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I’d like to think of myself as an expert on skiing with infants and toddlers. With 5 kids and a severe ski obsession, it kind of just goes with the territory. We’ve been skiing with our tiny kids since our oldest could barely walk, over 16 years ago. The real truth is that my husband and I LOVE skiing so much, that we just couldn’t stay away from the mountains, despite the little ones tugging at our legs.
With a tight budget to work with, daycare was rarely an option for our family, so we developed a system to bring our babies up to the ski hill and it works so well. It’s a combination of skiing with the kids, switching out lodge time, and of course, choosing a very family-friendly ski resort. Here is exactly how we make skiing with babies and toddlers work for our family.
For babies under the age of about 15 months, we always recommend hanging out in the ski lodge with kids. It’s what we’ve done with all of our babies and it’s a great place to hang out for the day. We started our kids on skis incredibly early at 18 months, but many families choose to wait until kids are closer to kindergarten. Decide on what’s best for your family and then go with it. If you want to teach your toddlers to ski, read this article with our secret method for teaching toddlers to ski.
1. Find a Ski Resort with a Family Friendly Lodge
There are some resorts that are better than others for skiing at with infants and toddlers. Generally speaking, smaller ski resorts are easier for managing the logistics of skiing with a toddler or baby. Even if you have a very eager toddler who wants to learn to ski, chances are that you’ll still be spending at least a couple hours in the lodge eating french fries and drinking hot chocolate. That’s okay. In fact, we encourage it (our magic ratio is 2 parts hot chocolate with 1 part skiing for the first season).
Make sure that you’re going to a resort that is okay with you just hanging out, especially if you’re taking a ski trip with a baby. Although you’ll probably be visiting the cafeteria several times during the day, it’s nice to know it’s there as a convenience instead of a mandatory 30-minute validation (which many bigger resorts have recently instituted). You want a resort that’s okay with your bringing in toddler snacks, a peanut butter sandwich, and isn’t so crowded that you can actually find a table to set up at for most of the day.
Here are the things that I think make a ski resort baby (or kid) friendly:
-Not overcrowded, so kids can move around and play
-Allows people to sit inside the lodge all day, not just for a limited time (many resorts now have a 30 minute time limit for table use)
-Allows outside food and drinks (you’ll go broke paying lodge food prices all day long)
-Diaper changing area in the bathroom
2. Build Up a Tag Team
The best way to do this is to bring some friends (and grandma and grandpa are even better). Take turns in the lodge watching the little kiddos while everyone else is out skiing with kids (or taking a fast adult only lap). If you have friends that ski, try and schedule a few days into the season where you go up together and come up with a plan for swapping child care. They’ll probably be just as grateful for a break ont he ski hill as you are.
We’ve also had lunch meeting other regular families up at the ski hill. Get out of your comfort zone and start chatting to other parents in the lodge. Eventually, you’ll build a relationship, and possibly even a baby swapping friend.
If you can’t find another family to plan with, skiing with a baby or toddler in town is still possible with just mom and dad (which we have done often).
3. Scout out the lift location
When choosing a baby-friendly ski resort, you want the kid-friendly terrain to be as close to your “base camp lodge” as possible. No one wants to haul all their ski gear, a pair of tiny skis, and a tired 3-year-old up a huge hill just to jump on the magic carpet when skiing with toddlers. Equally important is access to awesome adult terrain. If you’re tag-teaming your toddler skiing, it can be a serious waste of your precious time away if you need to take 2 or 3 lifts to get to the terrain you want to ski without your kids.
Look at the resort maps carefully to see if it will work for you. Here’s what to consider:
- Proximity of the lodge to the parking lot
- How close the beginner terrain is to the lodge
- How close adult friendly terrain is the the lodge
If you’re lucky you may even score a resort with the bunny slope and the steeps right out of the parking lot like here.
4. Bring more than you think
Usually, we’re pretty minimalistic, but when it comes to a day of skiing with the baby or toddler, we bring a while lot. Taking a baby skiing seems to complicate everything and we take a lot more gear. If you are looking for how to dress your baby for winter check out this article and this one. Getting 2 adults and 5 kids outfitted for the day requires TONS of gear and clothes, and also a lot in the “just in case” category.
I always bring TONS of food (for the hungry calorie burning skiers), a change of warm clothes for newly potty trained kids (in case of an accident or if they spill on themselves), and 2 changes of clothes for diapered kids (since leaks always happen at the worst times). I also bring blankets for little ones to play on the floor, toys, books, crayons, play-dough, – all of the things that will entertain the kids for more than 20 minutes.
Just remember that there’s a good chance that you will be in the lodge A LOT when you are skiing with a baby in tow, so make sure that your kids will have plenty to stay entertained. Of course the best piece of equipment for skiing with a toddler is an edgie wedgie.
