The Top Ten Skiing Resorts to Visit with a Toddler

With plenty of gentle practise slopes, in Les Deux Alpes beginners can head right up to the 3600m glacier without being thrown in at the deep end. With plenty of confidence-building slopes, spectacular views and a nice choice of family friendly restaurants.

We love the look of the kiddie’s snowpark with rolling jumps, fun gates and a giant mouse on skis to chase! Overall, El Tarter is a laid-back resort, without the crowds of university ski trips heading for the apres-ski!

You might not have heard of this one, but this is a great pick for your family’s first skiing holiday. It’s pretty quiet compared to others – you won’t have to queue for ages to the sounds of ‘I’m bored’ or ‘my feet are cold’. There’s plenty of friendly English-speaking instructors and flights are pretty cheap.

You’ll be able to ski out of virtually every hotel in Val Thorens, which avoids carrying the kids’ equipment for miles. It’s won the coveted title of ‘World’s Best Ski Resort’ three times in the last four years and there’s plenty of non-skiing activities for families, including tobogganing, swimming and snow shoeing.

We love the Christmassy feel of Val d’Isère – expect the streets to be lined with fir trees and fairy lights. The Centre Aquasportif has a huge indoor pool and an indoor climbing wall if your tot wants to take a break from the snow. There are also other winter holiday classics like ice skating and husky dog sledging.

​A great place to visit with families, there’s a fantastically named ‘Wuppy’s Wonderand’ which takes kids from three-months-old to seven-years-old, packing their days full of indoor and outdoor play whilst you hit the slopes. You can also take a guided tour of the frozen world beneath the snow to discover an incredible ice stalactites, giant ice crystals, frozen waterfalls and even a glacial lake.

It might not scream family-friendly, but it does have a softer side. Dig out your little one’s snow boots, and allow your tots to run through the snow, or take a tour on a horse-drawn sleigh.

A big reason to book in Arinsal is that kids under 16 get a free life pass with each adult that books as pass. Most hotels in Arinsal cater nicely for families – with large interconnecting rooms, kids’ menus and mountan childcare.

There’s a dedicated children’s beginner area on the slopes of Tignes Val Claret with easy-to-use lifts for little ones. Once confidence starts to build, take to the many blue runs around the 300km ski area (nearly 50% are blues).