Ever considered taking your kids skiing, but need a little bit of convincing?

Then this post is for you!

Watching the Winter Olympics on TV (don’t you just love watching the winter Olympics? For some reason I enjoy them more than the main games themselves!) has got me thinking about when I was little and living in Germany where I learnt to ski (I’m a forces child, in case you were wondering).

We were lucky enough to live quite close to a ski slope and as soon as the snow fell the slope would open and you’d quite literally find the world and his wife there on skis making the most of it.

Parents would take their kids out of school with the view that a day skiing was far more educational than a day sitting in a classroom peering out of the window at the snow, and indeed it was educational. Particularly the time I skiied head-long into a wire mesh fence, leaving the criss-cross pattern of the fence imprinted across my chin. Let’s just say I didn’t do that again.

I’ve often thought I’d love to take our kids on a skiing holiday so they can experience the sort of fun I remember having (minus the criss-cross fence incident, of course), but what with three of them all different ages – one baby, one threenager and a six-year-old – I know a skiing holiday is going to be neither cheap nor necessarily appeal to everyone, which is why we haven’t done anything about it.

But at the same time I don’t want to miss the opportunity of taking them when they’re little because before we know it they’ll been teenagers and won’t want to come on holiday with us anymore. I also think skiing is the sort of thing that’s easier to learn the younger you are, because you don’t have any fear. When I was first taught to ski I wasn’t given any sticks, you simply used your body weight to guide you and keep you upright instead.

So, having written before about reasons to take kids glamping and reasons to take kids on a cruise, I asked some fellow bloggers who regularly take their children skiing to give me 10 good reasons to take kids skiing – and the best places to do it.

10 reasons to take kids skiing

1. It’s good exercise. Did you know skiing can burn between 400 and 1,000 calories an hour depending on whether you’re going up or down hill? That’s a lot of calories!

2. It’s challenging. “Mine have benefited from balance, life experience and new skills,” says Becky at The Mummy Adventure.

3. It gives them freedom. “Skiing gives the kids freedom to actually go fast and learn how to control speed,” says Renna at Renna’s Discoveries. “It’s a complete thrill for them and it’s a very independent sport.”

4. It’s great fun. “Which child doesn’t enjoy watching their mum or dad fall over?” says Pete at Household Money Saving.

5. The whole family can do it. “It’s a great activity you can all do together, outdoors in the fresh air,” says Megan at Truly Madly Kids.

6. It doesn’t matter if one member of the family is a beginner and another is a pro. “You can do it all together no matter the different abilities,” says Louise at Pink Pear Bear.

7. Playground kudos. “It’s something not many kids can do, so my pair love telling their friends about it,” says Amy at Eps & Amy.

8. It’s good for children with asthma. “The fresh mountain air is excellent for children with asthma,” says Louise at Pink Pear Bear.

9. It’s great for children with lots of energy. “Imagine channeling their focus (and even angst) into something worthwhile. Plus nothing beats family bonding amongst nature,” says Veronica at My Parenting Journey.

10. It improves balance and co-ordination.

So now we know why taking kids skiing is a great idea (I don’t know about you but I’m convinced!) the question is where to take them. France? Switzerland? Hemel Hempstead? (Yes you did read that correctly – if you want to test the water – or the piste – before going the whole hog and committing yourself to a foreign skiing holiday you’ll find real snow at indoor slopes right here in the UK!)

Here’s what our experts have to say.

…The best places to take kids skiing

1. Les Arcs, France. “We’ve been to many resorts: the most family friendly was Les Arcs with a great family programme run in the resort at night and ski-in ski-out accommodation,” says Megan at Truly Madly Kids.

2. Puy St Vincent, France. “Puy St Vincent is an amazing place to ski with kids,” says Becky at The Mummy Adventure. “They can learn from the age of three, the classes are small with one instructor and one English nanny per four kids, and everything is so close. The creche is fantastic and the resort is so family friendly.”

3. Morzine, French Alps. “They have dedicated ski schools where they also do sledging,” says Amy at Eps & Amy. “The kids were well looked after while we could go out in peace for a bit, and they also learned so quickly and we could then take them out with us safely.” (For the best family ski resorts in France check out Ski Famille).

4. Evolene, Switzerland. “We’ve always had great snow there and there are some lovely chalets to stay in,” says Pete at Household Money Saving.

5. Ruka, Finland. “Because it is practically Lapland, there are tons of non-skiing activities too!” says Star at Autism Kids On Tour. “We went husky sledding, on reindeer sleighs, riding arctic horses and even spent a day at Father Christmas’s house!”

…and a little closer to home

1. Snozone, Milton Keynes. “It’s great for little ones to learn as it’s better to learn on proper snow to prepare them for the real deal!” says Emma at The Money Whisperer. “They do individual, small group and group lessons so something for all levels. The lesson price includes all the equipment and if you are not yet sure if skiing is for you, you can also hire snow gear as well.”

2. The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead. “Mine do snowboarding and it’s so hard on dry slopes – both Hemel Hempstead and Milton Keynes have real snow, they’re expensive but worth it!” says Amy at Eps & Amy.

Have you ever taken your kids on a skiing holiday? Would you consider it? If you’ve had a great experience skiing with kids I’d love to know where you went and what you loved most about the experience!

This is a collaborative post.

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