Susannah Osborne shares her best pieces of advice for hitting the slopes in the spring.
Easter and late season skiing is a happy time in the mountains. The warmer weather is perfect for introducing children to the joys of skiing and there’s plenty going on off the slopes to keep little people occupied.
Inevitably, though, there are ways to make your family ski holiday even better. Read on for five ways to make the most of your time away…
1. Close to the slopes
Spring skiing is notorious for changeable weather, so being close to the slopes is essential for the inevitable kit changes that will occur. What’s more, getting small people to the slopes with boots, skis and helmets is a bit like trying to move the Ark so the shorter the distance the less the stress!
2. Choose an operator that does it all for you
Travelling with kids can be an enlightening, blissful experience but most of the time it’s not. Most parents will grab the chance to take any potential headache out of the holiday equation, so it makes sense to book with an operator that does it all for you.
Momentum Ski offers a personalised tailor-made family service such as 7 nights half board at the 3* Hotel La Meridiana, Madesimo, from £688 per person based on 2 sharing a standard double room. Price includes flights between London Gatwick and Milan Malpensa, private transfers and a free ski pass.
3. Lower your expectations
If you’re planning on recreating the days of first lifts and long lunches, then it’s time to lower your expectations. Skiing with kids needs to be broken up into chunks of one or two hours at most.
If your little ones are in ski school then you’ll have a chance to hit the slopes for decent few runs but leave the spring afternoons for fun off the slopes.
4. More than just skiing on the snow
When you’re skiing with kids, especially for the first time, there’s no guarantee that they will love it as much as you do. Foster their love of the mountains by choosing a resort where there’s more to do than just ski on the snow.
In Madesimo, Italy, the baby park offers tubing, sledging and a general fun time (entry €5 for under 10s). Incidentally there’s also a facility for lunchtime babysitting for just €36.
5. Pick up a bargain
Many rental shops have good deals on towards the end of the season. Look out for discounted ski hire. If skiing is a hit with the whole family then think about kitting out your little one for next year while prices are low.