4yr old - new to skiing...

[horizon]

So I'm putting my son on skis for the first time this winter. He likes being out (bike, scooter) and is excited about the trip, but hasn't done any snowsports before. He loved rollerskates last summer but was really just able to do anything if I held his hand, otherwise Bambi on ice.

I've been reading other threads on what to do, so I know a few things: keep it fun, get him in a class with other children so they can play, make sure he's not cold, don't push him etc. I have a question for any maggots who've done this: would it be realistic to expect that he'll be able to get out of the nursery slopes and join me on an easy trail after a week (assuming he's an average learner), or is that too much for this age and time on the snow?

(No, I won't pressure him with expectations - he might badger me to go, though!)

Btw, I'm still choosing a resort, I'm going also with my parents so I was thinking La Plagne or LDA, as both have motorway skiing for them as well as some good offpiste for the time I can get away. Period is 23 Dec - 2 Jan, perhaps I'll be lucky and meet some Euromags?

[iceman]

Well it'd probably have to be a green but I think it's doable. When my kids started (at 3 and 4) they had them on the chair within an hour and had the edgie-wedgie doodads off after the first day. After a week they were cruising around pretty well, albeit in a snowplow mostly

[Dr. Gaper]

I saw what must have been a five year old just TEARING IT UP on skis at Loveland the other day. I mean, this kid looked as comfortable and experienced on skis than any of us. It was really cool.

[runethechamp]

I would say yes, especially if you are talking skiing every day for a week. They supposedly pick it up a lot faster when you do that. I think I had my 3 year old son on a blue run on his 5th or 6th day last season, and that was with only single days of skiing.