For parents, the Christmas break and sports holidays are perfect for spending time with their children.
Skiing and snowboarding are popular winter activities in Switzerland. Nevertheless, there are a few things for parents to consider when it comes to skiing or snowboarding with their children.
The quickest way to ruin a day on the slopes is to freeze. As a parent, you can very quickly make sure that your children are comfortable and warm enough. Good planning and preparation are important here. Find out about the weather and conditions in advance and take appropriate clothing for your children. The rule is: better to pack too much than too little!
When packing winter clothing, make sure that it fits the children well. It should be neither too small nor too big. It is best to check every year, a few weeks before the outing, whether the clothes still fit properly, because children often grow very quickly!
To save on costs, winter gear can often be bought at trade events or second-hand shops. Clothes that no longer fit your children can also be donated or given to friends.
If your children often have cold hands, use hand warmers. These can keep hands nice and warm even on the coldest days. Our tip is also to take a bag with extra clothes, socks, snacks, drinks and tissues so that you can offer the children what they need at any given time, depending on how the day goes . Don’t forget the sunscreen either: the sun reflecting off the snow can amplify UV rays by up to 90%.
To make sure nothing is forgotten, it makes sense to store all the children’s equipment in one place. This can save you a lot of time searching.
In addition to good equipment and warm clothing, it is especially important to take enough breaks with the children. A hot chocolate and some treats are especially helpful when children are about to run out of steam and need to recharge their batteries. It is important to keep in mind that a hungry child is a fussy child. The aim of the trip is to have fun together. Therefore, you should not force a tired child to continue. Tiredness and reduced energy lead to more mistakes and therefore accidents. So always take enough breaks, including for safety reasons.
Professional skiing and snowboarding instructors are trained to convey the basics of the right techniques in a simple and understandable way. Even if parents feel sufficiently fit and confident on the slopes, studies have shown that children are better able to absorb and learn information from experts. By learning from professional skiing and snowboarding instructors, children can also meet other children of the same age with similar skills. This provides an ideal basis for making new friends, supporting each other’s learning and having a lot of fun in the process.
Professional lessons for children can be worthwhile for parents too. During this time, parents get the opportunity to spend some time alone – without children. This can then be put to optimal use, for example, skiing a more difficult slope or enjoying adult time together in the chalet or at après-ski. In addition, children can show off their newly learned skills to their parents after the lessons.
We have selected a few larger and smaller child-friendly ski resorts throughout Switzerland for you.
Large resorts
Smaller resorts
You don’t necessarily have to know how to ski or snowboard to go on a winter excursion in the snow. Sledging, ice skating or a snow hike are also particularly popular. If all this is too much snow for you, you can also simply take the children to an interesting museum, an aqua park or a climbing hall. We have compiled a list of ideas for you:
Bleak winter days - Home-Edition
Then there are those grey, foggy days when you just want to stay in bed all day and hide under the covers. For just such days, we’ve picked out a few fun winter activities for you to do from the comfort of your own home.