10 Fun Winter Activities to Do with Kids in La Thuile, Italy (Beyond Skiing)

If you’re planning a family ski trip, it’s easy to assume the whole week will revolve around skiing — but in reality, especially with kids, you need more than that.

Not every day is a full ski day. Kids get tired, the weather changes, and sometimes you just want something simple and fun to break things up.

This guide is for families travelling with children who want to know what there is to do in La Thuile beyond skiing — whether that’s for rest days, afternoons, or when kids have had enough of the slopes.

Quick Answer: Is There Enough to Do Beyond Skiing?

Yes — not in a “packed itinerary” way, but in a way that works very well for families.

La Thuile isn’t about big attractions — it’s about simple, easy activities that:

• break up the day

• keep kids entertained

• and stop the trip feeling exhausting

We’ve visited La Thuile four times as a family, in both December and February, usually as part of a Crystal Ski package. Having everything organised — including accommodation, passes and logistics — made it much easier to focus on what to do each day rather than figuring things out on arrival. Planning a trip to La Thuile with kids? Start here: → La Thuile Ski Trip with Kids: Honest Family Guide (Crystal Ski Review)

This guide includes the activities we actually did, along with a few we considered. Some links on this page may be affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you choose to book through them, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend things we’ve genuinely enjoyed or would do again as a family.

1. The Snow Play Area (When It’s There)

Right next to the beginner slope, there’s sometimes a small snow play area.

When it’s set up, it usually includes:

• inflatables

• soft play

• open space to run around

It’s simple, but kids love it — especially after skiing or when they still have energy to burn.

This is what surprised us most — there’s more than enough to keep kids entertained without relying on skiing all day.

A lot of these simple activities were easy to slot in alongside skiing without needing to plan everything in advance.

→ See what’s included in the trip we booked

2. Sledging

Sledging is one of the easiest wins in La Thuile.

You can:

• rent a sledge locally for a few euros

• or bring one from home

Most people use areas near the beginner slopes, and it quickly becomes one of those things kids want to do every day.

3. Practising on the Beginner Slope

Not every ski session has to be a full lesson or long run.

The beginner area is perfect for:

• short practice sessions

• building confidence

• letting kids try things at their own pace

If you’re unsure how the skiing works overall, we’ve explained that in more detail here: Skiing in La Thuile with Kids: Is It Beginner-Friendly?

4. Walking Through the Village

Some of our best time wasn’t planned at all.

Just walking through the village:

• stopping for a drink

• letting the kids play in the snow

• browsing small shops

It’s small and easy to manage, which makes this kind of low-effort time really enjoyable.

5. Snow Play (The Simple Stuff)

You don’t need organised activities for kids to enjoy La Thuile.

Most days included:

• building snowmen

• throwing snowballs

• messing about in fresh snow

It sounds basic, but it’s often what they remember most.

6. Gelato (Even in Winter)

It’s Italy — so this had to be on the list.

There’s a gelato shop in the Planibel complex that became a regular stop for us.

Cold weather doesn’t seem to matter to kids when there’s ice cream involved.

7. Italian Hot Chocolate

This was one of our favourites.

Italian hot chocolate is thick, rich and more like dessert than a drink.

Stopping for one after skiing or a cold walk quickly became part of our routine — especially at Chocolat in the village.

For us, this mix made the biggest difference — it meant we could adjust each day depending on energy levels without feeling stuck to a plan.

8. Gondola Rides (Without Skiing)

You don’t have to ski to enjoy the mountain.

Just riding the gondola is:

• fun for kids

• a chance to see the views

• and something different to break up the day

9. Swimming at Planibel

If you’re staying in the Planibel complex, there’s a pool available.

It’s:

• free for hotel guests

• paid for apartment guests

We treated this as an occasional activity rather than a daily one, but it’s a good option for:

• rest days

• bad weather

• or when kids want something different

For a more in depth look at facilities at Planibel, see: Planibel Apartments La Thuile Review: Honest Family Pros & Cons

10. Ice Skating

There’s also a small ice rink in La Thuile.

It’s not a huge attraction, but it’s a nice alternative activity, especially if you want a break from skiing.

Why These Activities Matter

Individually, none of these are major attractions.

But together, they:

• break up the week

• keep kids engaged

• and stop the trip feeling repetitive

That’s what makes La Thuile work so well for families — it’s not all about skiing.

Final Thought

The best trips we’ve had weren’t the ones where we tried to fill every hour.

They were the ones where we mixed:

• skiing

• simple activities

• and downtime

If you’re planning your trip, just knowing these options are there makes a big difference.

La Thuile isn’t just about skiing — and that’s exactly why it works so well for families.

For us, having a mix of simple activities and everything else organised made the trip feel easy, not over planned.

It’s one of the things that’s easy to overlook when booking — but makes a huge difference once you’re there with kids.

planning a trip to La Thuile?

Want the full picture? See our cost breakdown and honest Crystal Ski review here:

About Plan Family Escapes

We’re a UK-based family sharing real, experience-led travel guides based on trips we’ve taken with our school-age son Joshua across destinations like Lapland, Turkey and India.

Everything we share is based on what we’ve personally experienced — with honest advice on what actually works when travelling with kids, focusing on making family travel easier, more comfortable and genuinely enjoyable.