Before you decide Since there are such a wide range of excellent quality and value skiing options, there are a few things you might want to consider when choosing your ski holiday and childcare: Each operator we have chosen offers a well-rounded ski experience, but each will have its own priority; it could be the food, the childcare, the luxury-level of the chalets, the individual service, the resort, the skiing. Draw up your wish-list and make sure that the company whose priority matches your own also offers childcare you will be happy with. Babygoes2’s key indicates the top priorities of the entries we have selected: If your child is 3 or more, do you want them to learn to ski? If so, check out our tips and advice, but also choose a resort or company which offers the kind of tuition you want, and makes sure it’s compatible with other childcare. Choice between crèche and private nanny (see Babygoes2 tips and advice for the right kind of childcare for your child). How flexible is the childcare - will the children be collected for you after classes or nursery? Can you choose your pick up times? Will your children be allowed to eat at the same time as you? Some companies are quite strict about this, and if communal eating is important to you then you could be disappointed if you don’t check in advance Do you prefer the informality and flexibility of a chalet, or the extra privacy of a hotel? Good companies are strict about child/staff ratios, so you must book in advance and if possible, book early. Popular weeks book up extremely quickly. Some companies offer special discounts for bringing your own nanny, or even grandparents. This is can be a good and low-stress solution for you, but it may not be stress free for the carer. They will be without access to lots of toys or activities, and skiing days can be long, so it’s best to plan the time well in advance if you’re keen on taking this route. All operators include slightly different elements of the holiday. Larger ‘resorts’ can seem more expensive, but often include free childcare, babysitting or even tuition, so price up carefully! As with all holidays, consider flight times and transfer times. See our table below When considering the cost, remember that unless included (unusual and often as part of a special offer), you will have the following extra costs to add to the price of your holiday: top of page Additional costs and transfer times Ski pass costs: Resort Adult £ Child £ Verbier 122 Under 6 - free St Anton 105 Under 5 - 5 Courchevel1850 96 Under 5 - free Meribel 96 Under 5 - free Val D’Isere 108 Free La Plagne 109 Free Chamonix 102 Under 4 free, 4-11 £71 Megeve 98 Under 3 free, 4-12 yrs £71 Zermatt 130 Under 9 free Grindelwald 108 Under 5 free Klosters 128 Under 5 free Les Gets 104 Under 5 free, 5-15yrs £80 Ski and boot hire: Adult from: £55-£120 6 days depending on ability (beginner/advanced) Child 3-6 years: £31-£35 Transfer times to major resorts: Geneva (2 hrs) to: Val D’Isere 3 hrs Meribel 2hrs 45 mins Courchevel 2hrs 45 mins La Plagne 3hrs Verbier 2 hrs Chamonix 1.5 hr Les Gets 2 hrs Zurich (2 hrs) to: St Anton 2hrs 45 mins top of page

So, you want your baby to ski too... If you want your child/ren to learn to ski, then there are lots of options, starting from as young as 2. Do you want the same company that you stay with to provide the ski instruction, or do you mind/prefer the flexibility but ‘unknown’ of booking into a local school? You might opt for: Tuition+childcare included in your operator’s package: Mark Warner offer ski instruction for the under fives in: La Plagne (3-4yrs) cost £75 six days 2 hours, La Plagne and Val D’Isere: (4-12 yrs) cost £80 for 6 half days Powder Byrne offer the Yeti Club - 4-9 yrs, five full days including lunch £265 Ski Famille includes free childcare on all dates. 5 days 9-4.30 from 3 months to 12 years old provided in your chalet. Resort ski schools - you choose the number of lessons, where and when. Of the companies not providing their own instruction, Scott Dunn has the most comprehensive information regarding child ski tuition. Perhaps a couple of mornings and then fun in the crèche, or with the nanny for the rest of the time, is what you’d prefer. Resort ski schools start from age: Resort Age Verbier 2+ St Anton 4+ Courchevel1850 3+ Meribel 4+ Val D’Isere 4+ La Plagne 3+ top of page

TIPS A good tip is to try a couple of private lessons before children start the ski school. This boosts confidence and can make all the difference to their level of enjoyment (will cost between £10 and £20 for an hour). Look for a good level of English and perhaps a purpose-built child-ski area such as ESF, where there are indoor play areas too. Good ski school in Meribel and Courchevel 1850: http://www.magicinmotion.co.uk/ Courchevel Ski Academy http://www.ski-academy.com/ adult group lessons 5 mornings, beginners around £80 children over 4 years 5 mornings, around £72 ESF - village des enfants tel 0033 4 79 08 0847 Courchevel,00 33 4 79 08 60 31 3 years +. Secluded and safe area with indoor play area for rest times. 1 morning costs around £20, 6 mornings around £93. Meribel, 00 33 4 79 06 02 34 VAl D’Isere Zermatt Ski School: http://www.zermatt.ch/skischule Pingu Club for 4-6 year olds  Look for slopes that catch the sun - again improves enjoyment. Take plenty of treats. You want to avoid cold and miserable - cold will do! T-bar lifts are better than button lifts. Ski School with English as a first language in Les Gets with British Alpine Ski School www.britishskischool.com Useful things to take: edgie wedgie holds the skis together to make for easier snow ploughing - £9.95 from (www.snowandrock.com) reindeer ski harness: Helps you ski behind the kids while keeping them under control - £39.95 from http://www.snowandrock.com/ If you prefer to buy rather than rent skis, buy from http://www.snowandrock.com who operate a buyback scheme Boots start at £37.95 and the buyback return is 30%. Skis can be bought in the same way and will cost around £100. Boots need replacing every year and skis every 2 years Helmets are essential - should cost around £30; jackets with detachable liners and lots of pairs of gloves.  Further skiing info: Whether you’re a novice or an expert, you’ll want to know what the weather’s like in your resort and if there’s any snow. To find out contact: Snowline: 0906 951 5154. Snow reports and skiing info for most of resorts covered by Babygoes2. http://www.skiclub.co.uk/ Weather line: 0906 207 6576. 3 day weather outlook All of the skiing holidays recommended by Babygoes2 offer an excellent skiing holiday with good quality childcare - it’s just a case of deciding which company offers the holiday which best suits your family. top of page

Babygoes2 recommends properties which are suitable for babies or toddlers for a variety of reasons (go to first stop). None of these properties however is 100% child-safe. All of the property descriptions are the opinion of BabyGoes2 and not the individual property owner or tour operator. Prices, while as accurate as possible, are for guidance only. Check late deals and members offers for any price reductions or offers.