
The secret of a ski holiday with children is giving everyone their own programme: while the children learn through play at ski school, the adults ski at their own level, and lunch and evenings are spent together. For older children (12 and over) and teenagers, a group activity holiday offers both learning and new friendships. Teenagers aged 12 and over can join Doğadayız winter activity holidays with parental consent; our programmes are designed as a social adventure holiday.
Doğadayız Packages
Doğadayız packages for your level
Winter activity holidays with accommodation, ski pass and equipment included, shared with a group.
The easiest way to learn to ski: a winter activity holiday
An activity holiday puts a sport at the heart of your trip: transport, accommodation and meals are planned, so you can focus on learning on the slopes. On Doğadayız winter activity holidays, accommodation, ski pass and ski or snowboard equipment are included in every package; course packages include basic lessons with instructors affiliated with the Turkish Ski Federation, while experience packages let you practise on the slopes at your own level.
What makes the programme different is the group: sharing the slopes with people at a similar level, dinners and nights out together, and a group leader by your side at all times. Solo travellers become part of this social adventure holiday from day one. That is why we describe our programmes as a social adventure holiday.
Most ski schools offer play-based lessons from age 3–4. For example, France’s ESF school offers Club Piou-Piou for ages 3–5, and schools in Switzerland run group lessons from age 3.
At what age can children learn to snowboard?
According to Burton, snowboard schools usually teach from age 4 at the earliest. Many children start with skiing and move on to snowboarding when they are a little older; what matters is the child’s interest and fitness.
Are helmets compulsory for children?
In Erciyes, wearing a helmet is compulsory for everyone. Research shows that helmets reduce head, neck and face injuries in children under 13.
Can children join Doğadayız winter programmes?
Doğadayız winter programmes are designed for adult groups. The Erciyes and Bansko programmes are open to ages 12–55, and the Sarıkamış programme to ages 14–65; under-18s can join only with parental consent or accompanied by a parent.
Ski resorts have four types of lift: the magic carpet, the drag lift (T-bar), the chairlift and the gondola. Beginners master the magic carpet first, then the chairlift; the drag lift is the hardest because it takes balance. The basic rule on a chairlift: watch the chair over your shoulder, sit all the way back, lower the safety bar once everyone is seated, raise it as you approach the top and move away from the ramp straight away. On a snowboard, you ride the lifts with your back foot out of the binding. Under the Erciyes rules, children may not ride the lifts without an adult.
For someone who has never skied, group lessons are often enough and cheaper; the topics of the first days (balance, snowplough, stopping, first turns) are the same for everyone, and learning with people at the same level boosts motivation. Private lessons suit those who want to solve a specific problem, overcome fear or progress quickly in a short time. The price difference is large: at Snow Academia in Erciyes in the 2025–26 season, a one-to-one lesson cost 4,000 TL per hour, while in groups of 5 or more it was 2,250 TL per person. Group lessons also kick off the social side of a winter activity holiday.
No, adults do not find it hard to learn to ski; they just learn differently. According to Doğadayız booking records, the average age of the 2,140 people who joined the basic course packages over the last four winter seasons is 31.6; 56% are over 30 and 14% over 40. Adults are more cautious than children and more wary of falling, so it is important to start in the right order, with an instructor and in a gently sloping beginner area. Physical preparation, rental equipment that is set up correctly and a two- or three-day winter activity holiday are the most effective start for an adult.
