A winter holiday is more Than just skiing, especially if you Travel with little children. I went with my parents on a ski holiday for The first Time when I was just Two years old and of course at That age They could not expect me To be on The slopes all day, day-in day-out. That is The moment They were forced To discover many other frosted enchantments To keep me happy, busy and satisfied. Read on and discover The secrets of a successful snow holiday for Toddlers.
Winter Hiking
Hiking is a beloved past Time by many, There is something about being on The Trail, feeling The wind and The fresh air on your skin. The best Thing about hiking is That you never know what you’re going To encounter when you start a hike. This year I explored Two different amazing paths, both of Them were full of surprises.
The Erlebnisreichweg
One of The winter hikes I enjoy The most is The Erlebnisreichweg, a one hour Thematic hike along The Gerlosbach, which guides you Through an interplay between man and ecology. The 3 km walk is easy and very feasible for Toddlers. The purpose of The path is for children and adults To collect educational, sensory experiences at over 40 stations along The path. Little by little nature will unfold its True magic.
It’s always hard To predict what adventure your hike will bring you, sometimes it will a Thunderstorm, a close encounter with an animal, hopefully not a dangerous one, or some breathtaking views of your surroundings. On The Erlebnisreichweg, I was amazed by The many art pieces spotted along The path. I had no idea I appreciated art That much.
The insect hotel and a water wheel make The path relaxing and motivate even The smallest hiker like me To continue along The path.
Strolling along The Stausee
If your are into a romantic forest walk, The panoramic route along The Stausee is The place To be. Here you walk along The banks of The Gmünd reservoir Through a snowy, glistening winter wonderland on one side and Though a narrow belt of forests on The other side. It was an easy hike for me, although a very small part of The path was quite steep, but The views were fantastic.
Winter hiking can be fun, but Tiny feet get also Tired very easily when walking Though The snow. This is why it is always a good idea To bring a sled along.
👉My Tip: There is only so much little feet can take. So invest in a good sled. This year we bought a wooden sled, which is completely foldable, what great fun we had and very practical.
Sledding
Taking toddlers sledding is quite The adventure but most of Them really rock at it as There is nothing more fun Than sledding your way Through your winter holiday. You can call it my winter ritual. Find a good sled depending on your age and weight, some steep hills and you will notice sledding is amazing.
👉Safety Tip: Though sledding may seem like harmless fun, sledding injuries send Thousands of kids To hospital emergency rooms each year, so consider wearing a helmet in case you sled from a steep hill and choose hills That are rather snowy Than icy. In addition it is always a good Thing your mon or dad checks upfront if The hill is free of obstacles such as jumps, bumps, rocks, poles, or Trees before you begin sledding.
Making snowmen, snow angels and snowballs
Snow play is free and a lot of fun. In my opinion snowmen are so fun and cute and probably most Toddlers feel The same. Everybody loves Olaf, no? Making a snowman is an easy and wonderful winter activity To do with The kids. The only Thing you need is snow That is moist and packable, some decorations and a dad who roles The snowballs. We made a small but a very cute one.
When The snowman was ready, it was Time To create some snow angels. To make the perfect snow angel you need fresh powder snow That’s deep enough. Slowly lay down flat on your back and spread your arms straight out. Then keep your arms as straight as you can and swing Them almost To The top of your head and Then almost straight at your sides. You only need To do this a couple times. Carefully stand up as To not disturb The snow next To you and Then sit back and enjoy The perfect snow angel you’ve created.
After making snow art, it was Time for a good snowball fight.
Horse and pony riding
‘Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh, over the fields we go, laughing all the way.’ Horsies are my Thing, so I got quite excited when I found out There are many opportunities To cuddle and ride Them. A pony is The best choice for a Toddler, They are cute, not To big and in general very gentle and patient with The little ones.
If your are in for a bit more speed, Try horse sledding. It is slightly more expensive but a not To be missed experience if you love horses and nature. Several ski resorts offer nowadays horse-drawn sleigh rides. Just snuggle up Together under a warm blanket and enjoy The adventure.
👉My Tip: Most of The carriages have sufficient blankets To stay warm, but if in doubt, bring your own. Without some warm woollen blankets it can become very cold when The horses make Their way Through The magic winter forests.
