Trips & packing
Ski trip packing list for a family week in the mountains
Prepare for a family ski trip with a list for clothing, helmets and rental equipment. Check insurance, travel plans and daily resort information.
The checklist
- Sunscreen, high protection factor · 1 tube per 2 people
- Lip balm with UV protection · 1 per person
- Blister plasters
+ 46 more explained items
A week of skiing with children needs a little planning before anyone reaches the lift. This list helps a family prepare for about seven days in the mountains, from the drive to the last run. It covers ordinary resort skiing; touring or skiing outside marked pistes needs separate preparation. Start with what you own, then check what the accommodation and rental shop provide before buying anything.
The checklist follows the way Cartdock splits a list. Buy holds missing supplies, grouped by shop section. Take along holds belongings to pack. To do holds bookings and checks in preparation order. Quantities are starting suggestions: adjust them for your family, laundry facilities and weather. The season window is a planning cue; check resort opening and conditions for your actual dates.
Print the page and tick items off on paper, or create a list in the app and share packing responsibilities. Keep arrival essentials accessible, choose a place for wet clothing and review the resort’s daily information before heading out. A rest day is easier when the family also has comfortable shoes, a book or a small game at the accommodation.
Who this list is for
A family of two adults and one or two children who drive to a ski resort in the Alps or another European range for about a week and stay in an apartment or a hotel. Some of you ski already, the children may still be in ski school, and part of the gear is rented on site.
Tips
Dress in three layers, not in one thick jacket
A base layer of merino or synthetic fabric helps move sweat away from the skin, a fleece provides warmth, and a waterproof jacket and trousers protect against wind and snow. Keep dry clothes available and check conditions before choosing layers. Pack spare gloves for each child in case a pair becomes wet; do not assume that every child will need to change them at a particular time.
Protect skin and eyes even on cloudy days
WHO explains that UV levels increase with altitude and that snow reflects radiation. Clouds do not remove the need for protection. Pack sunscreen, a lip balm with UV protection and UV-protective goggles or sunglasses for every person, children included. Use sunscreen according to the product instructions and keep it accessible. Check that goggles fit comfortably with each helmet before packing.
Know what the EHIC does not cover
The European Health Insurance Card gives you access to necessary state healthcare during a stay in another EU country, but it does not pay for private healthcare, rescue from the slope or transport home. Check that each family member has a valid card, and choose travel insurance that names mountain rescue and repatriation explicitly.
Check destination rules and helmet fit
Check the official rules of your destination and resort before departure, including helmet requirements and any required liability insurance. Rules are not identical throughout Europe. Plan a correctly fitting ski helmet for every skier. Try children’s helmets together with their goggles, and ask rental staff to check the fit of borrowed equipment. A bulky hat can change the fit, so follow the helmet manufacturer’s instructions. Confirm that rental bookings include helmets rather than assuming they come with skis.
Prepare the route as well as the car
Check the official winter equipment rules for every country on your route, and confirm which tyres and chains your vehicle can use. Practise fitting compatible chains at home. For Austrian tolls, check validity before entering a toll road: digital annual and 2-month vignettes bought online by consumers in the ASFINAG shop or app have an 18-day waiting period. Other sales channels can differ. Confirm the start date on your purchase rather than assuming that payment makes it valid immediately.
Book rental and ski school before you travel
In school holiday weeks, rental shops and ski schools at popular resorts can run out of children's sizes and places in beginner groups. Reserve skis, boots and helmets online for the day you arrive, and book the ski school for the children at the same time. Bring your own helmets and goggles if you have them: a helmet that already fits saves time at the counter.
Teach the children the slope rules before day one
The FIS rules for conduct ask skiers to keep their speed under control, leave room when overtaking, stop only where others can see them, and stop and help after an accident. Go through them with the children at home, agree on a meeting point at the bottom of the main lift, and put a note with your phone number in each child's jacket pocket.
The checklist
49 items, grouped like in the Cartdock app.
Print this page to tick items off on paper: the printout keeps only the checklist, with a box before every item.
Buy
Sun and small injuries
- Sunscreen, high protection factor · 1 tube per 2 people — Keep accessible and follow the product instructions.
- Lip balm with UV protection · 1 per person — Choose UV protection and keep in a jacket pocket.
- Blister plasters — Check boot fit as well as protecting rubbed skin.
- Plasters and an elastic bandage — Keep first-aid supplies together and learn how to use them.
Clothing
- Thermal base layer, top and bottom · 2 sets per person — Merino or synthetic fabric; plan washing and drying.
- Ski socks · 3 pairs per person — Wear one thin pair and keep spares dry.
- Spare ski gloves for the children · 1 pair per child — Store the spare pair in the slope backpack.
- Neck warmer · 1 per person — Choose a comfortable fit with jacket and helmet.
- Thin helmet liner or headband — Use only if it does not change helmet fit.
Ski extras
- Hand warmers · 2 packs — Optional comfort item; follow product instructions.
- Ski goggles for the children — Try them with the helmet before departure.
Food
- Snack bars and nuts for the slope — Choose snacks suitable for family allergies.
- Tea bags for the thermos — Fill the thermos before leaving the accommodation.
