Happy happy Thursday, friends!
Guess what?!
Today’s post is all about…
…my TOP 10 TIPS FROM A SKI MOM 🙂 .
I’ve had so many requests lately for an updated “taking your family skiing” post now that it’s ski season. Since I’m fresh off the snow and while it’s still on my brain, I thought I’d share my TOP 10 TIPS.
But first…some disclosures/disclaimers/a lot of words so that we’re all on the same page…
1: Um, I’m kind of new at this, so please ask a lot of other people their tips too. We’ve been taking our kids skiing since Dec/Jan of 2016/2017, so even though that’s a handful of years, I’m no expert, so please, ask others as well.
2: For the simplicity of this post, I am going to use the word “ski” and not include the word “snowboard” when talking about my tips/experience/ family…but my family is made up of two very passionate “boarders”, so I’m just throwing that out there. All of my tips are for both skiing and snowboarding as I have one kid who boards and three who ski.
3: So, which should your kid do? I don’t think it matters, they’ll probably not love either at first. What’s the old saying “Skiing is easier to learn, harder to master than snowboarding”…something like that. I think they’re both great, but just remember, your kid probably will fall a ton, not love it, struggle with either, so in my opinion, I would select the one they seem the most excited about.
4: I could prattle on about this topic for days, but I’m going to keep this post as simple and concise as possible. If you have other questions or if I didn’t hit on something, just ask in the comment section, and I’ll reply!
5: Can your travel agency send me on a ski trip? We can as long as it’s outside of the US. We focus primarily on international vacations (with some exceptions…I’m talking to you Hawaii and Walt Disney World), so that means family ski trips to places like Utah, Colorado, Montana aren’t a part of our services…but Canada, Switzerland, etc, are destinations we service.
6: Haven’t you done this post before? Sort of. In 2020, I did a Q&A post on skiing with my family that you can (and probably should!) read HERE. Since that post, I’ve taken my family three more times to ski, so my opinions/procedures/thoughts might be a little more developed now (my actual ability to ski though, unfortunately, has not developed).
Whew! Okay, here we go…
1: LESSONS, LESSONS AND MORE LESSONS.
I can’t sing the praises of private lessons and ski school enough. In my opinion, your kids need lessons. Our kiddos took lessons at least the first 3 years (some for four years). Even after they “learn to ski” lessons are so valuable to make them better, safer, more equipped skiers. We’ve done a combo of ski school and private lessons. My little girls much prefer ski school (Friends! Hot Chocolate! Snowman building! A cool cafeteria with French fries!) while my older two liked private lessons more. Smith is very analytical and wants to really learn…private lessons were more focused for his learning style as he was there to take it seriously and didn’t need to pause for hot cocoa and a snowball fight. Kensington on the other hand was a very, VERY shy younger kiddo, so private lessons were a “safer” place for her to learn without feeling timid/shy/unsure. No matter which route you take, sign them up. If it’s your kid’s first year? I would sign them up every day you want to ski (so don’t anticipate one day of ski school will make them ready to hit the slopes with you on Day Two…it won’t). We have tried ski schools/lessons now in four or five different towns and loved them all. They’ve always been such positive experiences for our kids.
2: PACK WELL. BE ORGANIZED. TRY ON BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
My husband needs to start a business where all he does is get your family ready for skiing. The man has it down to a science. Every year, it blows my mind when we arrive, how well he does this.
Here is what he does:
Well in advance of the ski trip, he pulls everythinggggggg (and I mean, all of it) out and calls the family in there to make sure everything fits. Each of us tries on what we have, makes sure everything fits just great, that we have enough of everything (enough layers, pairs of socks, etc), and then he makes a list of what we’re missing for that season.
He buys what we’re missing and brings it home. Maybe Smith outgrew his warm layers? Maybe Mades is missing a glove? Whatever it is, he takes his list and purchases the missing pieces BEFORE our trip (where it’s much less expensive).
He takes one large individual packing cube PER PERSON and puts every single item inside other than actual ski jackets and ski pants. In Park City last week, as I was about to get ready to snowshoe, he handed me one pink packing cube that contained two pairs of shirts and leggings for layering, two pairs of socks, one gator for my neck and my gloves. They were all clean, fit me and right there in one packing cube to make getting ready all week super easy.
So, after the trip (ie: today in our house), we bring all of these packing cubes home (filled with each person’s now dirty items) and wash and dry them. After they’re clean, we pack them back in the packing cubes and put them away until the next trip. We now have a storage spot in our house for these packing cubes but for YEARS, we just put them in a big plastic tub up on a shelf in our garage.
