A load of fun, extreme sports, winter action and skiing! All sounds a bit too much with young kids around, right? If you love skiing and don’t want to change your holidays now that you have children, don’t worry you can still have a perfect family holiday in the Alps, that includes skiing. Here are five tips to show you just how you can bring your toddlers along on your ski trip and have an amazing time.
You can take your toddler on a ski holiday.
There are many parents who enjoy their ski breaks and bring their toddlers along too. How you might ask? Well, there are many family friendly resorts that cater for all the needs of parents with young children. Specialist tour companies have thought of everything you could need when bringing children along to the slopes. With childcare, babysitters, ski school and kid’s clubs, the kids will have fun on your ski holiday and so will you. You won’t look at family ski holidays in the same way again.
1. Stay in a chalet and book childcare
When you have childcare as part of your package holiday, you have the peace of mind your children will be well looked after. Staying in a chalet, especially with other families, is an excellent option when you have children of the same age. Or if you are travelling as part of a wider family or a group of friends, why not book out the whole chalet?
The companies who specialise in family ski breaks have all the facilities you need and many will provide nappies, wipes and food so you don’t have to worry about bringing your own along. There are all terrain buggies suitable for use in the snow and travel cots, Bed guards, stair gates and other safety features you would expect in child friendly accommodation.
If you search for deals and book the right dates, you may even find free child places or discounts. Skiing can be expensive especially when having to pay for children too. So, this will make a ski holiday with the children even more enjoyable when you’re saving money too.
2. Ski in the morning and spend the afternoon with the kids
Let’s face it, you’re up early with a toddler anyway and they might be at their best and pay attention with others during the morning. You can get up and out to enjoy the fresh slopes and get back in time for an afternoon with the family.
Morning skiing is great if you have children in ski school, as lessons are usually held in the morning too. You can all get up and ready to go out together and meet back after your morning fun.
There are even lunch clubs or a supervised lunch for kids to eat together at lunchtime so you don’t have to worry about fixing lunch for the children after your morning ski. Once you are all fed and happy you have the rest of the day to enjoy all of the other activities family ski resorts have to offer.
3. Book Ski School for over 3’s
By the time your toddler is three, then they will be old enough to start to learn to ski. There are specially trained instructors who know how to teach children and make it fun too. They will enjoy learning with other children of the same age and being able to tell you all about their skills at the end of the day.
You’ll be thrilled at how enthusiastic your toddler will be about their skiing progress, and how amazing it is they enjoy something that you do too. For future holidays, no doubt you will be hitting the slopes together as a family.
Older children will also thrive in this environment, they will make friends with other kids of the same age and maybe get to a standard meaning they can get out on the slopes by themselves. You will all be out skiing together in no time.
4. Choose the right time for your holiday
No doubt you will want to avoid the busiest times when you are bringing young children along. Going skiing during the non-peak seasons will mean you won’t have long queues for ski lifts or busy slopes to navigate meaning more time skiing and with your family.
If you are bringing school age children along this might pose as a problem. However, the first two weeks in January are relatively quiet and a good time to bring the children in the holidays. If you can get away outside of the school holidays, your ski resort will be quieter, the slopes will be less cluttered, and the ski schools won’t be so busy.
If you must travel at busy times, then book early to make sure you get the resort you want. You will get the best chalet with facilities and childcare that you need for you and your family by booking early when you have more choice. You might get a deal by booking late, but it probably won’t be the exact holiday you are looking for.
5. Bring the right clothing
Don’t underestimate how cold it will be for children, even if they aren’t going to be skiing. With other activities and dropping temperatures at night, it’s important to bring the right clothes to keep everyone warm.
Ski wear and specialist items can be hired in resort, but there are some items of clothing you shouldn’t forget. Plenty of clothing layers are essential and bring spares just in case things get wet, they probably will! Good warm socks are also a necessity to wear with shoes or boots that are waterproof and will protect little feet from the cold.
If you are a regular skier, then you might already have an idea of what clothing you’ll need but children can get cold easier and their temperatures can change quickly. You tour company or agent will be able to advise you on what clothing and equipment you need to bring along and what is available to hire in resort.
And a couple of extras
- Remember to pack a few favourite snacks from home to cheer up grumpy toddlers and in case you can’t get what you want in resort.
- Plan some family friendly activities together, snowman building or sledding outdoors or cinema and bowling for indoor activities.
- If your young children are joining a ski school, why not try out some dry slopes together before your holiday?
- Use packing cubes to pack light, keep your luggage separate and compact and also wet and dry clothes separated.
How do you feel about taking young children on a ski holiday? Hopefully after reading this you are more confident about taking toddlers on a ski break and the options you have as a parent. As long as you plan and prepare before you go, you will be able to enjoy a holiday on the slopes no problem. So, as you can see, ski breaks don’t have to stop when you have kids, they fit into your life and not the other way round!