TIP: Grab this FREE Family Ski Trip Packing List so you don’t forget anything important at home
5. Start the kids skiing YOUNG!
Most of our 5 kids have started skiing right around 18 months. Why? Although being in the lodge is fine, we are up at the ski hill because we love to ski and any skiing is better than no skiing. Although kids this small won’t learn much, it’s still fun to get out there with them on their little baby skis. Heck, toddlers boots practically go up to their thighs, but at least you’re teaching them early to love the finer things in life.
The bonus of teaching kids to ski at a young age is that by age 2, they kind of know the drill and are pretty pumped to get rolling and skiing.
If you’re on the fence about when your kids should start skiing, read this article on the best age for kids to ski to learn my thoughts.
Tips for Getting a Baby Around the Base Area
When you’re bringing a baby to the ski hill, managing all the gear can be a challenge. Simply carrying your little one isn’t always the most practical option, especially with everything else you need to haul. Here are some of the best ways we’ve found to get your baby around the base area of a ski resort:
Baby carrier: A good baby carrier is a must for getting from the parking lot to the lodge. We like wearing it on the front so we can carry a backpack on our back for all the extra gear. It’s perfect for keeping your baby close while leaving your hands free for other essentials.
Backpack carrier: Once our babies hit around 6 months, we switch to a backpack carrier. It’s got plenty of storage for snacks, clothes, and toys, and can carry kids up to 48 pounds. It’s a great way to comfortably haul both your child and your gear around the base area.
Baby sled: For long, flat walks around the resort, a baby sled can be a game changer. Our favorite model keeps the baby snug with a low center of gravity, so they don’t tip over easily. If you’ve got a lot of ground to cover, pulling your little one in a sled is a great way to get around.
Jogging stroller: Regular strollers don’t work well in snowy conditions, but a good jogging stroller with large wheels can handle packed snow around the base area with ease. It’s a great option if you’re looking for something that’s easy to maneuver without breaking the bank.
These options make it much easier to navigate the ski resort with your baby in tow, so you can enjoy the day without stressing over logistics.
Skiing While Carrying A Baby
While there are some resorts that will allow you to ski with a baby in a front carrier or backpack, the resorts that let you go skiing with baby in carrier are few and far between. We have at times skied with our babies, though it’s something we urge parents to use expreme discretion when thinking about. We have only ever done it when we were on the beginner hill with another slow child, and only when the ski hill was uncrowded.
Skiing with baby in backpack should only be done if your baby is old enough to sit up (6+ months) and the baby is wearing an infant ski helmet. If you want to ski with baby carrierevery precaution must be followed and I recommend that you are an expert skier.
A Typical Ski Day with Babies and Toddlers
Here’s our typical ski day when it’s just us with 3 younger kids
8:30 Roll up to the lodge and unload the cargo. Head inside the lodge to gear up.
9:00 Andrew takes Chloe and Mason out for a few runs while I nurse Jimmy.
10:30 Andrew takes over with Jimmy and Chloe takes a hot chocolate break. Mason and I ski together.
12:00 Lunch. After lunch, I take Mason and Chloe out for a few runs while Andrew continues to man the lodge with Jimmy.
1:30 Chloe and I head inside while Andrew beats any last bit of strength out of Masons legs
2:30 Andrew skis alone while the kids and I gorge ourselves on cocoa and snacks
3:00 Andrew comes in and loads everyone up while I take a few runs.
3:30 Meet at the car and roll out.
3:32 Quiet at last, with three sleeping kids in the backseat.
Just reading that list makes me want to join the kids sleeping in the backseat! You rock. Sounds fun.
Umm, I forgot to mention that I always fall asleep too. Good thing Andrew drives! Skiing with kids is exhausting!!!
Great article. This is so awesome.
Jess, I love your enthusiasm and make it work attitude. What a great way to spend the day on the slopes. Thanks for sharing your approach down to the tiny details.
Have any of your kids been really reluctant to try skiing? We have a 4 year old and a 2.5 year old. The little one (my girl) would probably be great at learning to ski, she’d have fun. My boy (4yr), not so much, he’s not real sporty or athletic and not particularly interested. But I sure would love to get out again.
Kathy- We pretty much brainwash our kids from birth so that they have always thought that skiing is the coolest thing ever (I guess the ski videos I watched while pregnant helped). That being said, we have had other sports they were reluctant to try. my best advice is to not push too hard and focus on having fun. If your 4 year old is focused on what he can’t do, it will probably be pretty hard. However, if he gets lots of positive feedback (balanced out with treats and hot chocolate) it’s likely he’ll have a great time. A big bonus is that most resorts let kids under 5 ski free so now is a great time to try before you have to buy him a ticket.
Our daughter is gonna be 14-15mths this ski season and we really would like to get her up on the ski mountain. I was curious about where your finding ski mountains that will allow that young of children. Also curious where you get the ski equipment for infants. I would hope to find used equip. Its a shame but our local ski mtn ( Terry Peak ) will not allow children near that young on the mountain?
