Intro: Our Family’s First Time Skiing with a Toddler
Last month, our family did something that felt equally exciting and slightly unhinged—we took our 1.5-year-old skiing for the first time. Was it slightly chaotic? Definitely! Were there a few “what are we doing?” moments? Also, yes. Did he absolutely LOVE it? 100%!
Skiing with a toddler is a whole different experience from your typical ski trip, but with some prep, it can be a super fun adventure for the whole family.
Here’s everything we learned from our adventure, including what worked, what we’d do differently, and why Mt. Bachelor turned out to be a perfect choice for our toddler’s first time on skis.
Quick Links: Essential Gear We Wouldn’t Hit the Slopes with Our Toddler Without
Toddler Skis – These plastic skis strap onto regular snow boots, glide slower than metal skis, and cost less than a one-day rental.
Sport Sunglasses – Our toddler refused bulky goggles, so these lightweight, protective sport shades were a win.
Helmet – Crucial to have a properly fitting helmet to keep that growing brain protected. Rentals are available for head sizes 19.5 inches and up.
Snow Boots – Warm, sturdy, and with good traction—plus, they strap right into the toddler skis.
Ski Harness – Keeps little ones from zooming off too fast and makes lifting them after tumbles much easier (look for one with a leg strap!).
Sled – Essential for hauling gear and toddlers across icy parking lots without a struggle.
Choosing the Right Mountain: Why We Picked Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort
Mt. Bachelor is the seventh-largest ski mountain in North America, but don’t let its size intimidate you—it’s a stunning mountain and an amazing place to take a toddler for their first ski adventure.
The runs are long and fun, the scenery is jaw-droppingly beautiful, the beginner area is designed for little learners, and there is even on-site daycare.
Most importantly, the Mt. Bachelor takes safety seriously, which made skiing with our tiny beginner way less stressful.
Location-wise, it’s also a no-brainer. Just 30 minutes from the winter wonderland of Bend, Oregon, Mt. Bachelor made it easy to combine our toddler’s intro to skiing with other winter fun.
After a day on the slopes, we’d head back to Bend for bold coffee, kid-friendly brewery hopping, stunning hikes, and unique shopping finds. It was the perfect balance of adventure and relaxation.
Toddler Skiing at Mt. Bachelor’s *Free* Beginner Area
Mt. Bachelor’s beginner area was the perfect spot to introduce our toddler to skiing. It had everything you could ask for to introduce someone -especially a toddler- to skiing.
Beginners Area Quick Highlights:
- A fenced-off training zone for absolute first-timers
- A magic carpet (picture a moving sidewalk that takes you up the slope—no scary chairlifts necessary!)
- A beginner lift leading up to a gentle green run
- Free.99! (more on that below)
The magic carpet up to the bunny slope was a total hit. Our toddler loved it—sometimes riding between our legs, sometimes taking solo trips like a tiny skiing superstar while we walked alongside him, holding his hands.
The bunny slope was also just the right size for us— steep enough to pick up a little speed but gentle enough to keep things under control. Wide and forgiving, it gave him the space to experiment with turns (or at least attempt them while mostly cruising straight down with a big, excited grin).
Lastly, and incredibly awesomely, the beginner area was free to use (aka no lift ticket required)!
This saved us money on our ski trip big time, because we knew we would be staying in the beginner area with him for one of our ski days, none of us bought lift tickets for that day, which really helped on costs of the trip as lift tickets can run from about $130 and up per person.
Mountain Safety for Skiing with Kids at Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort
One of the biggest reasons we loved the Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort for taking our toddler skiing for the first time was how safe it felt.
I honestly have to say that Mt. Bachelor goes the extra mile when it comes to safety—which, as a parent skiing with a tiny beginner, gave me a lot of peace of mind.
All of the green runs throughout the mountain had bright orange safety signs reminding skiers to slow down. And, even better, ski patrol members were standing at the signs actually enforcing it, calling out to fast skiers to remind them they were on a beginner run.
