9 Best Ski Tips for Beginner Families

These family skiing tips for beginners will make you long for crisp winter air and snowy mountain slopes. Nervous to hit the slopes? Thankfully, experts from Ski Idaho will put you at ease with their best ski tips for beginners. You’ll be all set to hit the slopes after reading these ski tips for families new to skiing!

These ski tips for beginners are brought to you in partnership with Trekaroo, Idaho Tourism and Ski Idaho.

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1. Sign up for ski lessons and ask for a tour.

All beginner skiers should consider taking lessons. Ski school will teach your family the fundamentals of the sport and get you feeling comfortable on the slopes. Muscle memory is a really important aspect of learning to ski or board, so doing at least two days of lessons can really make things click for your body and your children’s young bodies.

You should also ask for a tour of the ski resort, so you know where important places are located — like the ticket office, rental shop, dining options and bathrooms.

2. Get the right ski gear.

Layers are crucial so that your family members are warm enough when they’re not being super active, but they can also shed a layer if need be. It’s also important to make sure those layers consist of winter-friendly materials. Avoid cotton, which can get wet or sweaty and make you colder. Synthetic materials and wool-based layers will work better. Also, goggles are a must, no matter the weather.

3. Choose the right weather conditions for your first ski experience.

Another key is to make a smart choice about when and where you have your first ski or ride experience. Avoid taking kids out for their first ski adventure in a blizzard or when temperatures are in the single digits. It’s just harder for kids to have fun and focus when they’re uncomfortable.

4. Plan an appropriate length of ski trip.

The ideal trip length for a family new to skiing depends on a couple of things. Factors include the attention span of the youngest child and the other activities available in the area.

A three-day trip (plus travel time) is a good starting point. On the first day, get an introduction to skiing with a lesson. The next day, experience some other fun mountain activities like snow tubing, hot springs, alpine coasters, and snowmobiling if you have older children. On your final full day, go back for a second day of ski lessons to build on what you learned the first day.

5. Decide whether your family wants to ski or snowboard.

Skiing is generally easier to learn for kids under the age of 6. The strength, motion, and balance requirements of skiing just seem to fit their physical development better prior to that age.

Over this age, most kids can pick up either skiing or snowboarding sport pretty easily, so it really depends on which sport the family wants to adopt together. The new ski technology has leveled the playing field with snowboarding in a lot of ways, making it easier to ride powder and terrain park features than in the past, so it’s really a personal choice.

6. Plan other winter activities beyond downhill skiing and boarding.

Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are very popular, and snow biking is also becoming an asked-for activity. Snow tubing is also great for families. Many ski resorts offer ice skating, sleigh rides, and indoor fun, like bowling alleys, arcades, and spas.

7. Choose the right ski resort for your family.

The other thing to look for as a parent is an uncrowded environment. It’s so much easier to relax and learn when other beginners aren’t whizzing by and invading your physical comfort zone. Idaho ski resorts offer lots of skiable acres, so there is plenty of room to spread out, reducing crowded slopes and parents’ fears of having little ones knocked down.

When choosing a ski resort, consider the off-slope activities available for families, such as arts and craft sessions, snowshoe hikes, movies, game rooms, indoor fun parks, and more.

8. Save money on your ski holiday.

Check for specials and promotions and consider traveling on non-holidays. Take advantage of lodging packages, such as staying three or four nights to get another night free. You can find lots of deals like these at Idaho ski resorts. For example, Sun Valley Resort offers ski specials for huge savings.

Also, beginners can ski free at Brundage Mountain Resort. Brundage offers free lift tickets on its beginner chairlift to encourage new people to try the sport.

In Idaho, fifth graders and sixth graders ski for free (with minimal processing fee) for three days at participating resorts. Also, a family does not need to live in Idaho to take advantage of the Ski Idaho Fifth and Sixth Grade Peak Season Passport Program.

9. Book your ski trip early.

As soon as you know you want to go, start the ski trip booking process! Travelers should plan at least two to three weeks ahead of time if visiting during a holiday period to make sure they have a lot of choices before lodging fills up. 

There are peak seasons when availability in lodging is tight so if there is even the slightest chance of going during a holiday or school break time, start making plans!

Best Idaho Ski Resorts for Families

Several Idaho ski resorts cater to families and kids, offering lessons, childcare, family-friendly dining, and off-slope activities. Schweitzer, Sun Valley, Silver Mountain, Brundage Mountain, Lookout Pass, Grand Targhee, and even the smaller local resorts are very family-focused, as these are the places where future skiers learn how to ski.

Silver Mountain Ski Resort

Silver Mountain offers ski and water park packages. After a fun-filled day on the slopes, what could be better than enjoying the endless summer at Silver Rapids Indoor Waterpark, where it’s always a tropical 84 degrees? Plus, there are hot tubs for parents who want to relax while watching their kids play.

Grand Targhee Ski Resort

Grand Targhee offers Kids Night Out. You love your kids, but parents need a break, too! Grand Targhee Resort’s licensed childcare center is the perfect place for children ages 2 to 12  years of age who need some afterhours care while parents enjoy an evening out. Care providers keep children entertained with dinner, star gazing, crafts, and other fun activities. Grand Targhee also has a special slope-side area for kids, the Kids Fun Zone. Located off of the Shoshone Lift, this terrain is dedicated to families, first time skiers or riders, lessons, and children.

Learn More Ski Vacation Tips

For more ski tips for beginners, check out #ReadytoSki on Trekaroo.com.

California is better known for surfing, but it’s a great place for skiing, too. Take a look at these tips for visiting North Star Ski Resort in Tahoe with kids.

For Canadian ski opportunities for families, take a look at why to ski Lake Louise near Banff with kids.

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