There are so many factors to consider when planning a family skiing holiday – here are some helpful tips to plan your perfect ski trip…

Tip 1 – When’s the best time to go skiing with children?

If you children are school age, the most popular times are during Christmas, New Year, February half term and Easter, which coincide with school holidays. Book well in advance for these peak weeks (the summer before the winter you want to ski).

If you aren’t tied to school holidays, then try January, March and April, which are ideal for families with smaller kids and also best for families travelling on a budget.

It’s useful to know that the weather is coldest in January, so this is perhaps not the best time to travel with very young children.

Tip 2 – What should we do about childcare on a ski holiday?

For younger children (under 5 years old), choose a tour operator that either offers childcare such as nannies, or can recommend a reliable private nanny company that can send a nanny to your chalet each day. Also think about what the accommodation provider offers in terms of baby equipment, eg cot, highchair, baby baths so that the nanny has all they need to help look after the child.

With older children who can go to ski school and learn to ski, book well in advance to make sure you have lessons organised before you arrive in resort (especially in peak school holiday times). Children’s group lessons usually run in mornings or afternoons only, so you will need to organise picking them up/dropping off from the ski school around these times.

Tip 3 – Beginner ski lessons

Whether for children or adults, those skiing for the first time will need ski lessons, as it will really help to master the technique and have personalised feedback to help progress. Learning from another family member can be stressful so best to leave it to the professionals!

Children can learn to ski from around five years old, but some resorts, for instance in France, there is a national ski school offering children’s day care/ski lessons from aged three.

Tip 4 – Find a good family friendly ski resort

When searching for the best ski resorts for your family, make sure to choose one that is recommended for being family friendly. In France, there is the “Famille Plus” logo, for example.

La Tania and Meribel in the Three Valleys are renowned for being family friendly.

Look for resorts with activities beyond skiing, such as ice skating, a swimming pool or bowling, or a good outdoor play park, to mix up the experiences and have something to do after skiing.

Tip 5 – Make it fun!

Rather than putting pressure on children to improve technique or making them do more runs when they are cold and tired, always keep it light hearted and fun!

Sometimes a break to just mess around in the snow can help change the mood, or try a hot chocolate/snack time to warm up and refuel.

Being outside in the mountain air is so healthy but it is also physically tiring, especially on colder days. Add heavy equipment and extra layers of clothes, helmets etc. and children can become overwhelmed easily!

If you notice the children are getting frustrated or upset, stop as soon as possible and find a distraction!

Tip 6 – Protection from cold and sun

The cold wintry environment can be a challenge for young babies and kids and it is important to protect them from the harsh elements.

Look out for early signs of frostbite on very cold days, but be equally wary of the sun, because the UV rays are just as serious, if not worse, than on the beach! Always apply and carry high SPF sunscreen, get children to wear sunglasses or ski goggles, and stay hydrated.

Wrap kids warmly: they should wear thermal base layers, a fleece, decent quality socks, and a waterproof ski jacket and ski pants as an outer layer. Proper snow gloves are also essential as is a helmet for skiing. Take a woolly hat for playing/walking around resort.

Spares of accessories such as sunglasses, hats, gloves are useful. And always make sure to dry clothing overnight.

Don’t overlook second hand ski/winter gear for children – often it is sold on whilst in very good condition as children grow quickly, so you can find decent quality ski gear for much better prices than buying new.

Learn more about what to pack for a ski holiday

Tip 7 – Wildlife watching

The mountains are full of interesting wildlife, although animals can be shy! It’s interesting to learn about the different species in advance of your holiday, or find a picture book in a local shop in resort, then encourage children to spot wildlife whilst they’re on the ski slopes.

Read our article about spotting European mountain wildlife

Tip 8 – Lift passes and safety tips

Make sure that the lift passes for the children are kept inside a zip pocket which is not used for anything else, to avoid it falling out.

Also write out your phone numbers onto a slip of paper and put this inside the pocket too – in case the child is lost or needs you during their ski lesson. Tell the child where to find your phone number so an adult can contact you if required.

Tip 9 – The best way to refuel on a ski holiday

Skiing can make you tired quite quickly! Even though it’s fun, you’re burning a lot of energy, especially in the mountain air or in cold temperatures.

Ensure your children have an energy bar/biscuit or even some sweets in their pocket. The plastic water pouches (not bottles) are also quite good for ski jacket pockets. In France, fruit compote (puréed fruit) in a pouch is a very popular snack for children, you can buy them in any supermarket. Plus when the pouch is empty, you can re-use it as a water pouch!

Another exciting reason to enjoy a mountain holiday is the food. In Europe there are some unique Alpine dishes to try, such as fondue.

Learn about the best Alpine dishes to try

Tip 10 – Best shoes to wear in the snow

Waterproof footwear is essential for a ski holiday!

Having dry, warm feet is extremely important, because if your feet are damp then your whole body cools down very quickly. It’s worth investing in good quality footwear, also with a good grip to avoid slipping on slush or ice. If buying second hand boots then check the soles carefully for holes that could leak, as well as ensuring the treads are not too worn down.

Don’t neglect socks either: decent ski socks with natural fibres that are close fitting (not the ‘tube’ type) will prevent blisters and help ski boots fit correctly.

Voila! Those were our top ten tips for Family Skiing!

We hope that you found our ski holiday tips useful!

Having brought up our own children in the mountains, we have plenty of genuine experience on how to make the most of skiing as a family, so if you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to Contact Us and ask for more information.

Ready to start looking at ski holiday accommodation?

We offer catered and self-catered ski properties in ski resorts in the Three Valleys, France.

The Top 10 Tips For A Family Skiing Holiday