How to Have an Amazing Ski Trip with Kids

We had such a fun time on our first ski trip with kids (where they actually skiied)! It had been six years since I’d skiied (when our oldest was just one) so I was a bit nervous. It went great, though. The slopes at Keystone were super fun, and every employee was incredibly helpful. Our gear choices were solid and we even lucked out with some fairly warm weather.

Lest you think it was all perfect (HA!) there were a few mistakes made along the way. We definitely have a few lessons learned for next time.

If you’re thinking about a family vacation on the slopes, these tips will help you have an amazing ski trip with kids!

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DO Enroll the Kids in Ski School

By the time you buy a lift ticket, rent equipment and buy snacks and lunch for your kid, ski school really doesn’t cost that much more. At Keystone, you drop off the kids at 8:30 and the staff takes care of all of the equipment fitting and lessons. They head out on the bunny slopes (with the pros!) and take frequent breaks to play, eat and warm up.

Pickup is at 3:30, which means that the grown ups have most of the day to ski on their own. We originally planned to do just one day of ski school. Our four year old loved it so much that she asked to go back as soon as we picked her up on day 1!

We were SO impressed with the progress the kids made. By the end of day one, they weren’t doing a whole lot besides putting on and taking off their skis (which is honestly not that easy)! At the end of day two, they both had an awesome snow plow and made it down the “big” bunny slope multiple times with zero parental help. Victory!

DON’T Pay for a Lift Ticket in Addition to Ski School

I thought my 6 year old needed a lift ticket for ski school so I bought one. Nope. At Keystone, they just stay in the ski school area at the beginner level and don’t access the lifts, so I didn’t need to buy the lift ticket. If you’re in doubt, definitely ask when you book. We found the ski school staff incredibly helpful in finding the right setup!

DO Invest in High-Quality Gear for the Kids

Even though they take frequent breaks at ski school, skiing is no joke. They’re frequently on their butts in the snow. Do your kids a favor and buy warm layers for them. Nothing is worse than being cold and wet while trying to learn to ski. I’ve been there! (Hello, tissue-thin Adidas nylon pants in 2001.)

Here’s a quick guide to what my kids wore. If you want MUCH more information, including links to discount outdoors gear sites, check out this full guide to kids’ winter gear.

Long Underwear

They wore midweight long underwear tops and bottoms both days. It was a combination of LLBean, Lands End and Icebreaker. They were most happy with the shirts that had thumb holes. Overall I liked the LL Bean quality the best. Icebreaker shirts are great because they can double as a regular shirt.

Ski Socks

Smartwool makes super cute and warm kids’ wool ski socks. Buy some! Ski socks are a must because regular wool socks are likely to end somewhere in the middle of the ski boot, which can get really uncomfortable by the end of the day. Also my kids were very amused by how tall the socks were. (Kids!)

Ski Bibs

I will say – these are SUPER ANNOYING when your child has to go to the bathroom because you have to take off everything on top to get the pants unzipped.

Still worth it.

They both have insulated ski bibs, which means the pants are warm, waterproof and there’s no risk of them getting snow in that crack between pants and coat (brrr). As annoying as the bibs are, they greatly increase the odds of snow staying on the outside.

Both of my kids have ski bibs from random brands and they worked just fine. These usually have adjustable straps so they can be worn by one child for multiple years, and also passed down. (Buy neutral colors if you have boys and girls!)

Ski Coat

We bought my oldest a 3-in-1 coat from LL Bean that she really liked. The outer shell is lightly insulated, and there’s a snap-in fleece lining. The coat is long and covers her bottom. She was a huge fan.

My youngest has a Columbia insulated ski jacket that is a little shorter but worked totally fine for her! The key is waterproof, warm and has the velcro straps on the sleeves to cinch down the gloves.

Waterproof Gloves

We swear by Outdoor Research kids’ mittens after trying many a glove. These suckers stay on, keep the kids hands toasty and are just the best.

My 6 year old tried a pair of Gordini gloves and would not stop complaining about them when we picked her up.

Balaklava

Each girl has a thin Balaklava (super cute designs from REI!) that works perfectly under a helmet. The mouth covering can be pulled down when it’s warmer and pulled up when it’s super duper cold.

Goggles

Keystone ski school required goggles and we went cheap on these. One child got a (pink) pair (Bolle) for $5 from the REI bargain bin and we bought the other the cheapest pair of Smith goggles out there (also from REI – $20). They worked great.

