I don’t know about you, but a lot of parents tell me that they are so over the typical birthday where their kid gets a bunch of stuff that they hardly ever use. Everyone knows that memories last forever and there really is no better way to inaugurate the next year of life than with a new experience to celebrate what growing is all about. New experiences aren’t just things that parents can dole-out, when done right they can make great gifts for friends and family to contribute to as well. Today we’re lucky to have Catherine Ross from Winter Park, Colorado’s winter sports mecca, to offer some ideas for what you could put on your child’s next birthday gift list!
Kids’ birthdays can exhaust the most well-intentioned and energetic parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends. Big parties, events and piles of presents can easily break the budget and clutter the home without providing lasting value.
Maybe this is the time to think about gifting your child a new experience instead of “stuff”? It’s a great way to give your child a big gift that friends and family can contribute to — something they’re certain to never forget! And it’s possible to learn new skills while having a grand adventure, even in the depths of winter.
If you’re ready for a new approach, one idea is to plan a snow sports vacation. A winter snow experience can be fun for the entire family (grandparents, too), help develop new abilities, and remain cost-effective.
Depending on where you live, your winter sports experience could be a short drive or an airplane ride away. For those looking for the quintessential Colorado ski trip, the Winter Park-Fraser Valley area offers ideas to spark the imagination.
Whether you visit Colorado or another winter wonderland, these ideas can get you thinking about how to gift your child a birthday to remember:
Alpine skiing and snowboarding: Choose a resort that truly caters to families and kids. Winter Park Resort has made a name for itself with its children’s programs. Kids can start ski and snowboard lessons at age 3; those between 2 months and 3 years old can join a non-ski program. The resort also is home to the National Sports Center for the Disabled.
Nordic skiing and snowshoeing: These sports are active, relatively easy to learn and very accessible. In many areas of the country, you can simply head out the front door. If planning a snow sports vacation, look for a resort with nearby Nordic terrain. Within an hour’s drive of Winter Park, for example, are six different Nordic facilities.
Photo credit: Winter Park-Fraser Valley Chamber of Commerce
Snowmobiling: For motorized fun, try snowmobiling. North of Winter Park sits the town of Grand Lake, Colorado’s snowmobile capital – one of the few places in the country where snowmobiles are welcome on town streets.
Dog sledding: Many winter vacation areas also are home to dogsled outfitters (one in Winter Park works with 80 Siberian and Alaskan huskies). Watch the change-over as the teams come in and out, or take a sled ride.
Tubing: The Winter Park area boasts four tubing hills, including the famous Fraser Tubing Hill (with lift!). You’ll also find airboards (steerable and faster than regular tubes), snowscoots (kid-sized snowmobiles), and at nearby SolVista, night tubing.
Photo credit: Winter Park-Fraser Valley Chamber of Commerce
Ice Skating – Winter Park-Fraser Valley offers a brand-new indoor rink and several outdoor rinks.
Ice fishing: When the lakes and reservoirs of the Winter Park-Fraser Valley area freeze, all attention turns to ice fishing, complete with contests for all ages.
Snowcycling: Snowcycling uses equipment that resembles a bicycle, but with a pair of skis replacing the wheels.
Visiting a national park: Winter guests can enjoy a tranquil visit to Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the top 10 most visited national parks in the country, with snowshoeing and cross-country ski trails, plenty of wildlife and stunning scenery.
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Catherine Ross is executive director of the Winter Park-Fraser Valley Chamber of Commerce in Winter Park, Colo. Contact her via: 970-726-4221 or cross@playwinterpark.com Keep up with all that Winter Park has to offer on Facebook and Twitter.
I really always choose a resort that truly caters to families and kids and as a result, we enjoy that ski trip a lot! But we try to avoid weekend trips because this will save us from the weekend crowds and we are likely to save more on the ticket prices as well.