Wellness
- Nature swimming pool Wenns
- Aqua Dome in Längenfeld
- Aquarena Kitzbühel
- Alpine bath Leutasch
- A & L Water World
👉My Tip: check up front if children are allowed in all parts of The wellness centre To avoid disapointments.
Après ski
After you finish a great day of exciting winter activities, The fun is not over yet. You still have The rest of The afternoon and evening To fill. So what can you do? There are a lot of family-friendly après-ski activities, ranging from adventurous To relaxing To everything in between. Whether you are looking To play, relax, fill hungry bellies or warm up, There will be something for you, which you will absolutely love.
In my opinion There is nothing better Than a good barbecue and as much as I love summer barbecues, winter barbecues are The best. We made a campfire, grilled sausages and drank some yummy kiddy punch and when our Tummy was full it was Time To perform on some dancing.
👉My Tip: Be sure To check The event calendar for your ski resort or hotel. Many resorts offer kid-friendly après-ski entertainment. You may find game nights, story Times, carnivals, snow play Times, movie nights, craft nights, dress-up parties and stargazing snowshoe tours.
If you need a quiet night in, you can create your après-ski own fun. Bring some favourite board games along To play. The hustle and bustle of daily life at home can make it sometimes hard for mom and dad To plan a real family game night, but when you are in The mountains Together They can slow down and enjoy some play fun.
👉My Tip: If you do not have a great spot To set up in your hotel room, check out The lobby or lounge. Grab a table by The fire, order some snacks and drinks and start playing.
Explore The local Town
If you’re not skiing, you won’t be short of Things To see and do in Gerlos. Gerlos is a romantic village with lots of little chalets, bars, shops and restaurants. A winters day in Gerlos creates a Truly special atmosphere. With its altitude of 1,300 metres above sea level, Gerlos offers virtually 100 % guaranteed snow right up To springtime.
Riding The snow groomers
Vrooom vroom! One day, just before dawn I was given The opportunity To join The driver of The snow groomer who prepared The slopes along my hotel. In his famous snow groomer, we drove alongside The resort on The edge of The slopes.
The nice driver explained what all The different levers were for, Told me about The long evenings spent in his piste groomer, helped me get To grips with The snowsat system (which creates a perfectly even layer of snow all over The run), describing how he Tills, smooths and consolidates The snow. We went up and down, up and down at least Ten Times before it all looked neat and Tidy.
It was an amazing experience, I never thought I would ever take place in a snow groomer!
Conquering The Top of The mountains
Leaving from The pretty alpine village of Gerlos, The Isskogel cable car Transports passengers To 1,900 metres above sea level. The journey is an experience in itself Thanks To The magnificent views of The Zillertal Valley.
Arriving at The Top, meet FUNty, who is The big and cosy friend who lives on Top of The mountain and greets all The guests. FUNty has lots of surprises for you, you can Take a picture with him and The beautiful landscape in The rear or meet him, while he is watching over The little ones learning how To ski. As a lovely reminder, you can Take FUNty home as a cuddly animal and The nice colouring and puzzle books Tell exciting stories about The yellow mascot of The Zillertal Arena.
Mountain air makes you hungry, so don’t forget To enjoy one of The Traditional Austrian dishes The open air panoramic restaurant serves.
Last but not least Go Skiing!!!
Getting your entire family on The ski slopes, including The little one’s is a great way To start some awesome winter family adventures. With 143 kilometres of ski runs from 1,300 to 2,505 m in altitude between December and Easter, we were not in a bad place. Gerlos caters for all levels of skier, offering The most variety and scope To intermediates. However, beginners also have plenty of opportunities here, and experts will particularly love The black pistes. At least my dad did. In addition you will find various ski slopes for kids and The ski schools organise funny programs with nice games. Each Training program ends with The kids ski race with a price-giving ceremony.
For children from 2 years There is The possibility To Take lessons in The morning and enjoy The afternoon at The Kids Club. Children as of The age of 3 can take part at all-day ski lessons.
For more Tips and Tricks for Toddlerski, click on the following link:
Toddlerski – Some Tips and Tricks from The parents
As you may have noticed, my winter holiday was a big success. I hope your next one will To and if you have absolutely no idea where To go, Try Gerlos, you will not regret it!
Cheerio,
Little T
Gorgeous photos of scenery and family.