What If Your Kids Hate Skiing? A No-Pressure Family Plan in La Thuile
A run down of things to do in La Thuile if you or a child in the family doesn’t want to ski
LA THUILESKIEUROPEITALYWHAT TO DORESOURCES
2/3/20265 min read
Let’s be honest — one of the biggest fears when booking a family ski holiday is this:
What if my kids hate skiing?
You’ve spent the money, packed for every possible scenario, and finally arrived… only for them to decide after one cold morning that they’re not interested.
This guide is for families travelling with children who are worried about exactly that — and want to know how to structure a ski trip so it still works, even if skiing isn’t the highlight.
Quick Answer: What If Your Kids Don’t Love Skiing?
It’s completely manageable — if you choose the right resort and take a flexible approach.
In La Thuile:
there’s no pressure to ski all day
it’s easy to step away from the slopes
and there’s enough to keep kids happy in different ways
It doesn’t have to ruin the trip — in many cases, it actually improves it.
We’ve visited La Thuile four times as a family, mostly booking through Crystal Ski, and this is something we’ve seen first-hand. Not every day is a full ski day, and not every child wants to ski constantly. Planning a trip to La Thuile with kids? Start here: → La Thuile Ski Trip with Kids: Honest Family Guide (Crystal Ski Review)
Having everything organised — especially ski school and kids club options — made it much easier to adapt the week around what worked for Joshua at the time.
This guide includes links to the options we’ve used along the way. Some may be affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend approaches and setups that we’ve used ourselves and found genuinely worked for our family.
One of the things that really stood out to us is that La Thuile works even for non‑skiers.
On one of our trips, my mum came with us and didn’t ski at all — but still had a great time. She spent her days walking around the village, sitting by the slopes with a drink, and joining in with the kids when they were sledging or playing in the snow.
That’s exactly why this approach works.
So if you’re worried about pressure, tears, or wasting money, here’s how to plan a no‑pressure ski trip that still feels like a success — for everyone.
The No-Pressure Plan (That Actually Works)
Try Skiing — But Don’t Force It
Let the kids:
Try the beginner slope
Use the magic carpet
Do short sessions
If they love it — amazing.
If they don’t? Stop. Go and do something else. No battles. No ruined days. But if you have concerns about skiing with kids, read Skiing in La Thuile with Kids: Is It Beginner-Friendly?
The Play Parks
There are two small parks in La Thuile:
One by the beginner slope
One in town near Planibel
Even in winter, kids still love:
The climbing frames
The zip wire
Burning off energy
This was exactly our biggest concern before our first trip — and it didn’t turn out that way at all.
What made the biggest difference was knowing there were options in place if Joshua didn’t want to ski.
Sledging
Rent a sledge for about €5 and head to the side of the beginner slope. Instant fun. Zero skill required. If you bring a small sledge from home, it’s free fun all week.
Build Snowmen & Have Snowball Fights
Simple. Free. Always a hit. Honestly, some days this was more fun than skiing.
Hot Chocolate Stops (Italian-Style)
Italian hot chocolate is thick, rich, and basically dessert in a cup.
My mum perfected the art of:
Finding a sunny table
Ordering hot chocolate
And watching us ski past
Walking Around the Village
La Thuile is:
Small
Flat
Easy to walk around
Perfect for:
Non-skiers
Grandparents
Pushchairs
Or just gentle wandering with a coffee
Ice Cream (Yes, Even in Winter)
There’s a gelato shop in the Planibel complex.
Because Italy. Because children. Because why not.
Swimming at Planibel Hotel
The Planibel complex has a swimming pool (chargeable for apartment guests).
Great for:
Rest days
Tired legs
Or kids who just want a “normal” activity
Remember: swim hats are mandatory for indoor pools in Italy!
The Ice Rink
Another brilliant non-ski option for:
Non-skiers
Afternoons
Or mixing things up midweek
If You Want Proper Backup: Crystal Ski Kids Club
One of the biggest safety nets for us in La Thuile has always been Crystal Ski’s Beanie Club.
If your child:
Isn’t enjoying skiing yet
Is tired, cold, or overwhelmed
Or just wants a day off the slopes
They don’t have to ski.
You can book them into Crystal’s kids club, where they:
Are looked after by the same lovely team all day
Have indoor play, crafts, games, and outdoor activities
Go for lunch together
And sometimes go sledging or out for hot chocolate
Yes — ski lessons are included as part of the package.But here’s the important bit: If they really don’t want to ski, they can stay with the kids club team instead. Find our Kids club review here Crystal Ski Beanie Club in La Thuile
This makes a huge difference to the whole family:
The kids are happy
You’re not negotiating on a frozen mountainside
And you still get some time to ski yourselves
For us, Beanie Club turned La Thuile into a properly flexible family holiday, not a stressful endurance test.
This is what made the trip feel low-pressure — there was always something else to do, so we never felt stuck trying to force skiing.
Seeing what’s included helps you understand how flexible the week actually is - View the package we used
Final Thoughts
On our trips:
Some of us skied
Some didn’t
Some skied half days
Some just played in the snow
And no one felt left out.
Non Skiers loved:
Watching from cafés
Walking the village
Spending time with the kids
And never once felt like she was “just tagging along”
If your child:
Gets cold easily
Gets tired quickly
Or just decides skiing isn’t for them…La Thuile still works.
It’s one of the best low-pressure family ski resorts we’ve ever been to.
Ski trips with kids don’t have to be all-or-nothing. For us, the mix of skiing, activities and flexibility is what made the whole trip work — even on days when skiing wasn’t the priority.
If your worry is that your child might not take to skiing straight away, you’re definitely not alone — and it doesn’t have to define the trip.
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.
