Winter Sports with Children – How to Stay Safe

Kids take to a lot of things like ducks to water – particularly activities which require a bit of adrenaline and could be considered scary. Riding a bike, learning to swim, riding a skateboard – it’s the fearlessness of many children that mean they often pick up these skills faster than a first-time adult!

You can add winter sports to that list too – especially skiing and snowboarding. That’s why winter sport holidays are all the rage for the whole family; these are incredibly fun activities that everyone can enjoy, and the kids will certainly thank you for letting them master them while they’re young.

There are extra safety concerns where your children are involved, though, so you’ll want to make sure you take the proper precautions. Here are some tips on how your whole family can stay safe on your winter sport holiday.

Research the resort

The first thing to decide when going on any trip is ‘where are we going to go?’ It’s a fun deliberation process, but when you’re taking your kids to participate in winter sports there needs to be a serious element too.

Make sure you research what’s on offer at each resort; for first-timer skiers and snowboarders, regardless of age, you’ll need a resort which provides well-regarded instructors and a high-quality lesson plan. You can often enrol in lessons at the same time as making your reservation.

If you don’t have your own equipment and will need to hire it when you arrive, you can also look into this prior to your holiday. Check out previous customer reviews, and give yourself an idea of what to expect before you get there. You’re looking for good quality skis and helmets.

Choose the right equipment

We can’t stress enough the importance of having a high-quality, well-fitted helmet, especially for the kids. Skiing and snowboarding come with a little bit of danger – it’s what makes them such fun and thrilling sports – but head injuries can occur. Make sure both you and your kids are wearing appropriate helmets which meet safety standards at all times when on the slopes and bowls.

You’ve also got to make sure you’ve packed or hired appropriate clothing for these sports. Just because it’s often sunny at winter sports resorts (and you should apply sun lotion to your children’s faces to protect their skin), don’t be fooled – it’s probably going to be very cold. You should all wear several thin layers of clothing underneath your waterproof snow jackets and trousers.

The first layer should be a wicking material which will keep moisture away from the skin, then perhaps a fleece top or jacket as your second layer. Moisture-wicking socks are also essential to keep your kids’ feet dry, but only wear one pair – don’t be tempted to double up. You’ll all need control of your feet, and a good pair of waterproof boots will give you this while maintaining warmth. Throw on some waterproof gloves and your ski goggles and you and the kids are ready to hit the snow.

Always be alert

Naturally you’ll always be keeping an eye on the kids, but both you the parent and your children must be aware of your surroundings. Always keep an eye out for signs on your ski and snowboarding runs – they could be letting you know about difficult terrain up ahead. You should also be checking out the terrain yourself; either vigorously as you go or beforehand to make sure everything looks safe before your kids set off.

You should also stress to your children the importance of knowing how to stay within limits – both in terms of exploring terrain, but most importantly in their own skill level. Don’t let your children tackle the black runs when they’ve only just mastered the easiest slope in the resort! Take everything one step at a time.

Oh, and make sure you know when the ski lift is coming so you don’t get hit in the backside!

Make sure you’re covered with winter sports insurance

For peace of mind, financial reasons, and for your family’s safety, you should ensure everyone is covered by winter sports travel insurance. It covers your family for all medical emergencies, personal belongings, cash, equipment and more saving you money to have fun with on your holiday.

We hope you have a sensational winter sport holiday, and that everyone stays safe while having a huge amount of fun. If you still need to get your winter sport travel insurance, get a quote now.