Skiing with Kids: A Guide by Age

A ski trip with kids is one of my favorite family adventures, and it works at almost any age if you plan it right. Here is how I do it, by age.

When lessons start

Most children can begin ski lessons around age 3, starting on gentle magic-carpet bunny slopes. The big Western resorts, like Vail and Sun Valley, have excellent ski schools that make those first days fun and safe.

By age

• Under 3: a resort with daycare lets parents ski, though many families bring a nanny; plan snow-play and cocoa breaks, not full ski days.
• 3 to 5: first lessons and the bunny hill, in short, happy bursts.
• 6 to 10: real skiing, and ski-school group days where they progress fast and make friends.
• Teens: advanced terrain, terrain parks, and the freedom to explore the mountain.

Beyond the slopes

The best family ski trips are about more than skiing: tubing, gondola rides, hot chocolate, and cozy nights in town. Keep everyone warm, fed, and rested, and it is magic. Smaller mountains in Vermont and Maine are great for beginners; the big resorts out West offer the fuller experience, see my ski trip guide.

Where family ski trips go sideways. Ski-school spots and children’s lesson slots fill for holiday weeks months in advance, the true ski-in, ski-out lodging that saves you hauling kids and gear books close to a year out for peak season, and rentals and lift tickets are cheaper and smoother arranged before you arrive than in a resort line with cold, tired children. None of it is hard with a plan, and all of it unravels without one, which is where I come in.

Why plan a family ski trip with me

I match the mountain to your kids’ levels, book ski school, lessons, and gear, and find ski-in, ski-out lodging that makes the whole day easier. See my family travel guide for kids at every age. In English or Español.