Snow tubing is a quick and easy way to keep your kids more active during winter. Unlike most other winter sports, snow tubing calls for no special gear or skills.
But it’s not fun right off the bat with these.
There are things to keep in mind when snow tubing with kids.
Choose the Right Park for Your Kids
Most parks and ski areas with tubing lanes require kids to be at least 5 years of age. And most of them stick with 42 inches being the minimal allowed height for all children. These conditions, however, aren’t set in stone and vary depending on location. It pays to check them before any reservations.
Furthermore, areas for snow tubing differ in terms of how you get back on the hill. Some locations provide a handle tow, or a conveyor lift that allow for an easier climb back uphill. Other tubing lanes may have no such options. The type you pick depends on how much you want your kids to exercise.
Book Your Snow Tubing Sessions in Advance
Once you decide on where to go snow tubing with kids, waste no time and book. The moment winter season begins, everyone and their brother will want to have fun snow tubing. And it won’t take long before they overwhelm all the sweetest locations for snow tubing with kids in your area.
Booking snow tubing sessions in advance also lets you have fun with kids on your schedule. You won’t have to rush and cater to the only available reservations. Instead, you’ll be able to prepare for the fun beforehand and spend a lot more quality time with your kids.
Pick the Clothes that Fit the Occasion
Wearing a decent set of waterproof winter clothes is a must for both you and your kids when snow tubing. Otherwise, you risk exposing yourself and your kids to the streams of cold air as you slide down the hill. Wind chill can lead to hypothermia, frostbites, and even more serious conditions.
Have a Change of Clothes at Hand
Most kids love snow tubing and move a lot in the process. And by the time they’re done, they’re usually all covered in sweat. This makes them even more vulnerable to cold temperatures and wind chill. The best way to avoid this is to change your kids into dry clothes right after snow tubing.
Get Your Kids to Wear Protective Gear
Snow tubing isn’t inherently safe for anyone, let alone children. Concussions, neck traumas, and even impact damage to internal organs. All of these are perfectly possible outcomes of snow tubing. If one approaches it with a reckless attitude, of course.
Make use of at least basic protective gear, like helmets, to keep yourself and your kids safe when snow tubing. If anything went wrong, protective gear worn at the right moment would safeguard you and your kids from an injury.
Watch After Your Kids and Their Surroundings
Most injuries during snow tubing take place because of recklessness. While you have no control over what others are doing, you’re well in charge of your own responses. And it pays to practice utmost awareness when snow tubing with kids.
Discuss key safety rules with your kids and agree on a safe meeting spot after sliding. Don’t lose track of what your kids are doing and watch for what others are after. Seeing the danger a few seconds earlier can help get yourself and your kids out of harm’s way.
Schedule All Snow Tubing for the Daytime
Snow tubing during daytime is both safer and more fun. The risk of accidents and injuries is much higher in the evenings due to inferior visibility. And your kids may also get tired from the day before you make it to tubing lanes. Late mornings and afternoons work the best.
Don’t Book a Lengthy Snow Tubing Session
It’s easy to overestimate how much time you’ll actually spend snow tubing. Even though it’s a lot of fun, snow tubing is still a physical activity. And your kids may become tired after only a few goes down the lane. Keeping your expectations in check holds key to avoiding this common frustration.
Make Snow Tubing with Kids Safer and More Fun
Simply put, the tips in our guide boil down to common sense. Use it and you’ll make snow tubing with your kids safer and more fun. And your kids will have no shortage of pleasant memories about this amazing winter pastime.
