If you're introducing your kids to skiing for the first time, or want to keep their skills and confidence up between trips, there's some prep and activities that you can do so that their first day back on the slopes is as happy as a marmot in spring! Our team are all Alpine specialists, with many of us having skied with families before - here are our tried and tested ways to get our families ski ready...
1. Ease them into the idea of skiing
Show them photos and YouTube videos of skiing - the ESF (French ski school) have some great videos of classes and snow kindergarten sessions. Let them browse the resort information for where they're going. Tell them about what happens, and give them a piste map to look at (you can find these on each of our resort pages). It's a good idea to let them map their wish list routes on the piste map - once you get to resort this will be a great activity for on the slopes! Tell the kids about gondolas, magic carpets, funiculars etc. Explain how lift passes work as well.
Simple put, make the ski language familiar to them, as this really helps with in-resort confidence!
2. Have fun trying on kit
Get out all of the kit that you have, or have fun choosing something new, and take some ski-ready selfies! It's a great way for you as parents to double check that everything fits properly, and the kids get to dress up! Win, win!
3. Take a trip to the ski centre
Indoor and outdoor ski centres are great ways for kids to experience skiing, or skill up in a controlled and contained environment. This is a great way to build and keep their confidence up between seasons, but also great for those just starting out.
Don’t let your child’s first time trying on ski boots be just before their first lesson. Ski boots take some time to get used to, as we all know, and letting them try them before going will give you an idea of how they will react whilst on holiday.
Dry slopes and snow centres run beginners’ courses and they’re fab! They start right at the very basics – how to get your ski boots on, how to click into the skis – great for slowly building confidence. With the right instruction, it’s surprising how quickly the kids pick up skiing!
The other great thing about ski centres is it allows children (and adults!) to try new things without having the commitment. Have a skier who fancies giving snowboarding a go? Take them to a ski centre!
When on your ski holiday, we’d always advise booking lessons. Remember, lessons are by ability, so don’t worry about your child being held back. In fact, if you want to, the whole family can all have lessons as they are available for all levels. We can book these for you, just call our Alpine experts if you’d like to discuss them. It’s not just about learning the basics; there’s advanced tuition, freestyle and more, but importantly, they help you get to know your ski area.
4. Remember transferable skills
Lots of skills are transferrable to being on the slopes; activities like rollerblading and ice-skating are crossover sports for skiing, and skateboarding is great prep for snowboarding! If you can get to an indoor snow centre or dry slopes, it will really help with continuing to hone these skills.
Getting out on your bikes is a great way to build up strength in kid's legs – all bits of exercise help towards being fit for your ski holiday! Keeping the fitness levels up is key – healthy kids with strong cores will find it easier on the slopes and are less likely to suffer the dreaded thigh burn!
5. Book it up while they’re buzzing!
And finally, if you haven’t already, book your next ski trip!
You can find out more about family-friendly resorts, as well as our tips for travelling with kids on the blog. Our team are ski experts, with most of them having taken their kids skiing – the team are always happy to help, so don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need advice.
Top Tips
INSET days are great days to learn to ski. Most dry slopes are cheaper during term time and school hours!
Book ahead. If you’re looking to go during peak times of the day, or weekends, make sure there’s space. We usually ask what times are the quietest, the ski centres can get busy!
Make sure you wear the right equipment. For dry slopes, you need arms and legs covered, and gloves too – we recommend you use good gloves! Indoor snow centres require proper ski clothes, otherwise you’ll get cold and wet. If you’re having dry slope lessons in summer, we’d suggest making sure that they’re early in the morning – you need to be fully covered up to prevent injury, and this means it’s easier to overheat in the sun.
