We’ve not long returned from our first family ski trip. Having not skied for some 10 years ourselves, we tentatively hit the slopes of Les Carroz, France to see if our children would enjoy it; and boy did they. It’s such a great holiday for spending time together and enjoying doing an activity together.
I was amazed at the progress of the children in one week, they totally blew my expectations. There were plenty of other things I was unprepared for taking a four year old on the slopes and so I will do you the favour of preparing you, should you decide to take the plunge. You won’t regret it!
Getting your four year old ready in the morning takes forever on the first day. There’s the gloves, the goggles, hats, ski pass, and umpteen trips to the toilet, just to make sure. It does get better on day 2 though. We had the genius idea to hire ski lockers right on the mountain which saved walking in ski boots with the skis from our hotel. We applauded ourselves daily on this decision, right at the moment each morning when we slipped our feet into warm dry boots. Oh yes.
Four year olds have no fear. I know you know this already, but it takes on a new dimension when your four year old is hurtling down a mountain. They have no understanding why slowing down is a good idea.
Four year olds CAN carry their own skis. Their skis are dinky, they have no poles to worry about and if they don’t carry them, you have to.
You cannot stop a four year old eating snow. No amount of it’ll make you poorly, you don’t know what’s been there before you, etc. etc. works.
A four year old’s gloves get soaking wet. This has a lot to do with them constantly sucking snow off the gloves, I’m sure. You do need to make sure the gloves are thoroughly dry for the next day’s soaking, or, if you don’t have the means to dry them out quickly, consider taking a spare pair.
Four year olds have a built in duckling instinct. Set off in front of them down the mountain, and they’ll follow your every turn. They do have an instinct to join the other ducklings, regardless and like us, you may find your duckling tagging along at the back of another ski lesson!
Four year olds fall down lots. An all in one ski suit is a bit of a pain in the toilets, so you’ll have to help out there, but they are more effective when it comes to not getting snow down your trousers.
Four year olds CAN do drag lifts. An amazing moment for us was seeing our four year old hold onto the drag lift and make it to the top during her first lesson. Clearly our expectations had been set by our own first shaky attempts at the drag lifts many moons ago. But be warned, it does take practise to set them off. Hold onto the lift too long when helping them get the button between their legs and you risk pinging them into orbit.
Four year olds recharge their batteries quicker than we do. After a few hours skiing they’re ready to stop. Even if they want to carry on, their legs do get tired. But a quick relaxer and lunch, and they’re ready to be entertained again. A chalet with a swimming pool helps lots.
Fuelling a four year old takes planning. A bowl of porridge worked best for us, followed by a Milkyway bar on the slopes, or a babybel, or both. (take your own as these are expensive to buy in the resort, or worse, on the mountain).
Goggles are easier for a four year old than sun glasses, they do tend to keep them on. Just make sure that the goggle strap is long enough to comfortably fit around the outside of the helmet. Some kids goggles are a little small, so watch out for that.
And finally, if you were amazed by your four year old on the slopes, just wait until they’re five year olds; more energy, stronger muscles and still no fear. Gulp. As I head in the opposite direction (less energy, more aches and pains), I know that it’s just a (very short) matter of time before she overtakes me on the slopes.
Have you been skiing with young children? We’d love to know what you learnt and what advice you’d share with other parents. Just drop us a comment below.
ren to do. There was a Costa Coffee and a WHSmiths and nothing else. Oh no, sorry, in the “play area” there were some black boards. But if you want your children to be able to use them, you’ll have to bring your own chalk!
Heading to France for a camping holiday with babies and toddlers can be great fun if you plan in advance and choose the right destination. Here Will Goodridge of the European holiday park website I Spy Camping lists his top tips for camping with young children.
Save valuable luggage space on 
Preserve memories that your child will cherish for many years. As well as making sure you buy some extra batteries for the camera, think about picking up lasting mementos such as postcards or collectibles when you visit new locations.
The Lanzarote Aquarium in Costa Teguise is the largest in the Canary Islands. It has the longest shark tunnel and three ‘touch’ aquariums, where you can interact with starfish, crabs and sea cucumbers. The touch aquariums are popular with everyone and younger children will love watching the colourful tropical fish, both native to the Canaries and further afield. There is also an emphasis on conservation, so children can learn about the effects that humans have on the sea. Entry is only €8 for children and €12 for adults and you can easily spend most of the day here.
The Rancho Texas Park is an eclectic mix of Wild West and Spanish themes that is rated as one of the best attractions on the island. It has a petting farm, gold panning complete with canoe and horse rides, bird shows and other wildlife enclosures. In the evenings, they have Wild West themed shows complete with all-you-can-eat BBQ’s, live music, line-dancing and cowboys and Indians. Alternatively, they also have Spanish themed nights, with Flamenco and Paella. To get here there is a free daily bus service here from Costa Teguise and Puerto del Carmen.
Camping trips have enjoyed resurgence in the last few years. They’re cheap, cheerful, and a great way to experience culture and great weather without too much hassle. The resourcefulness and activeness of a living in a tent for a week or two – immersed in nature – can bring out the best in families. Below are some of the very best in Europe, including the UK.
Brittany
In our last blog post, we were following the research BabyAbroader Clare was carrying out into her first family ski holiday and whether to put her 
This year my hubbie and I will be taking our girls aged 7 and 4 skiing for the first time ever. We’ve only been a few times ourselves and although we can’t wait to get them started on the slopes, I was worried about getting the holiday just right for us all. Some fabulous friends, facebookers and tweeters have been helping me find answers to the myriad of questions I had and now we’re finally booked. And so, over a series of blog posts, I thought I’d share all the information I’ve found with you.
The childcare does look amazing. However, as my children haven’t been before, I had just one concern; that being, that the childcare is grouped by age and the ski lessons are categorised by ability. Of course, I totally understand why as this policy optimises the lessons for children learning to ski. Without a doubt, everyone I know has put their children into childcare, and they’ve made lots of great friends and had a whale of a time. But, personally, I just couldn’t shake from my head, the idea that my children would be separated on holiday. As they have always been together on holidays, I was worried about the first day. Ifeared that my youngest would be upset if they were split up the first day. However I have found a solution; private ski lessons. And to boot, we’re getting some too.
Thank you so much for all your fantastic entries to our 
We’re giving one lucky BabyAbroader the chance to get their hands on one and here’s all you need to do to enter. Just tell us your favourite place you’ve holidayed with your children or if you haven’t travelled as a family yet, tell us where you would love to take your children on holiday. Leave your answer as a comment below. Competition closes end of Monday 30 January. Entry is limited to one per person. Please note that automated entries will be deleted.
