Health Considerations



Before you set off on your trip, consider the fact that some children, generally very young children, 6 and under, should not generally be exposed to intense cold or high altitudes. Children with ear problems may be miserable at a high altitude, leaving everyone in the family with a cloud over their trip. Some children with hyperactivity disorders may also not be right for a winter ski trip. A child who is hyper may not take too well to being stuck in a lodge or hotel room for long periods of time when a winter storm hits.

Choosing The Right Apparel

In order for kids to enjoy skiing safely, you must not overlook the importance of the right apparel. Since children are much smaller than adults, they will be more sensitive to the cold. Don't forget that they are closer to the ground, so every part of their body needs to be shielded properly from the cold. Some parents may try to put their own apparel on the child, but this is a mistake. It's extremely important for the child to have their own set of ski apparel. This is for safety first and comfort secondly. If you try and fit on a sweater or coat that has longer sleeves than their arms, this can be a safety issue with the child not being able to steer properly or the sleeve may get caught easily on other gear. These days, there are special stores dedicated to children's winter apparel and ski gear. You owe it to yourself and your children to visit one and get the right gear for each child.

Choosing The Right Gear

Once you have the right ski apparel for your child, you need to choose the actual ski gear. This includes the skis, boots, poles, gloves, goggles and other accessories. Each element should fit your child appropriately, not be too loose or tight and be comfortable. Before each ski trip, you'll want to check the fit of each element again, to see if the child has grown out of it, some items may need to be repurchased or refitted.

Safety First

Safety should, of course, be the #1 consideration for all parents. Children should also have extra safety gear when skiing. These include a helmet and extra pads including knee and elbow pads. Some other safety devices are also available to make skiing safer and more fun for both the parent and child, these include a fawn cushion, which is a cushion that attaches to the rear end of your child to cushion what may be many falls and a ski trainer harness which allows a parent to pull the child behind them on the slopes.

Armed with these tips, you should be able to make more informed decisions about the apparel, ski gear and safety gear. Most of all, however long your ski trip will be, don't forget that the point of the trip is to have fun as a family.