Maximise your ski time when skiing with children

There is no doubt that skiing as a family is magical and will create everlasting memories however some adult time alone is also high on the ‘must have’ list.

You’ve come to the right place if you are looking for tips to maximise your slope time, take in some heavenly long lunches and sample that all-important apres ski, whilst skiing with kids in tow. 

We believe a family ski holiday to your favourite alpine ski destination should be enjoyed by all, no matter how old your children are. And in our view, a gorgeous fully catered luxury chalet is by far the best way to escape a demanding household and day-to-day childcare.

It’s no secret that skiing with kids can be tricky. Getting that all-important balance of enough skiing for the little ones Vs cold whingy toddlers is essential. Making sure there is plenty for the children to do in-between ski lessons whilst leaving you with some time to sample the delights of your ski resort is an art form.

We fully understand the challenge of skiing with kids, so we’ve asked our founder Anna who regularly skis with her whole family, the youngest of whom is nearly 3 years old, to give us her resort-by-resort secrets.

Read on for Anna’s hot tips on how to:

‘Maximise your ski time when skiing with children’.

Ski schools are not only the quickest and the best way for your children to learn to ski with confidence-boosting professional help, but these days they offer multiple services, lessons and lunch clubs for all ages to alleviate the pressure on parents during your chalet holiday, so you can relax to the max. 

Supported by Childcare and Nannying services who team up with the ski school and provide additional activities such as lunch clubs, snow games, creche services and babysitting, you can rest assured that even the trickiest of children is perfectly looked after. 

If dining out is your thing then you’re covered there too, as we have a number of contacts at childcare companies who offer babysitting services, to let you indulge in some of the resort’s best restaurants.

Val d’Isere, France

Val-d’Isere offers a wide range of ski schools and childcare to allow you to make the most of your time on the mountain during your ski holiday. Morning ski school lessons usually run from 9am – 12pm, ideal for those who like to make first lifts. Covering you during 12pm – 2pm are a number of lunch club options – you can choose to either book the lunch club with the ski school, or have an external childcare professional pick up your little ones from the ski school for lunch or afternoon supervision, especially if you are partial to an apres ski beverage. There are also afternoon ski lessons if your kids have the energy and stamina. For babies, up to 3 years there is also the village des enfants which means they can be in a social mixed setting style creche, which can be combined with the ESF PiouPiou for 3 year olds to learn to ski for the first time. 

Morzine, France

Morzine offers an array of childcare solutions to make sure everyone gets the full ski experience. After skiing all morning in their pre-booked lessons, children can be collected from ski school by childcare professionals where they will be taken to a local restaurant for a hearty mountain lunch. Following this they will then be brought back to the slopes for next lessons, or to meet parents for a family ski in the afternoon. These services are usually around €35 per child and aimed at children from the age of 4 upwards. Very near to the Pleney gondola a local creche runs for babies and 3 year olds can learn to ski here on a special nursery slope for little ones.

St Martin de Belleville, France

Linked to the main 3 Valleys Ski schools and with its own in-resort childcare options, the Nursery and the mini-club in the main ski area offers indoor and outdoor activities to discover the snow: snowshoeing, sledging, snow games, learning about nature and the environment. This service is available Sunday to Friday between 11.30am – 2pm for children between the ages of 5 and 12 but there is also a local creche for babies and little children of 3 – 4 years to learn to ski.

Meribel, France

Nestled away in the middle of the 3 Valleys, Meribel offers a comprehensive range of ski school and childcare options to allow you to make the most of your time on the mountain. Morning ski school lessons usually run from 9am – 12pm, perfect for you to have some adult time to start the start. For little ones, the Nursery and the mini-club offer indoor and outdoor activities to discover the snow, such as sledging and snow games. Local ski schools also offer lunch clubs Monday to Thursday between 12pm – 2pm for children between the ages of 6 and 12 years. The local creche runs from 18 months – 3 years old, with the mini club Piou-Piou for 3 & 4 years old children to learn to ski and a whole host of excellent English speaking ski schools running group lessons from 4 years of age and up.

Courchevel, France

 Children’s group ski lessons in Courchevel are full of confidence-boosting tips and techniques. These child friendly technique-enhancing 3 hour lessons run throughout the week and promote a genuine love for skiing from the get go. At 11:45am when the morning activity ends, the children are picked from the meet point and taken for a pre-booked lunch. After the meal they can rest, relax and play before the afternoon lesson. This is an ideal service for parents who want to get out and ski the 3 valleys, making the most of their time on the snow.

St Anton, Austria

 St Anton offers an early start for all parents who have booked a ski course with a private instructor or a spot in the children’s club. This unique service starts from 8:45am and runs until 4pm, allowing you to drop your children off so that you can be ready to catch first lifts and make the most of your time on the mountain. While you are skiing some of the fabulous pistes that St Anton has to offer, the children can enjoy a balanced and varied lunch menu with drinks at one of the mountain restaurants exclusively reserved for children. St Anton has an excellent local creche close to the Galzig gondola.

Verbier, Switzerland

To fully enjoy the incredible skiing that Verbier offers, its childcare options are set up to give you complete peace of mind and allow you to make the most of your time on the mountain. With qualified and experienced childcare professionals who provide toys and organise an activities itinerary, meet the children at ski school and even take them up the hill to meet you for lunch if required. They offer a fully flexible service in order to ensure your children have as much fun on holiday as you do. A qualified English creche style setting runs thought the day for babies through to kids of 6 years, and collects children from ski school for post skiing lunch and afternoon care.

Zermatt, Switzerland

This famous alpine resort offers multiple options when it comes to ski lessons, and professional instruction by specific instructors with the additional option of an hours supervised lunch break in the mountain restaurant Riffelhaus. With access to the child-friendly Wolli you can be sure that your children will learn to ski in a safe and controlled alpine environment with the stunning Matterhorn as a backdrop.  There is no local creche so private nannies are a must if you are skiing with infants and they must be booked early as it gets extremely booked up.