How to prepare for a ski trip with children

How to prepare for a skiing trip - get some practice in before you go!

By the Bug…

This winter I’m going skiing. I’ve been pretty nervous, but I’m ready for my first ski trip. In fact I’d go so far as to say that I’m exceeding expectations, and my plan is to ski faster than Mrs Kamikaze my sister before the holiday is over. How have I made this transition from cautious to courageous? It’s simple really – it’s all in the preparation.

How to prepare for a family ski trip

  1. Get ski fit: some in our family have been training for long runs recently. This is good as you’ll need cardiovascular fitness on the mountain, where the air is thinner, and your body has to work harder. But you’re going to need core stability, and strong legs to keep you up and schussing when you’re skiing every day.
  2. If it’s your first trip – especially if you’re only 6 – it’s a good idea to get some gentle practice before you go. Build up gradually. Most local ski centres offer lessons, either in a group, or one-to-one. Being a bit daunted, I found a private lesson with a well-selected instructor gave me the confidence I needed to persevere, and eventually to enjoy my skiing.
  3. Check out some videos of skiing to inspire you. All that blue sky and sunshine, smiling faces and hot chocolates – they all conspire to make you want to go!
  4. Have a look at the facilities in your resort. We’ve been getting excited about outdoor swimming pools, kids club activities, and log fires.

I’ve done most of my learning at the Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead – there’s something about real snow that is easier than a standard dry slope. However today we had a very cool experience at Skiplex in Reading; and it was much cheaper too!

How to prepare for a ski trip - get some practice in!

 

Skiplex is a short revolving indoor ski slope. It’s a bit like the skiing version of running on a treadmill. Check out the video to see how it works:

As you can imagine, with all that continuous skiing, you get plenty of practice, and it’s a major workout to boot! Mummy skived off after her first 10 minute session, claiming the need to take photographs, but I heard her say something about burning thighs! Over the course of an hour’s lesson (priced at £19.99), you get 30 minutes of continuous skiing, with breaks to recover.

Dad, the expert obsessive skier also has these tips on how to prepare for a ski trip:

  • Check the snow report before you go – it’s good to know in advance whether you’ll need goggles for snowstorms, or extra sun-cream for the blazing sun!
  • Are you planning to ski off-piste? If so, check your insurance covers you for this.
  • Get your boots and skis serviced before you go, if you own your own – it’s much more expensive in resort.

We’re ready!

How to prepare for a ski trip: we're ready!

We will be travelling to Val d’Isère courtesy of Mark Warner Holidays, for the purposes of review. Our session at Skiplex was in return for this review. All editorial copy and images are our own.

Mark Warner operate a variety of family-friendly trips, including ski and summer holidays. Explore the huge variety on their website.

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. All opinion, editorial and imagery is our own, and may not be copied without permission.

1 thought on “How to prepare for a ski trip with children”

  1. How good does that look! Your daughter looks like she is having a whale of a time and the bug is concentrating hard – I want a go 🙂

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

error: Content is protected !!