If you do all of this, I promise you, it makes your life so much easier. You’ll have everything you need on Day One of your trip and everything will fit properly. Trying it on in advance also gives you the chance to move things around for your growing family. Ashby is now wearing Kensington’s old gloves, Kensington is wearing my old “under” layers, Madeley is wearing Smith’s ski jacket, etc.
One last Andrew tip, he says to always bring extra gloves as someone is bound to lose one.
3: RENT, RENT AND MAYBE BUY.
If this is your family’s first time to ski, you can rent almost everything you need. There are a plethora of places in ski towns that allow you to rent helmets, boots, skis, poles, and snowboards. You will need to bring your own ski goggles which you can buy in advance or there in town. For items like ski jackets and ski pants, there are so many ways to acquire them. People borrow them from each other (so many times, people borrow them from other friends and family!), Ebay, your local Facebook Marketplace, etc has gently used ski pants, bibs and jackets for the whole family. Or of course, you can purchase these items new. We have an AWESOME ski store in McKinney called Doug and Lynda’s that we frequent this time of year.
When do you buy? Well, we buy pieces we know we’ll use for years to come and that can be passed down. We *try* to stick to neutral colors so that it doesn’t matter when Mades is wearing Smith’s old jacket with Ashby’s old pants…they complement and work. We know our family loves skiing and will use these items over and over again, so it makes sense for us to invest in certain things (this year, Kensington used my skis, Ashby used Kensingtons and Mades used Ashby’s). If you’re not sure about your family, don’t invest (yet).
4: LEAVE EARLIER THAN YOU THINK. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
If ski school check-in starts at 8:30 and you think leaving your hotel at 8:00 gives you plenty of time, you’re wrong. YOU ARE WRONG. I told Andrew this week, we have basically four adults getting ready and two very capable elementary aged children and yet it’s a freaking fire drill every morning. Seriously, if you walked in on my family trying to get dressed for a day of skiing and out the door, you would think the hotel room was on fire and we were knocking each other over to get out the door first. It’s chaos. There is shouting. It suddenly gets SUPER HOT in there. It’s sheer pandemonium. Why? It’s not like this on any other vacation or normal day of our life…but for the love, on ski days, it’s chaos. Wake up earlier than you think, leave earlier than you think and I promise you, you’ll still be five minutes late. Sigh.
5: SET THOSE EXPECTATIONS.
Over the years, I’ve learned that my kids do better when we set the expectation. If I tell them “you’re signed up for three full days of ski school this week but then we’ll ice skate and have two days off”, this helps. It helps because sometimes, their expectation is “I want to ski more” (so we try to accommodate, this happened this year with Ashby and Smith) and then sometimes, that’s one day too many so we (sometimes) make modifications for that too and/or find other fun things they’ll enjoy during their down time. Bottom line? I think it helps if they know the plan for the week upfront.
6: HYDRATE & FEED ‘EM.
Altitude sickness is a real thing. It’s hit our family only a few times (and all were very short-lived), but it’s real. We find that having hydrated peeps helps quite a bit. Make sure your whole family is drinking a ton of water, and go ahead and feed them those snacks too. I don’t know whether it’s the fresh air, exercise, high altitude or what, but my family is ravenous when they’re on ski vacations. Bring snacks with you while you’re on the mountain (protein bars are our go-to snack) and water. Hydrated and full people are happy people when they ski. You don’t want a hangry skier.
7: TAKE BREAKS.
Yes, I know you paid for that all day lift pass, but don’t kill yourself or your family getting in a million runs if they need a moment to take a break. Build a snowman, sit back and watch others ski, go get that hot chocolate or bowl of chili…take breaks. Skiing is both mentally and physically exhausting, so give them (and yourself!) a break as often as you need.
8: PLAN IN ADVANCE.
As soon as you’re ready to go skiing, make those advanced reservations. Ski school and lessons book up, sometimes there are limits on lift tickets…make those plans early. Look at your week, figure out when you want to be on the mountain and plan accordingly. The last thing you want to do is get there with all of your gear and your family can’t get on the mountain. Reservations just make everything easier…you can even make them in advance for your gear too…and your grocery delivery!
9: LET THEM HATE IT.
