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Tip of the Day
Ski Tip Clips connect the skis together in the snow plough, helping young children when they first start to ski or when they tackle harder slopes
What to Pack?
Children's Ski Jackets & Pants
Children's Ski Goggles & Sun Protection
Children's Ski Gloves & Mittens
Ski Trainer/Ski Harness
Firstly, when skiing with small children training aides are very helpful. SKI TRAINERS are harnesses which allows them to ski in front of you but you control the speed, no more painful skiing with a child between your legs. The SKI TIP CLIP is a simple velcro strap that attaches the tips of the skis and keeps their skis in the snow plough position. Both these training devices enable you to comfortably and safely take your children on a gentle run while they learn the skiing position and build up confidence.
Childrens Ski Jackets / Ski Pants
Invest in high quality children's SKI JACKETS as they will last a couple of seasons and can be used for the children’s winter coats at home too. They are best in a jacket and children's SKI PANTS rather than the all-in-ones as these make it difficult for them to go to the toilet and if it is warm, which it often is later in the season, they can’t then just ski in SKI PANTS and a FLEECE. Above all ensure the garmets say they are waterproof, windproof and breathable. You can sometimes find yourself in a snow storm and the snow can be very wet and soak in if your clothes are not waterproof (some are just water resistant) and you and the children will get very cold and miserable very quickly. An indictation of the level of waterproofness should been given for each jacket, if not don't buy it. Look for a high level, at least 5000mm, which will repel the water, letting it sit on top in little droplets, it will not soak in after a while and can be shaken off. The higher levels are usually more expensive but is worth it if you can afford it. A level of 2000mm is still waterproof and will keep them dry but it wont repel the water like the higher levels. I really would not recommend anything less than a waterproofness of 2000mm or anything that just says water resistent. You should also look on the label for taped seams. Every seam produced creates hundreds of needle holes that water can get through. Applying a thermoplastic tape under heat and pressure will seal the seams to keep moisture from passing through. Taped seams keep you drier and warmer. It is worth just checking these few points, some clothes are very cheap, and there is a reason for this.
Thermals & Fleeces
Thin layers are best as they get warm learning to ski. THERMAL base layers can be worn alone as a top or under a long sleeved t-shirt or polo neck top. If it's very cold (usually at the beginning of the season) a FLEECE or MICRO-FLEECE under the SKI JACKET will keep them warm enough. A FLEECE is thicker than the MICRO-FLEECE so it's worth bearing in mind before buying what you will use it for. A MICRO-FLEECE is useful in a layering system under SKI JACKETS as it is very lightweight yet effective in trapping heat, particularly if it's cold. If you buy one of the big puffy down jackets they can over heat and get dehydrated. It's much easier to slip off the thin layers and pop in a bag or pocket.
Childrens Ski Goggles / Sun Protection
Even though it's cold, the sun's rays are more intense in the mountains and reflects off the snow so a good snow SUNSCREEN and LIPSALVE is vital, as well as GOGGLES. The glare off the snow can make it very difficult to see and we found that GOGGLES are best as they fit over the helmet and they have a hook which holds them securely, even if they fall. In fact, the majority of children wear GOGGLES all the time, in both flat light on cloudy days and bright sun, so you don't really need to buy sunglasses as well (they are easier to wear with the helmets).
But do make sure you buy double lens goggles, they are slightly more expensive but they prevent fogging inside the lens because of the thermal barrier and so ensure a good clear vision at all times.
Even very young children that aren't skiing need eye protection.
They are usually one size so will be a good investment that will last years.
Helmets are essential and a legal requirement (Italian resorts wont let children on the mountain without one) and can be bought or hired. If bought, they can last a few seasons and it's best to actually go and try a few on in a shop to ensure a good, safe fit and that they can fit them on themselves when they are not skiing with you. Just be aware that when you rent a helmet you don't know if its been previously dropped, which can compromise its strength and therefore its safety.
Childrens Ski Gloves & Mittens
Gloves aren’t very good with little children as they need help to put them on and so not ideal in ski school when they are on their own. MITTENS are easier and they actually keep their hands warmer. They can be attached to elastic, for smaller children, threading them through the coat to ensure they don’t get lost. It's worth buying a couple of pairs as they can get wet if playing a lot in the snow as well as skiing so one pair can dry out back at the hotel ready for the next day. Again, ensure you get waterproof specialist skiing mittens as they have specialist coatings that prevent the water soaking in straight away. Ensure they have long cuffs to cover the wrist. It is worth paying for decent specialist ski mittens, they will last a few years and there is nothing worse than cold little hands.
Children's Ski Socks
Specialist SKI SOCKS are important as they are designed to wick any moisture away, they don’t slip or wrinkle up which all make the boot uncomfortable, even causing blisters. Never ever wear two socks as you will get blisters which are the worst things in ski boots. They need to be long to cushion the shin which can get painful as the week progresses because of the skiing position. Make sure they are fitted socks, not tube socks, as they hold their position better and don't slip or wrinkle, which again cause blisters.
Boots and skis are best hired at a specialist ski shop in the resort. Make sure you know your child’s weight as they need this to fit the boot to the correct ski setting. You don’t usually need poles but they will advise you according to your child’s skiing ability.
Snow boots are the best for the times they aren’t skiing and you need to ensure they are warm, waterproof with a good tread underneath as there are often ice patches along the walkways.
Children's Rucksacks
A slim child sized RUCKSACK is invaluable. It is small enough to enable your child to get on and off ski lifts easily without having to take it off and won’t unbalance them when learning to ski. Young children get hungry and thirsty when skiing so pack a small drink and a few small chocolate bars which they can get and eat themselves during the ski lessons. A pack of tissues for runny noses along with their sun cream and money is also useful. Write your mobile number on a piece of paper and put in the bag too so that if your child gets too tired to carry on or is upset, the ski instructor can call you to collect him/her rather them having to bring your child back down to ski school which can take a long time.
Hats & Neckwarmers
A warm HAT and NECKWARMER are essential. NECKWARMERS are fleecy tubes which are pulled over the head and fitted snugly around the neck and don’t get unraveled like scarfs. They can be easily taken off by children if they are too hot when skiing and they can be pulled up to the nose and keep their faces warm when very cold - often on windy cold ski lifts!
They are very useful for cold winter days back at home too.
Check with your hotel if swimming costumes are needed as, especially in Austria, they have on site spa and swimming pools which are perfect to keep little ones entertained.
Finally, it's worth checking with your travel agent if you need to take passport photos for the ski lift passes. This used to be the norm but most ski resorts now have electronic passes which just sit in your jacket pocket and let you pass through the gate but it is worth checking in case your resort still needs photos.