Northern Beaches Mums Group
Northern Beaches Mums Group

NBMs guide to surviving a snow holiday with small kids

The annual trip to the snow is something many of us have enjoyed for year, but what if you are now facing your first trip with a young family! ?The thought of taking young children to the snowfields for the first time is daunting for even the most experienced skiers.

But don’t worry, the collective minds of the Northern Beaches Mums have come to the rescue and we’ve collated their top tips to ensure you ALL enjoy your family skiing holiday this year ….

Top Tips For A Family Ski Holiday

  • When choosing base layers, avoid cotton as it won’t absorb sweat. Instead, opt for merino wool as it will stay fresh for longer.
  • Pack lots of high energy snacks that you can take out with you each day.
  • If you have time, get your boots fitted the evening before you head out skiing. ?The hire shop gets REALLY busy, noisy and warm in the mornings so save yourself that hassle.
  • Hire a locker so that you can leave your ski boots there and pop your more comfy snow boots on. ?It also means less gear to lug back to your accomodation and you can leave a packed lunch in there too.
  • If you want any quality ski time yourself, make sure the kids are booked into ski school or childcare.
  • Keep a plastic tub in the boot of the car for all wet things.
  • Don’t forget a loo trip before you head out for the day – there’s nothing worse than hearing “Mum, I need to go” 10 minutes after hitting the slope.
  • Choose ski outfits for kids that are easy to get in and out of for speedy toilet trips.
  • Prep everything the night before skiing – ror example have all clothes ready to go the night before skiing (inc gloves and goggles in helmet, socks in boots, thermals laid out. Put snacks in each child’s pocket, along with tissues and a lip balm. ?That way you don’t need to worry about forgetting any of it.
  • Consider getting a ski backpack that you can attach to skis to reduce the weight of carrying everything.
  • Go with friends – there are so many great benefits to skiing with a group or another family. ?Not only do you get the benefit of sharing the costs, you can opt to book large accomodation which means plenty of company for the kids when you’re not skiing.
  • Label everything with a permanent marker and your phone number!
  • Attach gloves to ski jacket as they get lost so easily!
  • Pop a spare change of socks and base layers in a zip lock bag in your locker/day pack in case kids get wet during the day.
  • Practice, Prepare and Plan – skiing is great fun, but for kids on their first time, it can be daunting, or even scary. ?Don’t make the mistake of simply hitting the slopes and expecting your little one to perform like Torah Bright so check out the ski schools in advance. ?And also make sure you have investigated childcare options for those kids too small to ski so you can confidently enjoy the slopes.
  • Consider using a meal delivery service so you don’t need to worry about cooking after a busy day skiing.
  • Finally, don’t leave your patience at home. ?It can feel like an Olympic challenge getting small children ready for a day in the snow so have some practice runs before you leave.

Packing for a Ski Holiday

If this is your first ski trip, or you are only planning on one trip a year, consider renting, borrowing or buying your gear 2nd hand (and don’t forget that many great retailers such as Big W and Aldi do great deals on ski gear annually). ?It can be a huge expense to purchase everything that you’ll need, and if you or the kids hate it, that’s a lot of money wasted. ?Also, the kids grow so quickly that any clothing you purchase this year, won’t event fit next time you venture into the mountains.

Start early with a list of everything you think you’ll need ?Here’s our suggestions for what to pack for your children …

  • Waterproof Ski Gloves
  • Ski Goggles
  • Thermals or base layers
  • Thick Socks
  • A Warm Hat
  • Plenty of Suncream
  • Salopetttes
  • Ski Jacket
  • Long sleeved tops
  • Fleece jacket/sweater
  • Neck warmer
  • Lip Balm
  • Snacks

Do you have a top tip for surviving a skiing holiday with children? ?If so, send it to us at info@northernbeachesmums.com.au and we’ll add it here.


This article is sponsored by Dinner Is Served.

We know how challenging ski holidays can be with young children, especially in self-catered accomodation. So as an exclusive offer to Northern Beaches Mum?s Dinner Is Served will deliver a complimentary bottle of their favourite Australian Bubbles with orders over $150. Member can also get 15% discount when they join the mailing list at the website.
Pre-orders are essential as the meals are made fresh to order. Now is the time to pre-book your meals for your ski trip so you can really enjoy your family holiday!