Here’s the deal, I think learning any new skill is super exciting and yet super hard. Learning a new language, a new instrument, a new hobby, etc is a lot of work up front with a huge payoff in the end. I would be lying if I told you all four of my kids skipped off happily their first days at ski school. Some kiddos had some tears on Day One. Some kiddos had tears on year two or three…but every single time, I’ve picked up happy kids. I might have dropped off hesitant/nervous/cranky kids a few times, but I’ve never picked one up. These ski instructors are amazing at making this fun, so let them hate it a bit in the beginning because, if they’ll stick with it, they’ll learn a new skill and have a blast. Even this year, we dropped off Mades on Day Two and she started crying because she really loved her instructor the first day and he was with another group on this day. We kissed her, dropped her off, my sad mama heart walked away and then when we picked her up after she said “I loved my new teacher even more!”. I’m so glad I didn’t let her get out of it. It was hard on my heart, but ended up being a great day for her.
10: THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN.
You guys, I just really hope you go and remember that it’s supposed to be fun. Time away from “the real world” is supposed to be fun. Vacations are supposed to be fun. Spending time with your kids is supposed to be fun. If your week turns a little wonky and crying kids means you only do two days of ski school instead of the four you had planned, oh well! Have fun. If your kids look exhausted by noon, even though your lift ticket works another three hours, stop and go have fun. If your kids want to go to the terrain park instead of skiing those blues with you, do it! Have fun. If your kid wants to do the same green run over and over again, but is having a BLAST, then do it. Have fun. You guys…HAVE FUN. If your personality is such where you can’t do this and “have fun”, then my advice would be pick another vacation destination. Getting away, no matter where/what you’re doing, with your family should be fun. Have fun.
And those are my TOP TEN TIPS FROM A SKI MOM.
Whew!
Now, isn’t it about time for a beach vacation? I’m ready 🙂 .
Questions, thoughts, ideas I missed, your own tips, all of that in the comment section please!
If you’re looking for more “January-ish” posts from me, I have a few! Don’t forget, you can check out MY 25 KEYS FOR A PEACEFUL MORNING, MY 18 WAYS FOR PREPPING FOR A TRIP (should you be heading on vacation too!), my recap of ASPEN & BRECKENRIDGE, PARK CITY and TELLURIDE plus a recap from OUR TRIP TO LONDON LAST JANUARY.
I’ll see you back here tomorrow for my first Friday post of 2023! It’s SO GOOD TO BE BACK!!!!! xx
Jess says
Odd question. But do you have any tips on how to not stress out about back to back vacations? We are heading to Telluride, come home for a week and then off to Mexico for another. The opportunity was hard to pass up but preparing for two trips has my head all over the place! I’m so excited for both trips but it’s alittle overwhelming at the same time. Any tips appreciated! And thanks for your tips today! Off to buy more gloves!!!
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh girl, I feel you! It’s so much fun to travel, but when you do it back to back, it can be overwhelming. I would say that lists, lists and more lists are my key. I have a solid packing list, to do list and “while I’m away” list for both trips BEFORE the first trip. I also don’t unpack things like my toiletries and makeup. I just bring those home and use them in my travel bag, refill as necessary and repack. If you have any shopping to do (as your trips are very different), do that in advance too. Have fun! What a fun time for you!!
Elspeth Mizner says
So many great tips here!!
Thanks for sharing!
http://www.Elspeth’sdaybyday.com
Brooke says
Will you share more about your snowshoe experience? I’m good to ski one day then I want to do something else while my fam could ski 3+ days.
Mix and Match Mama says
Yes! I took pics! I will blog about that too!
Tasha says
Hi Shay! Thanks for sharing, this is *somewhat* related because skiing can be an expensive hobby but I would love if you someday did a post or podcast episode on how you and Andrew handle finances. Obviously you don’t have to give numeric values but I would be interested to know how things changed throughout your marriage in the way you handle finances, if you share bank accounts, if you invest, how you’ve grown your wealth over the years, etc. I feel this is often a taboo subject when it shouldn’t be! I feel that by sharing openly we can set others up for success. I’m in my late twenties, have been married for two years, and want to learn from christian couples who have been married for longer than me how they set themselves up financially. I aspire one day to be able to travel with my family and have ski vacations but when my husband and I are just starting in our careers it feels daunting to be able to afford things like that. Thank you for all that you share!
