How to get your toddler on the snow without tears
Skiing can be a great family holiday, but making it enjoyable for everyone involves some careful planning. Making that transition from being a single skier to one with children shouldn't mean the end of fun ski days.
Whenever you get down the mountains you want to make the most of every available ski moment, particularly in the mornings (first tracks!). You don't want to be spending valuable ski time dealing with tantrums and tears, not to mention a crying child.
Organisation is the key. So, we're here to give you some tips just before the school holidays start next week.
SKI SCHOOL
If you're putting your little 3-5 year old snow bunny in ski school, this will obviously free up some time for you to do some runs, and give them some on-snow time seeing their peers interacting with the snow and learning lots. Winning for everyone.
Things to keep in mind:
These are ski instructors, not qualified early childhood educators. Keep your expectations realistic of what the instructors will be able to achieve with your little ones. You can expect them to be caring, friendly and fun, providing games and exposure to ski skills. They will not be able to turn your munchkin into a racer in one week.
If your child has a tendency to wander off, let the instructor know so they keep a special look-out.
If your child cries at daycare or school drop-off, expect it to be the same at ski school and give the instructor some tips on how your child can be put at ease - whether they respond well to distraction, cuddles or just need to let them cry a little.
All day ski school is exhausting for their tiny bodies. Expecting them to be out on the snow all day is unrealistic, and not fair for your child or the instructor. Instructors will have them inside for breaks and play as well as on snow-time. The afternoons are often not a productive time for kids to be learning skiing and if they've been exposed to new skills all morning, sometimes in the afternoon they're going to need to take it a bit easier with time spent making snowmen or inside play. Having a child sitting down and refusing to get up again half way down a run is incredibly difficult for the poor child, instructor and rest of the class.
If your ski school gives the option of 2 hours or half day lessons for toddlers, consider this option as your little ones will probably be happier returning the next day if they're not too exhausted from the day before.
WHAT TO DRESS THEM IN
This is the first time your little one has been exposed to this environment. It's likely it's the coldest they've ever been in their life! Keep this in mind when you're dressing them.
One-piece snow suits are great for keeping the snow out and no breezes getting in. But if they're newly toilet trained it can be a little tricky for those urgent moments.
Bib-and-brace pants are an oldie but a goodie. They stop snow getting inside their clothes and stops their pants falling down off their non-existent hips. Aldi does some good brace pants for littlies, so keep an eye out for these at their ski sales in May each year.
Waterproof jacket is a must, as it is also windproof, stopping the icy wind cutting down to their sensitive skin. Depending on your budget, Kathmandu and MacPac do some good shells with zip-out fleeces. Also great for using as a rain coat at home the rest of the year.
As with grown-ups, cotton clothing is a no-no in the mountains. Yes it wicks the moisture off your body, but it holds it wet against your skin. Wet skin makes it difficult for your body to regulate its own temperature, and being so little, kids have an even harder time regulating their temperature. So merino wool is the go, or synthetics made for activity. This rule applies to base layers (thermals) and mid-layers (skivvies, jumpers).
Neck warmers are magic for the mountains. It not only protects their delicate little chins from rubbing on their jackets, but it stops all the warm air floating out the top of their jacket.
Waterproof mittens (come-on - who can honestly say they can get their toddlers fingers into the right glove holes?) must be worn. I would suggest having 2 pairs for when the first ones get wet. Cold hands will result in freezing min people quicker than you can "icicle".
Goggles. They've got to wear goggles or at least sunglasses. The reflective sun off the snow is extraordinarily bright and very uncomfortable but can also do some serious eye damage. Protect their little eyeballs from snow blindness.
Helmet. Just do it. Ski schools won't let kids in their classes without helmets, and why would you even consider not protecting their coconuts with one? Mini humans might bounce quite frequently, but being safer from the crazy people around them is worth the effort of carrying yet another piece of equipment.
HAPPINESS AND MOTIVATION
This can come in many forms, but lots of kids love lollies. Just saying...
I always pop a Freddo Frog in each pocket of my 3 year old's parker. This way when he sits down at the top of the chairlift and refuses to get up we call it a "break" instead and find a rock to play on for 10 minutes and have a snack and a treat. I've even had moments of cajoling him along by searching for "those cheeky choccy frogs" through the trees, and dropping them along the way for him to find. Works a treat, so to say.
More bountiful snacks are mostly stored in the pockets of the parents, or if you have particularly ravenous children, you may require a backpack. My children turn into gremlins when hungry so keeping them well nourished is important. We eat on the slopes:
nuts
dried fruit
sandwiches
muesli bars
wholegrain crackers with peanut butter or vegemite
Keeps us trucking the whole morning.
LUNCHTIME AND OTHER BREAKS
Skiing with toddlers isn't about long, fast lines. It's about passing on the love of skiing to your offspring. Lots of breaks are essential in keeping toddlers happy and enjoying their time in the mountains rather than forcing them to be out there on their skis.
Long lunchtime break with a nap is quite likely. Perhaps one of the parents takes this time to ski while the other catches up on some reading or a nap themselves. Being out on the snow for 1-2 hours is a lot for little bodies and all that you should be expecting them to do at first.
WATER
The dry air in the mountains will dehydrate your toddler quite quickly so regular sips of water is important. A Camelbak for you to carry is good, but a water bottle is fine too. You just need to ensure you have easy to access water on you.
The low-humidity can mess up their sleeping too, and by extension you sleep. It makes their noses and throats very dry. I strongly recommend a humidifier in their room while sleeping. It will make a world of difference.
Chapped lips on their cute little faces is not just caused by wind, it can be a sign of dehydration too. So lots of drinks regularly and a humidifier will help to reduce the risks of this happening.
SKIN PROTECTION
Putting sunscreen on at breakfast and lunch is not negotiable. Wind and sun will scorch and damage their perfect skin in half a morning. The extreme weather can bring out allergies to certain sunscreen ingredients that might not occur when normally wearing it in day-today life. So be aware of this. I recommend Hamilton sunscreen which is PABA free and doesn't contain nanoparticles. Seems to be good on sensitive, young skin.
Constant rubbing of a runny nose can leave it red and sore. Use your protective sunscreen lip balm on the sore skin to protect it and reapply regularly whilst skiing. I like Blistex and as a bonus it smells like delicious coconut.
After baths in the evening, they need moisturiser on their faces to help recover from a busy day on the snow. If they have some dry, cracked skin you need to be careful what kind of moisturiser you use. Do not use one with an alcohol solvent as this will severely sting and end in tears and tantrums. We use MooGoo which has no alcohol solvents and leaves their skin beautiful and soft.
MORNING RUSH
Keep your expectations realistic. You won't be on first lifts but you can get pretty close to being out the door at a reasonable time if you prepare the night before. It's all about being systematic and organised the night before. Always put your clothes back where they belong Make sure everything's in the drying room the night before. Lay it out and dress everyone before breakfast. Teeth clean and sunscreen, then boots on and out the door. Skis kept together. Kids carry your poles, you carry all the skis.
Just remember this time is only until their love of skiing takes over and you're the one asking them to slow down. It's an effort, but the rewards are so worth it.
Best of luck!
What are your tips for parents trying to get their toddlers skiing?