Skiing with Children: Rules and Consideration on the Slopes

• Choose a run that even the youngest or least confident member of the group can manage in control.
• Set meeting points in clearly visible places away from the ski run, and agree on waiting points after junctions.
• Waiting at the edge of the slope is safer than stopping behind crests, in narrow sections, or near a lift exit.
• After a fall, the first priority is to move out of the way of other skiers, if it is safe to do so.
• Check the piste map, open runs, and weather conditions together before your ski day; a mobile phone is no substitute for an agreed meeting-point plan.

Before setting off, discuss which run everyone can manage safely. Read the piste map together and check the difficulty rating at the start of the run. The rating is only a guide: ice, moguls, visibility, and crowds can make skiing more challenging. If in doubt, choose an easier route and avoid making spontaneous detours onto unfamiliar runs.

Agree on a clearly visible meeting point away from the ski run, such as a distinctive signpost or a mountain hut. Decide who will ski ahead and where the group will wait after a junction. Children should know what to do if they get separated: wait at an agreed safe place and ask resort staff or the piste rescue team for help.

Stop only at the edge of the ski run, preferably not behind a crest, in a narrow section, or directly below a lift. Make sure the stopping place is visible and accessible to everyone. If it is cold, you are tired, or concentration is waning, take a break or finish skiing early. Explain to children that after a fall, they should first move out of the way of other skiers, if they can do so safely.

Check the latest piste map, which runs are open, and the weather conditions. Brightly visible clothing and an agreed way to get in touch make it easier to find each other again; however, a mobile phone is no substitute for a meeting-point plan. The guidance on piste markings and safety and piste rules will help you prepare.

The FIS rules for skiers and snowboarders explain, among other things, consideration for others, speed, overtaking, and stopping. Also follow the local guidance and instructions issued by the ski resort.

How can a family stay together on the slopes?

Ski at a pace everyone can control, and agree on visible meeting points before setting off.

Where should you wait?

At the clearly visible edge of the slope, away from narrow sections, bends, crests, and lift exits.

When is it time for a break?

When someone is tired or cold, after a fall, or when their ability to brake or concentrate starts to decline.