Buck- We have not had any problem with mountains not letting little kids go skiing, and I’ve never heard of age minimums before. None of them here have age limits on lifts, but do require that the child can walk onto the lift by themselves (we have to pick them up to get on though). This only works though if you’re going to teach them yourself, since most ski schools wont take them until they are 3 or 4. As far as gear goes, the smallest boots we’ve ever seen have been a mondo 15. All of our kids started on 80 cm skis too, although they make them as small as in the 60’s they are just much harder to find used. When you’re taking a really young kid skiing, it’s important to remember that they can’t to much. Although ours started at 18months, none of them could really walk in their boots until they were 2, and at this age, they basically just stand up. The boots go so high on their legs that it’s nearly impossible for them to fall over, so this is a fantastic time to get them working on balance. This first season or 2, it’s all about getting your kids to love skiing, not about conquering big skills. Good luck!
I would agree with all of this (my daughter has been on skis since 18 months) and I would also add that there are some amazing resorts out there for kids. Our local resort (Crested Butte) has a children’s museum IN THE BASE AREA. We pay $200 per year for a membership and BAM! No more hauling toys or anything else. It’s excellent for doing the whole trade-off thing. Also, some ski resorts do weekly lesson programs for kids as young as 3. Crested Butte runs an 8-week program for kids 3 and up and a 13-week program for ages 4 and up. We taught our daughter to ski until we could put her in lessons. Putting her in lessons was a game-changer. Skiing with peers and an amazing teacher elevated her skills significantly (it also helps they have frequent hot chocolate breaks). Lastly, several times a year, my husband and I splurge on a babysitter for the day and just ski together. It is so worth the money (though we live very close to the ski area so we don’t have to figure in transportation time as much). We skied 50 days a year pre-kids. We now get in about 40 days after having two children. It CAN be done.
One day, my kids may choose not to ski but at least they will know HOW and can always return to it!
Thank you for sharing! I thought getting my 1 year old out on the slopes this winter was totally reasonable, but everyone looks at me like I’m crazy! He’ll be 18 months in January, so I thought the timing was perfect (if he walks, he can ski, right?). Now, to just find some inexpensive used gear…
You can do it Elise! You are going to LOVE IT!
Thank you for the inspiration! I previously worked as a ski instructor and skiing remains a hugely important part of my life. This winter I have a 10 month old and my husband and I were hoping to take him with us on an upcoming ski weekend. He usually takes two naps during the day and I am sorry to say he is kind of nap needy (meaning he sleeps in a dark room, with a sound machine and whatnot-rarely do we get him to sleep in the car). So my question is…does anyone have thoughts about napping on ski days? Do we just skip them and hope he falls asleep on the drive home? I’m a newbie at this whole parenting thing so thank you for your thoughts!
Honestly, my biggest advice would be to make his at home nap schedule less structured. While it’s nice for those at home days, a 10 month old who needs 2 naps and can’t sleep anywhere but home, is probably a quick way to make your adventures really hard (you can swing it with older kids that just take one nap, but I wouldn’t do it for 2). I would start by gradually lightening up the room at nap time. It will probably make for several hard days as you transition, but it will make getting out so much easier. Also, I would suggest getting him used to sleeping in places other than his bed. For example, set up a travel crib in his room sometimes to teach him how to nap there, or even a reclining stroller (though you will need to monitor him more there). I think the only way that we’ve been able to do as much as we have with really little ones is that we dedicate a lot of time to training them to sleep on the go so they can sleep through our adventures (then you get the nice perk of actually getting to talk with your husband like an adult which is one of my favorite perks).
Thanks so much for this post! My husband and I are trying to get out to ski this year with our 17 month toddler in tow, so any rationalization/justification to this end is welcome. Like Darcey, I too am worried about The NAP. Unfortunately, our daughter is on a nap schedule as she is in daycare M-F. Trying to figure out how to make it work. Thanks for your tips.
I found your blog while was searching about skiing wig small children. We were going for 6 days ski vacations and my husband can’t get off the work. It leaves me with 9, 5 and 1 year old by myself. I am still not sure if I should go. It is 7 hours drive from home and the baby will have to be in daycare for half day, so I can ski with older kids.
As a follow-up to my previous post regarding THE NAP. We’ve been skiing twice for the day and on both days I managed to sit in the car and nurse our daughter to sleep. She had a one-hour nap (and I was able to nap too) while daddy skied. I think it worked out. Luckily it has been warm and sunny enough to stay in the car. I’m sure that when it is really cold, that I’ll either have to start the car to warm it up or forgo the nap. I’m not sure she’ll fall asleep in the lodge as there is too much going on.
Can you provide some ski mountains that allow skiing with infant carrier?