What are we going to do with Little Jet during the day?
Is she old enough for ski school?
Is she old enough to enjoy it?
Will the childcare be english speaking?
Do they feed my kid during the day? Something they will eat?
What about napping - how can we facilitate nap time without getting stuck in a hotel room all day?
Where can I buy kids ski gear without breaking the bank?
Well, we've been through these questions for a number of years, and I think there are really a few options:
1. Family-friendly packages. From the UK there are a number of ski companies that provide creche/childcare services as an easy add-on to your booking. Notably, Mark Warner is an expert in this regard. We have sampled two of their resorts: St Anton in Austria and Les Deux Alpes in France. I would sum them up as being great Chalethotel options if you have kids under 4. They provide childcare from 9 am to 5pm, baby and kid friendly meals, fun activities including sledging, face painting and swimming, and even provide an evening Kids Club that allows you to settle your little ones to sleep or in front of a film while you go upstairs to dine at your leisure. The accomodation and the food are not luxurious, but they are adequate and they certainly have the advantage of being ski in/ski out in many locations. And did I mention the Kids Club in the evening? And the all day fun and games childcare? And the spaghetti bolognaise for dinners?
2. The Chalet experience. If you can get a group together that know each other well enough to share a chalet and nannies - this could be the best way to go. If your babies and kids know each other and you can book a nanny with the chalet (like with Ski Famille), your life is simple and the slopes beckon. Of course, if your kids are older, ski school drop off and pickup is easy with childcare involved as well. Chalets are typically more intimate and relaxed and evenings can easily be spent with the kids tucked up in bed after loads of fresh air, and a number of bottles of wine for the adults in the sitting room around a roaring fire. Bliss.
3. Hotels or Chalets without specific childcare. I'm an adventurous traveller and Little Jet has been everywhere. But when the purpose of the holiday is to strap on 1 or 2 planks and head downhilll, you really need to organise someone else to be looking after your little one. Without something organised for you, this means a creche in the resort or a nanny. We've done this with Little Jet and I think it is fair to say the success of this strategy is totally dependent on the character of your child and their age. Babies that are quite happy being left, will have no problem with a room full of toys. Older children may struggle if there is a language barrier - something you definitely should find out about in advance. All creches cater for lunches, so there is no need to come back to feed your little ones. The nanny option is widely available as well, but much higher in cost unless you club together with families you're travelling with. Nannies do give you the lovely option of having your kids meet you for lunch (at the bottom or for great family photos at the TOP of the mountain), flexibility on what they will do all day, and more one-on-one time than in a creche.
The important thing is to plan ahead and to think about how your child will best enjoy the time. I personally think ski holidays are some of the most fun travel with kids. Getting them out there in the snow at an early age is a great way to get them interested in winter outdoor pursuits. Little Jet is begging to go back and ski "all the way down the mountain". Well...perhaps just a few meters as a starter...