Mix and Match Mama says
I love this idea and perspective! I’m always open to new ideas, thank you! In a nutshell for now, we’ve always had the same rhythm regarding money over the last 19 years of marriage. We share one bank account and savings account. We each, of course though, have separate business accounts for our individual businesses/payroll/etc. At some point in our marriage, Andrew worked and I didn’t. At another point, I worked and he didn’t. I worked for him (so I didn’t make a dime) and then now, we both have fulltime jobs. No matter which of this scenarios was taking place, every penny earned was “ours” (not his, not mine). We always put it in our joint checking account and then from there, we tithe to our church, pay bills, save, invest, donate to certain charities and spend. We have found that total and brutal honesty is the best medicine for our marriage (though it hurts sometimes), and so we’re super honest about purchases and spending too. Andrew and I struggle with a whole lot of normal marriage things, but I do think we’re both very respectful of one another and that includes respecting the other when spending. So…that’s a snippet for you for today! xx
Kay says
I LOVE that you have “let them hate it.” We are in New England so skiing is a huge part of our winters of course! The first year my three kids were in ski school, we got a call. From the teacher of my youngest. HIS FEET WERE COLD. Ummmm, okay? Anyway. We did stick to ski school and now that same child LOVES it and has even joined ski club at school. I so wish I had known back then it’s okay to start with them hating it and it MAY just still work out! And that’s okay to not go pick them up at ski school if they have cold feet lol.
Loved reading about your ski trip. We were in Mexico at the same time so it was fun to see beautiful snow on your trip while we were at the beach!
Mix and Match Mama says
Awwww! I hope you loved Mexico!!
Sara says
We are a ski family, 2 boarders and 2 skiers, and I agree 💯 with your tips, they are all spot on. Ski/Boarder school is so important to everyones happiness with this sport for so many reasons. Skiing with your kids is one of the best things we have done with our kids and now that they are adult it is continuing and someday will continue with grandkids.
Ashley Adkisson - fellow ski mom since 2016 says
The only thing missing here is rent equipment from Ski Butlers or a similar place! They COME TO YOUR LODGING and try ski boots, helmets, etc on your kids. Then they pick it up the last day. It’s a total game changer!!! It helps with the fire drill on the morning of skiing :).
Mix and Match Mama says
Yes!!! We’ve used them before too! It’s very helpful!
Andrea says
We always rent a locker at the base (even if we’re staying close) for all of our ski boots, skis, poles, etc. This makes it much easier to get out of the condo and get kids to ski school on time. After ski school drop off, the adults/older kids can easily go back to the locker to get their gear.
Mix and Match Mama says
Yes!!! That’s another great tip!!
SS says
Yes! We go pick up our rentals the afternoon before and then go check them into the locker. Kids carrying all that ski stuff is not fun and it makes it so easy to just show up, throw snow boots in locker and throw on ski boots. Best money we spend is on those lockers!
Lorie says
Does your travel agency help with Disney Cruises or just Disney World?
Mix and Match Mama says
Both!
Laura says
Girl you just made an amazing post. We go snowboarding to a nearby place in Indiana for the day, but never have made a multi-night trip, to a big mountain, as a family. It’s scared me too much! But you break things down and give such good tips in this, it’s really a breath of fresh air. Maybe we can do this?? Lol
Mix and Match Mama says
You can!!! You guys go make the best memories!!
Maurie says
Great post! My family loves ski vacations. Last year we rented outerwear from Kitlender.com. Best thing ever! They deliver your items directly to your condo/hotel. At the end of your vacation, simply box everything up and stick the return label on the box. So simple and convenient (especially for kids that outgrow things so quickly). Kept us from having to buy and pack all the bulky outerwear.
Carol says
Such an amazing, informative post! Inspired by you as a tough , but sweet mama!
Laura says
Have fun! Sounds amazing, but I can also see where you’re coming from with the stress of planning! I’d say that as much as you can, Iimit your plans on that week in between your trips. And indulge in ways to make that week a little easier for meals. Doing those have helped me a lot. Enjoy getting to be at a snowy mountain and then a warm beach all in one month!!
MelanieL says
LOL at #4 and thanks for #10. Our people are our people whether we’re on vacation or not, it helps a ton to remember to have fun, make memories and lighten up a little when things may not go as planned! 🙂
Niki says
Great tips!!! Whole heartedly agree about ski school and giving yourself extra time in the morning haha! We have 4 kids same ages as yours and it’s always chaos trying to get out the door to ski school!
Is there a certain brand of coats/ski bibs/gloves you recommend as far as keeping warm/dry? There are so many options now!
Kristy says
Great tips! When we started skiing with our kids, we chanted, I’m going to fall down, that’s ok! As adults, we did ski school too. And have continued! You’re never done learning when it comes to skiing.
