Temperatures might be scorching right now but it’s never too early to start thinking about your winter holiday! The perfect family ski holiday is a dream for many and if you get started on booking and organizing early enough, you can finally turn it into a reality this winter holiday. There is something very special about the winter season, especially in a family setting – it’s a time that brings everyone together for cosy evenings spent in front of the fire, crisp morning walks followed by a warming cup of tea and biscuits, rainy/snowy afternoons spent crafting in preparation for Christmas.
Unfortunately, the winter season is never quite the same without snow – a white layer of fluffy snow adds to the magic of winter. Beautifully decorated houses and streets just don’t have the same effect without our trusted friend crunching beneath our feet. All the more reason to escape on a perfect family ski holiday where snow is guaranteed! Here are some tips that will make your family holiday a roaring success.
Hire Your Gear On-Site
There are many essentials you need to take with you but unless you’re a pro and can’t see yourself shooting down the mountain in anything other than your customized skis and boots, consider booking yourself into a ski resort that offers all equipment for hire.
The last thing you’ll want to stress about as you set off on your winter trip with the kiddos, is ridiculous amounts of luggage, securing the ski-box on top of the car properly and possibly updating any accessories the children have grown out of since their last winter sport vacation. Make it easier on yourself – hiring equipment means less luggage (expenses!), less hassle and more time to relax with the family.
Choose a Resort with an Animation Team and Childminding Services
To make sure every member of your family gets the best out of this holiday, choose a ski resort that offers animation and childminding services. Even if your kids are skiing fanatics, they may not be interested in skiing with the grown-ups all day, every day. Here’s where the resort’s animation team and childminding services come to good use!
Organize non-skiing days for the kids by signing them up to any of the many fun activities offered by the resort’s animation team, or for a day at the resort’s day-care centre. This is a great opportunity for you to have a parent-only skiing day down advanced slopes while your offspring mingles with kids from various countries and cultural backgrounds – who said ski holidays are all about skiing? There’s so much more to the experience!
Save Costs by Opting for Self-Catering Accommodations
One thing that can quickly spoil your holiday is a depressed wallet. Ski holidays are infamously pricey, but there are ways to save a few pennies here and there, specifically on food! Yes, a delicious, homemade dampfnudel for lunch at the local mountain restaurant sounds incredibly seductive, but don’t make a habit out of it or you’ll return home broke.
The best way to keep your holiday economical, is by booking yourself into self-catering accommodation where you can stock up your fridge with essentials from a nearby supermarket – just always be sure to avoid on-site supermarkets or even those in small, local mountain villages as they will be the priciest. Basically, the further the supermarket from the resort, the cheaper it will be.
Skiing With Kids
There are many things you can do to prepare your children for skiing, but the actual teaching should be left up to the professionals. Book skiing lessons for the kids at the same time you book your holiday to ensure there are still enough spaces left. It is a good idea to get your children used to their boots a few days in advance, so they start feeling natural. Before they are set to attend their first lesson, practice on a little hill, just to get them used to the feeling. This will make them approach their first lesson with more confidence as they will already have gotten used to manoeuvre around on their skis.
Whenever they return from their lessons, encourage them to show you what they’ve learned – it’ll create a great bonding experience and will motivate them to learn more upon seeing your excitement. Once you feel your kids are ready to go out skiing with you, choose a simple and safe terrain and start out slow. The most important thing is that your own skiing skills are advanced enough as all your focus will be on your children – and it’s totally worth it once you see them developing their very own style!
What are your favorite tips for a perfect family ski holiday?
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