Tips for Skiing with Kids Their First Time

Taking young children skiing for the first time can be a bit of a gamble. If they take to the sport and the environment it can be a joy, if they don't then the whole family holiday could be spoil.

If you want to minimize the chance of it all ending in tears, then there are some simple tips to follow, especially with young (under 7) kids.

First, remember they can become bored. If at all possible ensure they are being taught with some used to working with young children who understands that they learn best when they are playing. If you are skiing in Europe, you may want to double check that the instructor can speak English. So lessons that work on the basis of playing on/in snow will be far better than any amount of technical instruction. If your kids catch the ski bug, when they are young their low center of gravity will make up for any deficiencies in technique.

Second, whilst they may learn better with a specialist instructor, they will also want to spend time with you. So the first few holidays with young children may be very different to anything you did before having kids.

Third, they can get cold very easily, much quicker than adults and may not understand what is happening. So it is really important to keep a close eye on them, watch for the first signs of irritation or running out of energy. Ensuring they keep warm, that their clothes don't get too damp and that they have lots to drink will help. Be particularly careful if you go early in the season when the days may be a lot colder than in March or April.

There is no need to buy them expensive or new gear (either clothes or skis) but it is essential to ensure that the clothing will both keep them warm and can be adjusted to avoid over-heating. Snow goggles of some sort are a must (with younger children avoid relying on sun glasses as they are more likely to be lost and will probably not properly protect their eyes). Almost all ski resorts these days insist that children under 14 wear a helmet - children seem to be particularly vulnerable to blows on the head.

Make sure they are taught properly how to use chair lifts and do not allow young children to use drag lists without an accompanying adult.

Finally, for young children, most experts suggest they start on skis not a snowboard. The dynamics seem more natural to young children (not least you can run on skis). Once they are old enough to indicate a preference then they are probably also old enough to be allowed to board or ski as they wish.