There are a few childcare options when you are going on a family ski holiday with the family and much will depend on your budget, the age of the children and your personal preferences. Childcare for babies, toddlers and children too young to ski in ski resorts can take many forms including formal programmes. Bringing young children with you on the slopes between your legs is not recommended and although you see some Europeans with a baby in a back-pack this is not safe and not recommended even if you are an expert. Good childcare for young children while on a ski holiday which suits all the family is therefore the best course.
Ski childcare options
- If you are skiing with a partner divide the day so you can share the responsibility of looking young children.
- Bring your own nanny from home. This will mean have to share your hotel room or chalet with your nanny which can be expensive as accommodation is at a premium in terms of price.
- Hire a holiday nanny such as the holiday nanny service offered by our partner Holiday Nanny.
- Take a non-skier friend or relative. If you are bringing your own care in the form of a relative or a nanny ensure that there are things to do in the resort and other activities to occupy kids and work out the mutual expectations of each other so that there are no unfortunate surprises.
- There are a few tour operators who offer a private nanny service. This means a nanny will come to your chalet for a set number of hours per day to look after the children.
- Use an independent private nanny service. This gives you good choice as you can book any hotel or chalet you like as long as they are child friendly. The best family friendly ski resorts have independent childcare services also provided and the local tourist office can provide you with this information.
- Find a tour operator that offers crèche services or a kids club. These are good value for money as the care is shared among a number of parents and the children have company. Check how far the kids club or crèche is from where you are staying and if there is free and reliable transport. A fifteen minute walk in ski boots is tricky at the best of times and even worse if you are laden down with two children and all their gear.
- Many family package tour operators offer ski classes of their own for older children and they can mix that with some playtime in the snow if the weather is good. English speaking instructors are best for young children
In every case, check the competence of those providing the care and their level of qualification and have a look at our How to choose a kids club and Guide to choosing a perfect family ski resort .
If older kids are booked into ski school then they may need less childcare than younger children. If you are a die hard ski bunny and want to ski all day remember that some ski schools are only for a couple of hours in the morning and even the all day classes often break for lunch. Also young children will need a break and are not able for all day ski school. You will need to make arrangements for the kids to be dropped off and collected from ski school so you must be close by or have arrangements made.
You could take it in turns though and have a few snowball fights, make the snowman of your life or do some sledging as the kids will love to spend time with you even if you want to be on the black run.
Can my children learn to ski?
In many resorts, you will see children as young as three bombing down the runs past you. However, these are local children with a long exposure to ski and snow culture. You have to remember that ski boots are heavy and uncomfortable and as a beginner children will fall a lot of the time. They do seem to take to skiing easier than adult novices. However, we would suggest that five is the youngest age a child should learn to ski. Have a look at our Guide to ski school for kids and more discussion on the best age for your child to learn to ski.
Children learning to ski will need plenty of encouragement and praise. They can find skiing the first time a frustrating experience (who wouldn’t!). Walking in ski boots can be difficult and certainly with very young children you will end up carrying their boots and equipment as well as your own.
Most ski resorts have half and full-day skiing programmes for children aged between four/five and twelve which usually includes instruction, equipments, lift passes, food and supervision. Consider also whether your child would be happy being left with a stranger and perhaps doing half days or shifts between you.
Make sure you have the appropriate winter sports family travel insurance and this covers all members of the family including the children. Getting equipment right is important as well so check our kids ski equipment and kids ski packing guide.
You will find lots of family friendly travel tips and advice in our research and advice section to help you book the right family holiday. Check out also the experiences of other parents and travellers in our parents forum and add your own experiences as we are a great believer in real parent's experiences as the best measure of whether somewhere will suit you for your family holiday.
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