Jessica Tribbett says
Great tips! I live in Denver and have 3 littles, my youngest is 3 and starting ski school this weekend! 2 things to add – on the hydration front I highly recommend using hydration packs, we love Drip Drop. We all down one before heading out for the day and often take one with us for lunch. I get altitude sickness if I’m not careful when I go to the mountains and I live here. We keep it on hand for all visitors. And my kids love them too, they don’t get a lot of juice so it’s a nice change to just water. Second, if you’re going for a few days then look into getting the Epic pass (https://www.epicpass.com/). It is a season pass for any Epic mountain (there are a lot) and you get 20% off lessons, rentals, some lodging and food. You have to do the math but often if you’re going for 3+ days it’s cheaper to get the pass.
Stacy Jo Gardner says
We love to ski/snowboard and having been going every year since our kids were 4. I love to be able to easily spot my kids when they were in ski school or even if I am relaxing and watching them come down the mountain. I have found adding a pop of color or having neon bibs has helped me to spot them easily.
sandi says
My family grew up skiing with several other families every year. My mom and another mom were skiing one day on a very flat bunny slope. Near the end of the day the lift guide told them that he had seen “marked improvement” in them throughout the day. They laughed and said, well you should, we have spent the last seven years skiing this ONE HILL. 🙂 We got them on an intermediate hill a few years later and they both took their skis off and walked down. It was so funny. That is dedication to making your family happy when you don’t love what they love.
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh that made me lol!
Nikki says
We just figured out that we’ve been going to Vail for 14 years. We LOVE it! I think my favorite of your tips is to let them hate it. Just because they don’t like it the first time, doesn’t mean they won’t grow to love it. Also, teach them from a young age to carry what they can! Three year olds can carry their own skis or poles (if they have them). You don’t want to teach them that mom/dad or anybody else has to do it for them. It’s hard to walk through the village carrying all of your gear, but it’s an important lesson … and, sometimes, there’s ice cream at the bus stop!
Kacey says
#4 made me LOL!! Seriously, why all of a sudden does the room turn into a sauna.. every time
Mix and Match Mama says
EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!!
Sheaffer says
Great tips and super cute pics!
Marisa says
What about an adult who has never skiied before but wants to!?
Mix and Match Mama says
TAKE LESSONS!!!! I took lessons my first three (maybe four?) years and I learned in my late 30s. If you’re too shy for group lessons (they have beginner adult group lessons), take private ones. You need lessons!!
Erin says
HAHAHA!! The imagery of the room in the morning while getting dressed and out the door is SPOT ON. WHY is it so HOT in the room?!? HAHAHA!! I just wanted to add one thing I picked up from your blog a few years ago that you didn’t mention in this post but has been CRUCIAL for me personally enjoying the ski trip and that is having the skis and accessories (helmets/poles) delivered to the room/hotel/condo! Maybe this applies more to families with smaller kids but trying to trek out in the village with 3 little kids and get them fitted in the HOT (why is everything so HOT when it’s snowing?!) ski rental store was miserable and then I saw your post about Ski Butler in Park City and I told my husband I’m never going skiing again unless the supplies are delivered and it’s saved our marriage and our ski trips 😉
Mix and Match Mama says
It is SO FREAKING HOT! We have the ceiling fans on full blast and even the windows open, and it’s still always 106 degrees in there!
Summer says
Shay,
Do we need to carry water bottle with us? Like in a crossbody or something ? I don’t want anyone getting altitude sickness.
Hubbs and I haven’t ski’d in a million years and first time with tweens…..
Mix and Match Mama says
Andrew and Smith both take Camelbaks with them for hydration! So, YES! A Camelbak is easy to share with your family and doesn’t weigh you down.
Carolina says
My 21 year old twin boys just started snowboarding and their ski items are all over the place. I would love to see pictures of your packing cubes with the snow wear essentials. Thanks
Jennifer Martin says
Absolutely love this post. My family of four love skiing and are headed to Steamboat Springs for Mardi Gras break ( we are Louisiana peeps lol). We have been many times but I love seeing others tips about traveling. New perspective is great perspective. I’ve never used the packing cubes before but that makes so much sense. Do y’all use the kind that you can vacuum seal down smaller or just the regular? Also, does Andrew put all the ski gear except the main jacket and ski pants separate from the regular in the same suitcase or in carry on? I’m just trying to prepare now for our trip in four weeks and appreciate any packing tips since luggage is always a big issue. Thank you!
Mix and Match Mama says
We use these right here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075M43P4G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 We pack an entire suitcase with just our ski gear (so these packing cubes plus additional large cubes that carry our heavy jackets and pants). This way, everything is there in one suitcase when we land.
Jennifer Martin says
Thank you so much!!!