How To Pack For A Ski Trip With Kids

Way back in the fall I started brainstorming about my New Year’s Resolutions for 2017.

I mentally listed all of the possibilities and then began to prioritize the ideas. Although I came up with a lot of really awesome travel plans, my most thought-out plan involved something in my home state.

I initially listed “teach the kids to snow ski” as one of my resolutions.

However, after thinking it through I thought the goal a little too ambitious. I refined the resolution to say “spend 1 day on a snowy mountain” for my official list. Once I locked in that goal I began to research how to make that happen.

Admittedly, our family knew very little about skiing. Although I went several times as a child, it’s been a good 20-years. Also, at that point in my life my mom took care of all facets of the experience. Fast forwarding to the present and being the mom in this scenario, I realize there are A LOT of details to think about!

Here are a few tips for the beginner on packing for a ski trip with kids:

1. Know What You Need: I researched. I asked friends. I read blogs and I looked at pictures of other kids skiing. Then I made a list (which I will include below.) My point: I didn’t go into our first ski trip clueless. Yes, it took time and effort up front. However, putting in the time before our trip allowed us to have an absolutely perfect day.
2. Rent/Borrow: I purchased very little for our first ski trip. For starters, investing in everything is expensive. Secondly, kids grow quickly and I doubt they would get more than one or two uses out of the gear before changing sizes. I made a list of the things we’d be renting from the ski resort, and then borrowed most of the other clothing items.
3. Pack Backups: Since we were driving, I had the luxury of unlimited space (sort of!) I packed a bag of “extra” things that ended up coming in handy. Gloves got wet, we lost a hat and a pair of sunglasses broke. Having extra things in the car helped us switch out without having to make a purchase at the resort or remain uncomfortable.
4. Apply A “You’re On Your Own” Policy: This is likely the most novel, but necessary piece of advice. I’m used to handling everything. Not that my kids don’t pull their weight, but I ultimately take responsibility for everything. However, when skiing it’s virtually impossible to keep up with everything for everyone. At the beginning of the day we told our children that they needed to be responsible for their 2 gloves, hat, and sunglasses. They also carried their own skis and helped with their boots and helmets. Taking an “all hands on deck” approach to the day really helped us all enjoy.

Here is my list of WHAT TO PACK for your first ski trip with kids:

1. Waterproof Gloves
2. Beanie-style hat that can fit under helmet
3. Tight fitting base-layer clothing (long underwear, leggings, long sleeve shirts)
4. Ski bib: I highly recommend the overall style for kids- we had issues with pants falling down!
5. Fleece jacket/pullover
6. Waterproof outer Jacket
7. Warm socks
8. Snow boots: Although we rented the ski boots, we used our snow boots for tubing.
9. Sunglasses: We did not have ski goggles so I assumed sunglasses would work. In hindsight, I wish we’d invested in goggles because there was a lot of blowing snow.
10. Face Mask: This is also something I wish I’d invested in for the whole family. Our exposed skin on our faces was the only part of our body that got cold.
11. Snacks/Water bottles: Although we ate a lot of food at the resort, it was nice to have a couple bars with us for a quick snack.
12. Backpack to carry everything: We put this in locker, but it was nice to have handy.
13. Change of clothes: Everyone in our family had a change of clothes for after we finished skiing. Our clothes were relatively dry because of our good outer layer, but the kids were actually sweaty and therefore a bit damp. It felt good to get into dry, clean clothes at the end of the day!

What other advice do you have for a first time ski trip with kids?

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You might also enjoy reading:

Everything You Need To Know About Beech Mountain Resort

Best Trips For Young Kids

5 Reasons To Send Your Kids To Ski School

*Our ski trip was sponsored by Beech Mountain Resort. I look forward to sharing more about our experience in the next few days.*