8 Tips for Skiing With Kids: How to Have the Best Ski Vacation

Are you planning a family ski trip? Do your kids have a week off to ski? I will tell you that before you head to the slopes, there are a lot of things to keep in mind. I have already been on three family ski trips in the last four years, and my kids have been skiing since they were five or six years old, so I have learned a lot about the tricks to having a successful trip to the snow, and what not to do.

Besides making a booking for accommodation, ski lessons and buying all the ski clothing and accessories you need, there are quite a few important points to consider that I can break down for you:

1. Always Get a Locker! Okay, so I can´t possibly emphasize this point enough, and that’s why I started the list with it, even though it´s probably not the first thing that you think of. When you take your kids skiing, there is a lot of heavy equipment involved- skis, poles, ski boots, helmets and goggles, besides the hats and gloves. Your kids, especially those who are below teenage, will not want to haul all these things up and down the mountain every day. It may even mean that you have to carry their gear and yours (if you plan on skiing as well). That is why it is absolutely essential to rent at least one locker, as close to the ski slopes as possible, and preferably on the slopes themselves. On our latest trip to Baqueira ski resort, the slopes were only accessible from our apartment and most accommodation by taking a separate lift. That meant lugging five people´s ski gear up several flights of stairs and into the lift and off of it twice a day, every day! Luckily, by the second day we figured out where the ski storage lockers were on the slopes and rented a locker that could at least fit our three kids´ things. This decision basically saved the rest of our vacation and our ears from our kids´ constant whining. We could easily ride the big lift up the mountain, gear up our kids right on the slope a few minutes before their ski lesson, and leave all of their heavy equipment in the locker at the end of the day. We then rode back down to the stop near our apartment without being burdened by all the gear.

2. NEVER and I mean never arrive on the same day that you plan to ski! Okay so this sounds a bit extreme, but trust me I tried it. On our last trip, we attempted something we had never done before, in the name of YOLO, which was that we arrived at the ski resort at midday on the same day that my kids had a lesson booked in the afternoon. The chaos that ensued was madness. We rushed crazily to the ski rental shop where employees were slowly helping the customers before us, took an hour to get fitted for our skis and equipment, only to realize we should have gotten dressed in our ski clothes first. We then had to change behind the curtain in the shop (no time to go back to our apartment) and hurriedly try to carry our things up to buy a ski lift ticket while the kids screamed and cried the whole way. We made it to meet their instructors half an hour late. They still skied for 90 minutes, but the stress and heart palpitations almost didn’t make it worth the trouble. My humble advice is to always arrive the morning or afternoon before so that you can gather up your gear and safely deposit it in the above-mentioned locker so that you will be ready to go the next morning. Our miscalculation was that we could only book the accommodation we liked from Monday to Friday (actually the best days to ski) which meant that we wanted to take advantage of every day we had by beginning the ski lessons for the kids on Monday. In the end, though, it would have worked out a lot better to arrive on Sunday.

1. Ski instructor vs Ski school: This one is tricky, because a ski instructor, even if you have a group of kids, will cost more than a ski school. This year and two years ago, we had our kids and some of their friends grouped with a private ski instructor, which meant that they had more tailor-made and intense instruction, but also had to be picked up and dropped off in between lessons for lunch and breaks. Logistically, especially for parents who want to be on the slopes all day, this option does not make as much sense as ski school. Three years ago, we booked our kids (aged 5 and 6) and two of their friends into an all-day ski school. The full day included lunch (they had to bring a snack), break time in a special indoor lounge, and all supervision in between. This option is most relaxing and least expensive for parents, although ski school usually involves larger groups and entails a slower pace of learning.

2. End of the day downtime is a must! I must say that whatever ski schedule you book for your kids, you MUST factor in downtime at the end of the day and in between lessons/after lunch if they are skiing on their own or with a private instructor. Skiing is a physically demanding sport, and they will be spending quite a bit of time in heavy and uncomfortable boots under the bright sun or in the cold and fog. So, to make it to the end of ski week alive, you have to let them take breaks that involve food, drink, some card games and screen time. Most families also plan to bathe and go back out to dinner at the end of their ski day, either at their hotels or a nearby restaurant, and that involves the kids going back out and staying up at least a little past their bedtimes. If your kids aren’t refreshed after a long day on the slopes, your night might end badly!

3. Pack educational games/Download good apps: Speaking of downtime, I made the mistake with my youngest son (who is turning five soon) of not downloading any apps on my phone that could keep him sufficiently entertained while having some educational value. I know that being on vacation, he didn’t necessarily need to learn, but since we couldn’t carry any games or books up to the slopes, when he had downtime in the resort cafeteria, the only thing at his reach was my phone. That meant that we ended up downloading some terrible free games full of in-app purchases that only frustrated him, shortened his attention span, and drove all of us crazy (Clumsy Ninja and Fluffy Fall: I mean you). If I had thought about it ahead of time, I could have downloaded some math and reading apps that he really enjoys, such as IXL or Epic and he could have been challenged and engaged during his free time instead.

4. Forget About the Sugar! Okay, so this sounds counterintuitive to having calm, healthy and well-behaved kids on a ski trip, but sometimes you just can´t fight it. I am just here to warn you that when you go to a ski resort, there will be no escape from the sugar. Whether it´s at the resort café, cafeteria or at your nightly dining venue, the donuts, treats, and hot chocolates are everywhere. Instead of attempting the impossible by trying to avoid all the sugary temptations placed in front of your kids, I would better suggest that you go on the trip with a game plan. In other words, let your kids know when and how many treats or sugary drinks they can have, and then enforce the rules. Our older two kids are into soft drinks and sports drinks at this age, something they can only usually have at lunch on the weekend. On the trip they were allowed half a drink with their meals as well as a small dessert, and we just went with it. Most importantly, make sure they brush their teeth every morning and night, so you don’t end up having to go to the dentist right when you get back home.

5. Book Childcare Ahead of Time: If you have kids under four years old who can´t take ski lessons and need a lot of attention, entertainment, and naps, I highly recommend enrolling them in a ski resort childcare center. They have these at most resorts, including mealtimes, playtime, and naptime, freeing you up to either ski or attend to your older kids. Some families also like to book evening babysitters so they can go on an adult dinner out. These would be trickier to find but with new babysitting websites and apps, it can be sorted out. I personally almost always just dragged my kids to dinner with me, because when we go skiing with other families they like to be with the other kids, and usually the littlest ones just end up falling asleep on a comfy bench if dinner runs a little too late.

6. Expect Car Sickness: Hopefully this event does not happen after dinner, but I would expect or be prepared for some motion sickness when traveling to a ski resort by car or plane with kids. My children never got car sick when they were little, but on our last four-hour car ride I had 2 nauseous kids and one who threw their chocolate milk right up, all over our nice leather interior. That’s when I learned about kids ´motion sickness medicine (dramamine) which you can get over the counter at the pharmacy and keep with you just in case, as well as ginger-flavored lollipops and the importance of only feeding them dry foods like crackers and plain biscuits in the car.

All of these tips shouldn´t scare you away from the idea of a family ski vacation. My family of five has been enjoying trips to the snow for more than four years now, and all the madness and hassle is honestly worth it. With a little bit of planning, you can be on the slopes enjoying the view of the snow-capped mountains and blue skies or even shredding up the "piste" if that´s what you enjoy. I know that, although my kids´ schools offer organized ski trips with their friends, I still want to enjoy the special moments a family ski trip brings and the memories, car sickness and all, that will last us all a lifetime.