• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About Me
  • Work with Me
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • E-mail
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
Mummy..Mummy..MUM!!
  • Family Fun
  • Family Holidays
  • Travel
  • Family Day Trips
  • Kids Crafts
  • Learning Activities
  • Home and Interiors
  • Family Health
  • Reviews
Home » Top tips for a first family ski holiday

Top tips for a first family ski holiday

April 14, 2016 by admin 11 Comments

Before I had children, I always thought actually having children wouldn’t stop me travelling and most of all snowboarding. Fast forward 10 years and my poor snowboard, lovingly stored in the loft covered in wax finally hit the slopes again. We had quite low expectations for our first holiday regarding the amount of skiing and snowboarding we would actually get to do and were just so grateful to be actually be back on a mountain in Winter that we didn’t mind not having much child free slope time.

I didn’t look into childcare at all, but I’m sure there are many options if you choose that route. We booked the kids in private ski lessons with ESF for two hours a day and were happy to ski with the kids wherever they were comfortable for the rest of the time.

Child skiing

Top tips for a first family ski holiday

  • Research the mountain. Les Deux Alps was great for beginners as it had several free to access nursery slopes that easily kept my daughters happy for the first 4 days and meant we didn’t need to buy a week long lift pass for them. I have to admit to being quite a nervous parent, but the nursery slopes felt very safe, the button lifts were easy enough for the children to use alone and the staff manning the lifts were lovely and helpful.
  • I’d also recommend studying a piste map carefully before you arrive and planning safe routes for children once they are more able and also planning your own ski routes if time is limited.
  • If you haven’t skied or snowboarded for a long time, start slowly! My first experience with my board was my husband taking me on a very fast, steep button lift, which I managed to fall off halfway up, knocking my confidence a little.
  • If you’re not staying in a ski-in ski-out location, consider hiring a locker to store boots and skis, we found the children were desperate to get their boots off after an afternoon skiing and just being able to drop everything off at our locker and then take an easy, leisurely walk back to our hotel made the end of the day much easier.
  • If you’re not confident, book a a refresher lesson. I hadn’t snowboarded for 10 years so would have really benefitted from a refresher lesson, especially as I didn’t have time to find my feet as I was helping the children a lot of the time.
  • Book ski lessons for children. We decided private lessons would be best for our three, which worked out really well. Their instructor was lovely and all three progressed massively through the week. After a few days we found Zak ( age 9 ) was quite far in front of his sisters ability wise so split the lesson in half, the girls had the first hour together and Zak the second hour alone. Zak was very pleased to gain his 1 star badge and I think was quite close to getting the 2 star.

ESF 1 star badge

 

  • Take snacks and drinks, we found the children were very hungry while skiing and it saved us a lot of money having pockets filled with healthy snacks and treats to keep everyone going.
  • Be prepared for the weather, we packed the obvious sun cream, goggles and thermals, but actually in April it was so warm we only needed T-shirts under ski jackets.

Do you have any more tips for us?

 

 

Top tips for a first family ski holiday

We stayed at the recently renovated Hôtel Ibiza courtesy of Madame Vacances.  Prices start from £319pp based on two people sharing on a half board basis. 

Filed Under: Family Fun, Family Holiday Tagged With: Family Ski holidays, ski, ski holidays, skiing with kids, winter holidays

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Niki - Play & Learn Every Day

    April 14, 2016 at 3:52 pm

    That sounds fantastic!!! I can’t wait until our kids are old enough to take them skiing 🙂

    Reply
  2. Emma

    April 14, 2016 at 7:29 pm

    Lots of great tips there! Have loved your photos on social media, sounds like you all had a brilliant time! (:

    Reply
  3. Sonia

    April 14, 2016 at 7:38 pm

    Awesome photos! Great tips, I know where to come if we ever decide to go skiing x

    Reply
  4. Alice Project: Wanderlust

    April 14, 2016 at 8:38 pm

    We stated at the Hotel Ibiza this season and used ESF too (although the kids had group lessons). Loved the place. Great tips.

    Reply
  5. Michelle Twin Mum

    April 14, 2016 at 9:54 pm

    I saw some of your pics whilst you were away, so glad it was fun. Thanks for sharing the tips. Mich x

    Reply
  6. Sonya Cisco

    April 15, 2016 at 9:12 am

    Some great tips! Not sure we will ever really being a skiing family – but I would love to visit for the amazing views and I reckon my boys would be up for sliding down a snowy mountain even if I really am not!

    Reply
  7. Jen

    April 15, 2016 at 1:16 pm

    Oh loads of things that I wouldn’t have even realised that it could be that warm! I am hoping to get fit enough to take the boys next year

    Reply
  8. Kara Guppy

    April 16, 2016 at 9:51 am

    I am desperate to take mine skiing – Sebby will be old enough to ski next year so busy saving

    Reply
  9. cass bailey

    April 18, 2016 at 1:21 pm

    I’m in two minds about whether my two would really enjoy a skiing holiday and your posts have been fab help x x

    Reply
  10. anthea

    April 20, 2016 at 11:04 am

    I love your top tips. We’re thinking of taking our girls skiing having not done anything since they were born. I’ve always been a little nervous of taking them all but so many families go and have a great time

    Reply
  11. Susan Mann

    April 29, 2016 at 4:43 pm

    I have never been skiiing. My dad went a lot but never took me. Something I think I’d like to go and after reading this, it’s something I’d consider doing with the family. It looks amazing x

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Search my blog

Some more stuff to read!

  • Invictus: Popular with Homeowners
  • Playmobil Rescue Range
  • Top Tips for visiting Santa Cruz with Kids
  • Quirky Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day
  • Great things to do with kids around Vaison-la-Romaine
  • The Best LEGO® Storage Ideas
  • Planning The Perfect Day Trip With Your Family: Tips And Tricks
  • How to encourage kids to ask for help 
  • 5 reasons you should buy a Cricut machine
  • The best vegan chocolate

Footer

Playmobil ambulance rescue cart
Natural Bridges State Beach California

Copyright © 2023 · Market theme by Restored 316