Spending a holiday on the slopes can be a fantastic bonding experience for a family. But just as it is fun, it is also a high-risk sport and understanding those risks will go a long way in ensuring your family enjoys the sport. If skiing is new to your family, safety should be your first priority. Here are some tips to help you keep your kids safe up on the slopes.
Get the Right Safety Skiing Gear
The right gear can help prevent injuries. Make sure your kids have warm clothing, including snow pants, a winter jacket, a hat and mittens, a pair of good ski boots and goggles that are the right size and tinted for sun protection. One piece of safety skiing gear that is often overlooked but plays an important role in your kid’s safety is a snow helmet. Although a snow helmet won’t keep your children from suffering a head injury, it can have a significant impact on the outcome of the severity of the injury.
Kids snow helmets come in a variety of colours and designs, which means there is definitely something that will suit your children’s taste and personality. However, when shopping for kids snow helmets, colour and design are not the only things you should consider – fit is also important. Get a helmet that sits evenly on the top of your kid’s head, so it won’t tilt from the side after the strap has been tightened. Make sure the helmet fits your child snugly but it’s not too tight.
Know the Proper Way to Loading Lifts
There are numerous videos on the internet of children falling off of ski lifts. The reason for this is that chairlifts are designed to comfortably seat adults, which means that kids often want to scooch up towards the edge so they can comfortably bend their knees. So, make sure your kids sit all the way to the back so they don’t fall. Put the bar down and inform them when you are about to lift the bar to unload so they don’t get spooked.
Stay on the Slopes That are Easy for Them
It is common for kids to become enthusiastic to get higher up on the mountain, especially after gaining confidence after being a few days on the slopes. If your kids have been going to a ski school, talk with the instructor about how their skills are progressing and ask what terrain they can handle.
Watch for Fatigue
Like with any other exciting activity, your kids will likely insist on going until they are extremely tired. To prevent this, make your kids take breaks, have snacks and drink water. Encourage them to start slow with a few easy laps on the lower mountain instead of grabbing the last tram. When a person gets tired (this also applies to children) they lose their best skiing abilities, so watch for fatigue and when you notice they’re starting to get tired, take them home.