Rental Gear

They rented skis, boots and helmet. It was worth it to rent from ski school because that meant the staff took care of the fitting and putting on of gear. We never touched it except on the last day when we skiied with the kids for a bit after ski school. Worth every penny.

One thing we didn’t learn until later was that many ski shops offer a year-long rental/lease program. If you live close to the slopes or you plan to visit the same area at least twice in a season, this is an extremely affordable option. We may take advantage of it next year!

DON’T Stress if Your Kids Aren’t Learning From You

After the first day of ski school, our oldest wanted to ski with mom and dad. We had grand plans to spend some time on the learning hill and then try a long green.

Hm. That didn’t go so well. We made it down (and that’s a loose term) the tiny learning hill twice. My daughter couldn’t really snow plow yet, so she couldn’t stop and had one fast descent. After that, she couldn’t stop crying.

Of course, neither my husband or I really knew how to teach her and she was obviously frustrated with us. That was an interesting experiment. Back to ski school!

Don’t feel bad if your kids want to go to ski school. Remember, these guys are professionals and KNOW how to teach kids while helping them have fun. Drop the kids off and ski guilt-free.

DO Plan for Altitude

If you’re heading to Colorado or another high-altitude location, plan for a bit of altitude sickness. Stay hydrated and bring some pain-relievers for kids and adults. Eat relatively light and healthy food for at least the first 24 hours.

Make sure to wear UV-blocking goggles or sunglasses. Even on cloudy days, the glare off the snow can give you a horrible migraine.

If you can avoid it, don’t have a beer the second you get off the plane (ahem) or let your kids eat only hot dogs and cheese the first day (oops).

DON’T Forget to Tip

Ski school instructors are with your kids all day, and they don’t make very much. Tipping 10%-20% is considered appropriate if your children had a good experience.

DO Load up on Skin Protection

I totally blew it on this item on our recent trip. Don’t be like me! It’s winter but bring sunscreen – preferably lotion because that will moisturize and protect the skin too. Get UV-blocking chapstick, one for each family member. And remember to bring along some lotion – especially if you’re staying in an Air Bnb that won’t have toiletries. My poor kids’ cheeks and lips were SO chapped by our final day and I felt terrible.

Keystone Specifics

We really loved Keystone. It’s an amazing intermediate mountain! Here’s a quick rundown of our favorite things.

Short Lift Lines

Granted, we were skiing on Wednesday and Thursday but the lift lines were almost non-existent. The more you head further up the mountain, the shorter the lines seem to be.

The Outback

At 11,980, the Outback is the furthest peak in Keystone. You have to ski a couple of blues and take at least 3 lifts to get there. But once you do, it’s totally worth it. Although there are only a couple of groomed blues, this area had the best snow and smallest crowds.

Eat at The Outpost

There’s a cafe (Summit House) on Dercum Mountain, which is the first peak you reach from the base of the mountain. It’s packed! Skip it and head up to The Outpost on North Peak. The food is yummier (get the ramen) and it’s much less busy.

Park at Mountain House with Kids

If you’re skiing with kids, arrive early and pay the $20 to park at Mountain House. You’ll be steps away from the ski school dropoff and the lifts which is super useful when you’re trying to get kids dressed and get yourself organized and drop everyone off on time.

Keystone has free parking at River Run (as well as paid) but River Run is more of a village area with shops and restaurants, so you have to walk a long way. Just skip that and stick with Mountain House. Plus, Mountain House has more of a vintage resort vibe which I’m a fan of.

So Many Fun Blues

If you’re an intermediate skiier, Keystone is the BEST. I hadn’t skiied for 6 years. I did one or two greens and then was good to go on the blues. There are many groomed blues and a bunch of different options. We probably spent a half day skiing from Mount Dercum without ever skiing a duplicate route. Fun.

Super Staff

We were so impressed by the staff we encountered. They were always willing to go out of their way to help us, even when we were indecisive or asked a dumb question. A+, Keystone!

Manageable Blacks

I am not a black skiier AT ALL but I managed a couple of black runs at Keystone. The groomed blacks were steep but OK (as long as I didn’t look too far ahead…meep)!!!

Take the Kids Skiing This Season

As usual, I was amazed by how much fun it was to travel with kids. They loved flying (as always) and had a great time exploring our “home away from home.” Best yet, they had so much fun on the mountain and can’t wait to go back. It’s really neat to see your kids start to enjoy some of the same things you do. So take this guide, book your trip and ski away!