Find the best tips for skiing at half-term with your family

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Blog, News & ski tips

Tips for skiing at half-term

Published: Aug 19, 2022

Content

1 Find a ski resort that is child-friendly

2 Book your half-term ski holiday in advance

3 Save on ski and snowboard extras

3.1 Top Ski and Snowboard extras on Esquiades.com

4 Be the early bird

5 Avoid stopping for lunch between 12 and 2 pm

6 Be prepared and pack a first-aid kit

7 Take sun block sticks instead of sprays

8 Don't waste money on expensive ski clothes for your children

9 Pack plenty of warm and comfortable clothes

10 If you've booked ski lessons for the kids, don't be tempted to watch them

11 Make sure you have snacks with you at all times

12 Bonus Track. How to save money on your half-term ski deal

Find a ski resort that is child-friendly

When planning a ski holiday with the family, you need to make sure you find the perfect place for every single member of the family. On Esquiades.com not only will you find top ski resorts in Europe, but we also share with you what we believe is key to help you find your ski resort:

✔ General info about the ski resort

✔ Customer reviews

✔ Ski guides for families and for beginners

If you head to our review section, you'll see that our customers review the slopes, chairlift, food in the ski resort, Wi-Fi and whether it's good or not for families. You can also read personal reviews, where we also share with you our customer's ski profile.

What is essential when skiing with children, especially at half-term when resort's tend to be more crowded, is that everything needs to be super close. Smaller ski resorts tend to be more convenient and family-friendly. Find yourself a ski resort where the hotels and apartments are within walking distance to the slopes as well as the rental shop and ski school.

Sierra Nevada in the south of Spain is one of our favourite ski resorts for families

Book your half-term ski holiday in advance

The sooner you book your ski holiday, the cheaper it'll be. Especially when you're planning on skiing a super popular dates like February half-term. The period between July and September is usually when you'll find excellent deals, as it's when most travel agencies are promoting Early Booking discounts.

Don't forget that availability for popular dates tend to run low once the ski season has started so, secure your ski holiday in advance, and you'll benefit from cheap ski deals as well as booking your favourite hotel.

One other thing you should also keep in mind. Here at Esquiades.com we offer self-driving ski deals which means that transportation, i.e. flights, are not included. This gives you the flexibility to book the nights and ski pass to suit your budget, as well as browsing through different travel options. If you need to catch a flight to get to your ski destination, we recommend you to book on a Tuesday evening as Tour Operators tend to lower their rates.

Save on ski and snowboard extras

Ski and snowboard extras are more expensive on location, that's a fact. Not only will the ski lessons be more expensive, but you're also risking not being able to book any at all. Ski and snowboard lessons are one of, if not the most requested ski extra on a family ski holiday.

Pre-book your ski and snowboard lessons in advance, so you won't have to worry about dealing with it once you're there. On our website, we have a great list of extras to customise your booking (and a lot of them include special discounts!).

Top Ski and Snowboard extras on Esquiades.com

1. Ski and Snowboard lessons

2. Ski and Snowboard Equipment

3. Lunch on location

4. Ski Insurance

Depending on the ski resort, you can also add other extras like airport transfers, car rental, spa tickets, snowshoeing, snowmobiles and more!

You can add ski and snowboard equipment as an extra at any time with Esquiades.com

Be the early bird

Once you're on your ski holiday, we recommend you to wake up early and head to the slopes as soon as they open (which usually is at 8.45 am). This way you'll have the breakfast buffet to yourself and, if you've booked ski lessons for the kids, you'll find more time slots available, so you can choose the time that suits you best.

Avoid stopping for lunch between 12 and 2 pm

Lunch at the slopes can be pretty hectic, especially during half-term. This is why we always recommend our customers to pack some snacks and water and have a late lunch. If your kids have lessons, they usually finish around 12/1 pm. Give them a snack to keep them going, and stop for lunch a little later.

This way, you'll also find that the slopes are much less crowded (as everyone is having lunch) and your kids will also feel more confident showing you what they've learnt.

Be prepared and pack a first-aid kit

Skiing with kids is always full of surprises, so make sure you have a first-aid kit with all the essentials: bandages, tape, plasters, safety pins, latex-free disposable gloves, thermometer ...

Take sun block sticks instead of sprays

This is an excellent tip, as we usually forget to think what it's actually like to apply sunscreen on the slopes when you're packing your bags. If you use sticks instead of spray, you won't have to take off your gloves ;)

Don't waste money on expensive ski clothes for your children

Whether it's your first time or you can only go skiing a couple of times a year, there's no point spending money on expensive clothes as you won't get a lot of use out of them. There are plenty of average-to-medium ranges of ski clothes for a reasonable price.

Pack plenty of warm and comfortable clothes

What you need to think of when packing your suitcase is that you want to feel warm and comfortable at all times. And this also applies to your kids. So, pack plenty of thermals, waterproof clothing and warm and cosy garments to where when off the slopes! There's no point in packing your best clothes, as you won't use them. The dress code in the mountains is warm woolly jumpers, comfy trousers and boots!

If you've booked ski lessons for the kids, don't be tempted to watch them

If your kids are skiing for the first time, you're probably going to want to document every single moment, and we don't blame you for it! Skiing for the first time is a unique experience that you'll treasure forever! But what you need to think of is that your kid will be feeling a bit nervous and anxious and, if you're there to watch them, you might distract them and even upset them. Let them enjoy the learning experience by themselves and with other kids their age, and they'll show you all their tricks after the lesson.

Make sure you have snacks with you at all times

Skiing can take a toll on you, especially if it's your first time, and your blood sugar levels may drop at any time. So, carry snacks and drinks to keep you hydrated and feeling strong at all times.

Bonus Track. How to save money on your half-term ski deal

What we're about to share with you is a real gem! Statistically, holiday-makers that travel during February half-term book a full week holiday starting on a Saturday or a Sunday. And if you're travelling with an agency that includes flights, you have zero flexibility when it comes to booking the nights and ski pass.

Here at Esquiades.com we offer you total flexibility and when booking a ski holiday for popular dates like half-term, the best way to find real deals and save money is if:

✔ Your ski holiday is from Sunday to Friday (weekend rates are much higher)

✔ Your ski pass and lessons start on a Monday (ski resorts offer special packages if your ski pass is from Monday)

✔ You book an early outbound flight and late return flight (not only are they cheaper, but you'll also get to make the most of your time in the resort).

Start planning your half-term ski holiday with Esquiades.com