If you’re thinking of planning a family skiing trip, the chances are that you are a competent skier. You most probably love to ski and have done lots of skiing in your pre-parental life. And now that your little ones are growing up, you want to share the fun with them. While skiing as a family can be incredibly enjoyable, it’s important to realize that a trip will take a lot more planning.
When it comes to planning a family skiing trip, there are many suitable destinations to pick from. While there are plenty of fantastic destinations on offer, if you’re traveling with kids, the closer to home the resort, the better. Children and long plane journey’s don’t mix, so it’s often better to stay in Europe. (Europe has some amazing skiing resorts, so there’s no need to stress as you’ll have plenty of choice.)
Pick when you go carefully
The most popular, and also most expensive, times to ski are during the Christmas holidays and February holidays. While you probably want to take your trip during the school break, remember that the resorts and slopes will be busy then.
If your kids have never skied before, it’s best to book low season weeks. This is so that when they are learning to ski and getting to grips with the sport, they aren’t on crazy busy slopes. Plus, by traveling out of season, you’ll save a bundle on the cost of your trip.
Top tip: Make sure to pick a resort with plenty of nursery slopes and child-friendly activities. This should include children’s ski instructors, on-site child care, and various kids clubs.
Book a chalet
The ski resort hotels may be amazing, but when you have kids in tow, a chalet is always best. You don’t need to stress about how loud your little ones are or whether they’re ruining someone else’s trip; you can just relax. Plus, if your kids are fussy eaters, you’ll have a kitchen on hand to cook them whatever they fancy.
Get your travel documents in order
The first thing that you need to do is book your flights – don’t be choosy about the time you travel and you can find some fantastic deals. Obviously, with kids in tow, daytime flights are a better option. However, if you want to save money, flying at night could be ideal.
Once you’ve booked your tickets, the next step is to check all of your travel documents. Do you know where your passports are? Are they in date and free from damage? Is your EHIC card in date? These are all important questions to ask yourself, as passport and EHIC application forms can take time to fill in and send out. That’s why, it’s important to check your travel documents at least six weeks before your trip. So that if there are any problems, you can get them sorted.
Book skiing lessons
If your kids are new to skiing, don’t attempt to teach them yourself. Instead, book them skiing lessons before you go, to ensure that they get a good instructor. Make sure to opt for an instructor who is fluent in English so that learning to ski isn’t made any more difficult than it needs to be.
To help your little ones get their snow feet, take them to your local indoor ski slope and let them practice. They’ll find it much easier to pick up how to ski once they arrive if they’ve had some practice beforehand.
There we go, all the essentials for a fun and enjoyable family skiing trip.