- Breakfast for the first morning — Check whether accommodation already includes breakfast.
Take along
Documents
- ID cards or passports — Check required documents for every family member.
- European Health Insurance Card — For eligible travellers; check validity and destination coverage.
- Travel insurance policy and its emergency number — Save a copy offline and show both adults where it is.
- Driving licence and car registration — Check that required vehicle documents are available.
- Bookings: accommodation, ski school, rental — Save confirmations and collection instructions offline.
On the slope
- Ski jacket and ski trousers · 1 per person — Try the complete outfit with base layers.
- Helmets · 1 per person — Check fit and condition, including rented helmets.
- Goggles or sunglasses · 1 per person — Check UV protection and compatibility with the helmet.
- Ski gloves or mittens · 1 pair per person — Dry after each day and keep the spare pair separate.
- Own skis, boots and poles — Only equipment that fits and will not be rented.
- Small backpack and a thermos — Choose a comfortable pack and a leakproof drink container.
- Ski pass holder with a zip pocket — Choose a pocket accessible without removing gloves.
In the apartment
- Warm winter boots for the evening — Choose footwear suitable for the accommodation approach.
- Hat and scarf for walks — For time outside without a ski helmet.
- Slippers — Check whether the accommodation provides them.
- Swimsuits — Only if swimming is part of the planned stay.
- Phone chargers and a power bank — Pack compatible cables and charge before departure.
- Games or books for an evening without skiing — Choose compact options for rest days and evenings.
In the car
- Snow chains that fit your tyres — Confirm vehicle compatibility and practise fitting.
- Ice scraper and a small snow brush — Keep accessible before loading the luggage.
To do
4–6 weeks beforeBookings and insurance
- Book ski school for the children — Confirm dates, meeting point, language and equipment.
- Buy travel insurance with mountain rescue and transport home — Read skiing cover and exclusions before purchase.
- Check that every European Health Insurance Card is still valid — Apply early if needed and check every traveller’s eligibility.
- Going to Italy: check third-party liability cover for skiing — Check official destination rules and policy terms.
2 weeks beforeGear and car
- Reserve rental skis, boots and helmets online — Confirm sizes, collection hours and booking contents.
- Have the children try on helmets, goggles and ski trousers — Check the whole outfit together rather than separate pieces.
- Service your own skis: edges and wax — Arrange inspection and preparation by a suitable workshop.
- Check destination helmet and liability requirements — Check official destination and resort helmet rules, third-party liability insurance requirements and the terms of your policy.
- Buy the motorway vignettes for your route — Confirm route, purchase channel and validity start date.
The day beforeLast steps
- Check the weather and the piste report of the resort — Check official resort updates; conditions can change.
- Charge phones and the power bank — Save contacts and booking details for offline use.
- Put a note with your phone number in each child's jacket — Show children where the contact note is kept.
- Pack the slope backpack: snacks, tea, sunscreen, spare gloves — Keep drinks and dry gloves readily accessible.
On arrivalAt the resort
- Pick up ski passes and rental gear — Allow time for fitting and ask about unfamiliar equipment.
- Agree on a meeting point at the bottom of the main lift — Choose a place everyone can recognise and reach.
Questions and answers
What should I not forget on a ski trip with kids?
The things that are hardest to replace at the resort: helmets and goggles that fit, a spare pair of gloves per child, sunscreen and lip balm, the health insurance card of every child, and a note with your phone number in each jacket. Snacks for the lift queue help more than any gadget.
Is the European Health Insurance Card enough for skiing?
No. The card covers necessary treatment in the public healthcare system of the country you visit, but not private clinics, rescue from the slope or transport home. Take it with you and add travel insurance that covers mountain rescue and repatriation.
Do adults have to wear a ski helmet?
Check current official destination and resort requirements before departure. Whatever the rules say, plan a correctly fitting ski helmet for every skier. Confirm that a rental helmet is included and ask staff about its fit and condition. National requirements and equipment bookings need separate checks; neither replaces the other.
Should we rent or bring our own ski gear?
Check each person’s current boot fit, equipment condition and size before deciding what to rent. Children may need a different size from their previous trip. Compare suitable rental equipment with what you already own, and ask the provider about fitting and collection arrangements. Reserve the equipment you choose for your actual travel dates.
How many layers should you wear skiing?
Start with three adaptable layers: a base layer, an insulating layer and a waterproof shell. Adjust insulation to the weather, activity and each person’s comfort. Add or remove a layer when conditions or exertion change, keeping dry clothing available. Sunshine alone does not tell you whether to remove a layer before a lift ride.
Make your own list in Cartdock
Save your own copy with the exact items, measures and instructions. Changes stay in your copy.
Open this guide in CartdockInstall Cartdock, then return to this page and tap Open. The store does not automatically restore this guide.
Say or type one phrase, and Rinka suggests items by section. Rinka is an AI, not a person: a language model writes the answers. Rinka needs a connection and your consent to AI processing. Without an account you get fewer questions; the number of questions depends on your plan. You can also add and edit items yourself.
Share your list with a link and tick items off together. People without the app can open the list in a browser.