There were also TONS of ski patrol skiing all throughout the mountain, checking on you often to make sure you were feeling safe, having fun, and to lend a hand when your toddler decides to throw their ski gloves off mid-run ;).
Knowing that the resort took beginner safety seriously made me feel so much more comfortable having my toddler out on the slopes.
Bonus Perk: On-Site Daycare at Mt. Bachelor
This might be the biggest game-changer when deciding which mountain to take your small children to skiing for the first time- Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort has an on-site daycare!
If you want to get in some real skiing without chasing a toddler around the bunny hill all day, or if your toddler is over it after a little over an hour like ours was, you can drop them off at a safe warm, and fun daycare right at the base of the mountain.
We used the daycare for our 18-month-old, and from everything from the schedule to the staff, it was perfect! Honestly, our toddler loved it and hardly even noticed when we left—he ran straight into the toy section and never looked back.
Here’s some of our highlights:
- Daycare Hours and Flexible drop-off/pick-up – Something that really stood out to me is how easy and chill the daycare was around scheduling. They offered drop-off and pick-up anytime between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM and even allowed us to pick up our toddler at any point during the day so that he could join us for lunch or a quick midday ski sesh.
- Separate classroom and nap room – The toddler areas were fantastic- the main play room was big and packed with toys and activities, but, the most impressive part was the additional, separate nap room that was dark and had a white noise machine, making it easy for our toddler to stick to his nap schedule.
- Sweet, attentive staff – During drop off the daycare team took extra time to thoroughly get to know our toddler and his usual routine, likes, and dislikes to ensure he was comfortable and happy throughout the day.
- Meals included – If you book a full-day spot, lunch and snacks are provided, one less thing for mom and dad to bring to the mountain.
What We Learned Skiing with a Toddler—The Oops and the Wins
1. Ease Into It With a Half-Day on the Mountain
For our toddler’s first day on the slopes, we decided to take it slow and head up to the ski resort in the early afternoon for a relaxed half-day—and it ended up being the perfect plan!
A shorter ski day meant we could ease into things without feeling rushed.
We spent the morning in town, sipping coffee in a cozy café, browsing a few shops, and fueling up with a hearty lunch (check out my article on The 7 Best Things to Do in Bend, Oregon in the Winter With Kids for more details). Our toddler even got in a solid nap, so by the time we hit the slopes, he was well-rested and ready for adventure.
We arrived at Mt. Bachelor around 1:30 PM, and the timing couldn’t have been better.
The rental shop was practically empty, which meant the ski staff had plenty of time to help us get fitted properly—especially making sure our toddler’s helmet was just right. With no crowds, he had free rein to zoom around the rental building while we finished gearing up, and the staff even joined in on the fun, chasing him around between boot fittings.
2. Use the On-site Daycare, Even If It’s Just for a Half Day!
Even if you don’t plan on leaving your toddler there all day, using the daycare for a half-day break can be a game-changer. Our toddler lasted about 1.5 hours on his skis before getting grumpy.
Dropping him off at daycare for a break (snack time, warm-up time, or even a nap) allowed us to get in some runs on the bigger slopes before bringing him back out for another ski session.
3. Get a Harness with a Strap Between the Legs
Okay, rookie mistake on our part—we bought a fancy harness for our toddler, which was great quality but it didn’t have a strap that goes between the legs. Turns out, this is crucial.
Every time we grabbed him for safety, the harness would ride up towards his shoulders and become pretty much useless. If you’re getting a ski harness for a toddler, make sure it has a leg strap to help it stay in place when you actually need to grab them.
4. Bring a Sled for the Trek from Car to the Slopes
Mountain parking lots can be challenging with little kids—crowded, icy, and often far from the lifts or rental area.
Instead of struggling to carry gear and a wiggly toddler across the slippery lot, toss everything, including your toddler, into a sled and pull it along. It makes hauling skis, boots, and little ones way easier, especially if you’ve got a new walker who isn’t ready for a long, icy trek.
