Cross-country & family – active holiday for the whole family
Cross-country skiing fun for young & old
It’s a balancing act on a snow-covered tightrope: how can you make sure that the whole family – from young to old – can enjoy a cross-country skiing holiday to the full? The solution is simple: Cross Country Ski Holidays. Because your hosts are specialised in cross-country skiing & families and know the wishes and needs of children and their parents. Both on and away from the cross-country ski trails.
Family time is ... time for each other
And also time for yourself. For passions and hobbies, for active relaxation and meditative calm. The mountains offer the perfect setting for your well-earned time-out – and the ideal play area for active family time.
Our Cross Country & Family Hotels
Speaking of time: the time when cross-country skiing was considered to be a boring sport for old people is long gone! Nordic skiing is incredibly popular and is winning over increasing numbers of younger people. A full-body workout, endurance training, balance training, no expensive lift passes, enjoying nature away from the masses and away from the alpine ski circus – the benefits speak for themselves.
But how can you awaken a passion for cross-country skiing in your own children? How do you encourage youngsters to try out traditional gliding and teenagers to skate through snowy woods?
7 tips for unadulterated cross-country enjoyment with kids
- Starting off with some games makes it more fun! Short games of skill, sweet rewards and fun competitions enhance motivation.
- Incorporate funny stories to get them moving: Can you walk like a penguin? Crouch down like a frog or glide on one leg like a stork?
- Find easy and short beginners‘ trails to start with – with some gentle hills and bends for variety. There’s always something to discover on the forest trails.
- Having the right equipment is essential – cold fingers or toes will quickly dampen the mood.
- Practice braking to minimise energy-sapping falls that will decrease the fun factor.
- Children have fun with other children – ask about courses for children!
- Childcare is undoubtedly a good alternative if you want to tackle a longer route!
And don’t worry: in Scandinavia children start skiing on the narrow boards as soon as they can stand! Over here, cross-county skiing clubs recommend that children start between the ages of 4 and 6. For the youngest ones there is practical equipment available such as sledges and special pushchairs, so the whole family can enjoy having outdoor fun together on the trails! Once the ice has been broken, there is nothing to stop the release of shared happiness hormones in an unspoiled, snow-covered winter landscape…
Children’s programme: guaranteed fun in the snow!
Discover the nicest family-friendly Cross Country Ski Holidays regions in Austria, Germany, Italy and Slovenia. Some of them impress with family-friendly hotels, some with wellness offerings and heated pools for quality family time after winter sports, and others even have their own cross-country ski trails for children that are ideally suited to smaller steps. A varied children’s programme and childcare are also offered several times a week. So young guests will have plenty of fun – and parents have time to enjoy some challenging cross-country skiing routes or ski tours.
In some Nordic centres (e.g. in the Bavarian Forest) there is a great deal for children to discover, such as zigzag courses or bumps. In many renowned cross-country skiing regions, particularly in Austria and South Germany, you’ll also find a range of child-friendly cross-country ski trails without any steep ascents or descents e.g. in Seefeld, Dachstein or the Nassfeld - Lake Pressegg – Lesach Valley | Weissensee region.
Extra tip: Young night owls love being allowed to stay up late on a winter holiday to make a few rounds on the illuminated night cross-country ski trails. It’s exactly what the best holiday stories are made from.
Choose your favourite cross-country skiing region
Discover the most beautiful cross-country skiing regions of the Alps in Austria, Germany, Italy and Slovenia – with guaranteed cross-country competence.
