At a glance
Heading to winter sports with a baby or young child (under 3)? What should you watch out for?
Heading to winter sports with a baby or a young child (under 3)?
What should you watch out for?
Winter sports and young children: what precautions should you take?
What altitude?
- Pay attention to the ski resort's altitude: - Before the age of one, it's best to stay below an altitude of 1,200 m: the change in atmospheric pressure and drop in oxygen levels can be hard on your baby. - Between 1 and 2 years old, you can go a bit higher, but should still not exceed an altitude of 1,600 to 1,800 m.
- Take the change in altitude into account when travelling to your destination. Stop regularly and give your child something to drink: swallowing helps prevent ear pain.
- Once there, avoid taking a cable car or chairlift if possible: rapid changes in altitude could be harmful to them.
Plan the timing, calculate the distances
- When choosing your resort, find out about the facilities available for young children (activities, swimming pool, walks accessible with a pushchair, etc.) as well as how far the "baby club" or nursery is from your accommodation.
- If possible, opt for a stay outside peak periods. Ideally, the second half of March or the first weeks of spring are best, as the ambient temperatures are more pleasant.
- Plan outdoor activities during the mildest part of the day (between 10am and 3pm).
Keep your child warm
- Since young children don't move around as much as the other members of the group who are skiing or snowboarding, it's essential to protect them properly from the cold, whether they're in a pushchair, a backpack carrier, or a front carrier. Dress them in a waterproof suit with a hood, a warm (woollen) jumper, long-sleeved base layers, warm socks and lined boots, mittens, a balaclava, a scarf... Make sure they don't become numb with cold.
- Bring a small blanket to cover their body in the pushchair.
- Remember to bring spare clothes.
- If you're walking with your child along the slopes outside their pushchair, put a helmet on them!
- Tip: there are small ski-shaped attachments you can fit onto the wheels of a buggy or pushchair. You'll find them in specialist shops. They'll make it much easier to push the pushchair through the snow.
Protect their skin and eyes
- Apply sunscreen with a high SPF regularly (several times a day) and protect their lips with a lip balm stick (make sure everyone has their own stick).
- Since infrared and ultraviolet rays are stronger in the mountains, and young children's eyes are very sensitive, it's essential to protect their eyes, ideally with sunglasses sized for children or with ski goggles.
- Mountain air dehydrates the body quickly. So give your child something to drink regularly.
To avoid...
- Above all, don't practise your winter sport while carrying your baby in a backpack carrier or front carrier: a fall or a collision with another skier could have tragic consequences!
Final tips
- Pay close attention to the health rules in force at your destination.
- Take turns looking after your child with the other adults in your group, or put them in the resort's "baby club" or nursery, where they'll be safely looked after while you enjoy the slopes.
- Don't forget baby food or food for young children! It's not always easy to find at winter sports resorts. Local shops are often quite small, and they don't always stock all the food or milk needed for young children, especially if your children are allergic to certain foods or products!
- Don't leave without good travel insurance to protect you and your family.
- And don't forget the Kids-ID, mandatory if you're travelling abroad and essential in case your child needs to be repatriated!
First published: 12/2014 - Updated: 01/2022
