Switzerland is home to some of the best skiing locations in the world. These include Zermatt, Davos-Klosters, St. Moritz, and Verbier, all of which are alpine resorts popularly known for offering a great skiing experience with a wide range of accommodation options, wide terrain, fine dining sites, and the ultimate apres-ski. Your child will not only enjoy going for a winter ski camp in Swiss, but they will also enjoy the various activities there are to sample.
Why Choose Winter Camps?
Many parents may opt to send their children for summer camps due to the friendly weather, however, attending winter camps can be interesting and fun. For starters, not many people go camping during winter, which means you’ll encounter fewer crowds and get the chance to sample your surroundings with minimal distraction.
To choose the ideal Swiss winter ski camp for your child, you want to be cautious during the planning process. Many times, the activities offered at your ski camp location determine whether or not the location is ideal for your child. Here are some of the sports and activities your child will engage in during ski camp.
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a leisure and winter Olympic sport where participants steer a wide board made of either plastic or wood and proceed to either perform various tricks or race down a snow-filled mountain. The board is securely fastened on the snowboarder’s feet. To participate in snowboarding, snowboarders should possess excellent skateboarding, skiing, and surfing skills. You don’t have to worry if your child is going to engage in snowboarding for the first time.
Many ski camps have instructors who help children learn how to snowboard. If your child already has the skills needed to snowboard, they can participate in different races such as slaloms, where the snowboarders race between barriers. Other races include the half-pipe snowboarding where riders execute in air tricks as they snowboard in between the sides of a half-pipe or a U-shaped inclined plane.
Snowboarders can also engage in midair tricks such as spinning, turning, and grabbing where snowboarders grasp the snowboard’s edge and turn or spin upside down. Snowboarding which has been in existence since the 1960s, became an Olympic sport in 1998.
Skiing
Skiing is a popularly recognized winter activity where participants traverse over snow smoothly with a pair of narrow and long runners referred to as skis. Skis are secured to specially designed ski boots on their feet. To maintain balance, the skiers need narrow metal poles. Many ski camps in Swiss come with a vast terrain where children will enjoy skiing and engaging in ski competitions.
Your child doesn’t need to be experienced as there are trainers who will instill in them the necessary skills to help them learn how to ski. Experienced skiers can participate in fun skiing games such as ski jumping, alpine skiing, cross country skiing, or free styling on snow. Once your child has mastered the art of skiing, they can participate in cross country skiing for instance, where skiers hold competitions in long races which can stretch up to 50km or even more.
Children competing in ski jumping usually ski down a steep and raised slope referred to as a takeoff ramp and gain high speeds before they propel off the end and fly across the air to the furthest possible location. Skiing also includes free styling activities where participants execute turns, tricks, and spins or ski down ramps and slopes. Skiing is a fun and interesting activity and your children are sure to enjoy learning it.
Ice Skating
Ice skating is an ideal way of enjoying a winter ski camp. It keeps the young campers warm during the cold weather and also comes with numerous benefits that surpass physical fitness. By learning and participating is ice skating, children will master the art of setting goals and striving to excel. Ice skating helps children gain self-esteem as well as develop a positive outlook towards life.
Through ice skating, children will gain the skills they need to operate under pressure and managing stressful situations. Apart from making friends and developing social skills, young campers will gain good sportsmanship skills. Overall, all these skills will come in handy to help them get excellent results in school.
Modern skating began between the 13th and 14th century and this saw the emergence of steel skates which featured sharpened edges along the bottom for enhanced control. These skates were specially designed to cut through the ice to create a varied range of movement. Until recently, ice skating was a leisure activity associated with the rich and famous. With it’s increased popularity, everyone can learn and participate in the activity. In terms of fitness, engaging in ice skating will enhance balance, posture, flexibility, endurance, muscle strength, and coordination.
Winter Games and Competitions
There’s a wide range of games and competitions that children will engage in during their winter ski camp. Many of the ski camps in Swiss provide a conducive environment to allow participants a maximum experience. These include:
· Snow Sculptures and Snowman Building
Children enjoy creating fun snow sculptures such as snowman. Remember, the snow should be in the right consistency to facilitate rolling. To build a snowman, you will want to classify the young campers into two or three groups and scatter them across the snowfield. Give them a specific time to create the ideal snowman.
Allow them to display their creativity by searching for the best materials to create eyes, arms, and buttons. You can make it more exciting by ensuring each group has a wacky hat for their snowman. When the snow is not the right consistency, the campers can carve snow sculptures instead. To make this activity more fun, use a snow tracker or plow to create snow stacks for the younger kids.
If the children are older, they can create the snow stacks on their own. With the campers in groups of two or three, you can have them participate in a carving competition. For this, they will need sticks and garden tools to create their favorite sculptures out of their imagination. Once they are done, you can inspect their creations and award them accordingly.
· Snow Wall Tug of War
Winter ski camp is never complete without a snow wall tug of war. To engage in this activity, let the young campers create a huge snow wall. If they can make it higher than their chests, the better. Once they are done building the wall, they can proceed to make a hole in the middle of the wall and pass a rope through. Divide the children into two teams each on either side of the snow wall. Let the campers have fun pulling the opposite team until the snow wall finally comes crashing down.
· Footprint Tag
The young campers can engage in a footprint tag game especially in the morning when there’s a newly formed blanket of snow. The children will find this activity fun and it will be the one thing they look forward to doing each morning. You want to begin this game b having the children play a round of tag for approximately five minutes in the snowfield. Once they are done, let the children step on the footprints they have created on the snow only. This will be difficult but exciting and will help them develop their reasoning and concentration skills.
· Mammoth Snowball Rolling Contest
Just like the snowman building game, the mammoth snowball rolling contest will only function well under the right snow conditions. If the fields are filled with sticky snow, then proceed to play this game. You will need to divide the campers to form groups of five and let them begin the snowball rolling process. This game shall continue until the snowball is too big for the kids to continue rolling or when there’s no more sticky snow.
Factors to Consider when on a Winter Ski Camp
There are various things that camo organizers need to consider when going for a winter ski camp. They include:
- Choose a winter ski camp location that’s well secured to keep the wind at bay. Further, you want to ensure that your chosen location is free from icefall danger.
- Wear the right gear for winter camp to keep the cold away. These will include a strong tent, sleeping pads and bag and a specially designed stove for the cold temperatures. Further, you want to have enough warm clothing such as fleece pants, waterproof jackets, and a puffy coat. Include warm gloves, a hat, socks, and sunglasses.
- Proper hydration and nutrition go a long way in keeping you and the young campers warm. Prepare nutrition filled hot meals and pack enough snacks, water, and your favorite juices to keep you hydrated.
Finally
If you’re choosing the ideal Swiss winter ski camp for your students, these factors will help you identify the best location that meets all your needs. Switzerland is a beautiful country, especially during the winter and you’ll want to stay in a winter ski camp that not only helps the children develop various skills but one that maximizes their experience.
