Organising a Family Skiing Holiday

We love snow, and although we haven’t been to a family skiing holiday yet, we would love to! We’ve had some lovely snow days together and we are hoping for a white Christmas or at least some snow in January.

 

The closest we have been to skiing was our sledging experience at Snozone last summer. We all loved it so much!

Sounds Like a Plan: Organising a Family Skiing Holiday

So the time to plan the family holidays has rolled around, which can be something of an uh-oh moment, but you don’t have to head to the beach. You can do something that little and venture out on the slopes instead. It’s a break from the norm and will make for terrific memories to look back on.

If you’re not sure where to go, try somewhere like France, which is something of a Mecca for skiers. Avoriaz, for instance, has plenty of facilities for families, including childcare and special children’s slopes. You can also try Austria. Obergurgl and Ischl both have facilities for young children who are looking to get in on the action on the slopes.

Booking early

The tightening of regulations on term-time holidays for kids in the UK makes it tougher to avoid peak-season pricing. Meanwhile, the school holidays of many European countries coincide with the British ones, placing serious pressure on family accommodation (Europe has a lot of avid skiers!).

This means that you should book your trip as early as possible to arrange your ski holidays at a reasonable price and secure accommodation. If you’re travelling during peak season, you also need to reserve places in ski school and hire your ski wear and equipment, unless you’re buying your own.

Choosing a family-friendly resort

Trying to save money on accommodation can end up leaving you in a resort that’s not child-friendly. Choose one close to the slopes and which offers adequate facilities such as childcare and activities for children to do in the evenings. If you have teenagers, look for spacious accommodation.

You might want to mix skiing with other leisure activities, so opt for a resort with a swimming pool, spa and shops. Check out, too, the range of aprѐs ski activities that match your family’s needs. Ice rinks and sleigh rides might just do the trick!

Taking a sleigh ride in Avoriaz, France (Image by clarerichardson, used under Creative Commons licence)

Ski gear and equipment: buy or rent?

Make sure you and your family have warm, waterproof clothing, including long johns, ski jacket, trousers, gloves, hats, helmets, sunglasses, goggles and socks and snow boots. Let your children wear in layers. They can wear lightweight fleece top and pants over their long underwear. Make sure that both you and your children put on plenty of sunscreen, since the sun’s rays will be stronger at high altitude, and that the family is wearing ski helmets to protect themselves from falls and collisions.

The decision to buy or rent ski gear and equipment depends upon how often you’ll use them. Ski gear and equipment can be expensive. If your family rarely use it, consider renting. Children can easily outgrow their gear within a matter of months, so it makes sense to rent it (unless someone passes some good ole hand-me-downs!).

Family life can often be unpredictable, but when the holidays are in question, it’s best to do all the planning you can. Then you can just sit back and enjoy your skiing ski holiday.

Have you been on a skiing holiday before?