Take Breaks Often When Skiing With Kids

Take Breaks Often When Skiing With Kids

Little guys work very hard when skiing, and will probably need frequent hot cocoa breaks. Ski schools may offer a "full day" lesson for small children, but the lessons are generally broken up into two smaller increments with "down time" in a kiddie play area.

For parents on the slopes with preschoolers, it is a good idea to stop for a hot cocoa break every few runs. If a preschooler still naps, then don't continue skiing through nap time. The result will be an over-tired child who will be frustrated by skiing! Keep the child's schedule as close to the routine as possible, and stop skiing when the child is showing obvious signs of fatigue or frustration. Remember, the point is to keep skiing fun and enjoyable for everyone out on the slopes!

Get Waterproof Ski Pants

Children should never ski in jeans. Denim is extremely cold and heavy when it becomes wet, and the fastest way to hypothermia is a small child wearing wet clothing in freezing weather. Get the appropriate ski clothing, including ski bibs, ski pants, or a full ski suit.

While a full ski suit might sound like the ideal solution, be aware that these suits might be difficult for a child to remove during the young preschool (and potty training) years. Ski bibs might be easier for the child to handle, and will keep the child warm and dry- as long as an appropriate ski jacket is layered on top of the bibs!

Kid's Ski Jackets

A proper ski jacket should be waterproof, fit well, and have layers to keep a child warm. A cotton jacket has no place on the ski slopes: find something with Gortex or other waterproof shell. Columbia, Spyder, and other ski clothing manufacturers make quality ski clothes for children. Try on the jacket (and all other ski clothing) prior to the ski trip to make sure it fits appropriately!

Jackets with a removable shell are a good idea for ski areas which have a great variation in temperature. On a sunny, warm, "bluebird" day, the child's coat can be thinned down to the shell or fleece layer, and bulked up again for a colder day.

Tipping Ski Instructors

Parents often wonder if ski instructors should be tipped after a day of instructing little ones. The answer is a resounding, "Yes!" Ski instructors spend anywhere from 1 hour to 6 hours with little ones, instructing them on the basics of skiing. In addition, ski instructors help the children with their gear, fetch hot chocolate, and take numerous little preschoolers from the ski run to the "potty run." It is customary to give a tip - the dollar amount will vary dependent on the area. In a smaller, more rural town, a $10 tip may be just fine. In a well developed ski program with specialized children's ski instructors and a six hour program, a $20 tip is more appropriate. All tipping is strictly voluntary, but please remember the time and effort instructors have put into teaching children to love the sport of skiing!

Keep Fingers Warm When Kids Ski

Older preschoolers and elementary school children may prefer gloves for skiing, as the individual fingers allow for more dexterity. For younger preschoolers, however, stick to ski mittens. They are warmer, allowing the fingers to create a pocket of warmth within the mitten shell. Young preschoolers also have difficulty isolating fingers into gloves, so mittens are easier to put on and take off. Snowstoppers manufactures mittens and gloves with a sleeve, preventing a gap between the jacket and mitten.