Essentials to take for fun, safety and education purposes
Taking your pupils on a skiing trip can seem like quite the daunting task. However, if you are properly prepared it can be a resounding success and a huge hit with staff and pupils alike. Let’s face it; what child doesn’t like to get out of the classroom for a while and a ski trip is something they will definitely remember.
To ensure that your school ski trip goes off without a hitch it is important to bet prepared. Preparation is the key to any success and trips with a number of children need more preparation and forethought than most. Making sure you have all the essentials to keep the kids entertained and safe is the key to any successful school ski trip.
Know your pupils
Before taking any pupil outside of the classroom and onto any kind of trip it is vital that you know all there is to know about the pupils you are taking. You should always get any information you can about any health issues and medication the pupils require. You must ensure that you take any medication – both regular and emergency – that your pupils could need.
It is also a good idea to get a good understanding of the skiing skill level of your pupils before you leave for your trip. Your students will be allocated a ski instructor group based on their ski ability and this will be assessed in resort, but it’s a good idea to know in advance what pupils can manage which slopes when you arrive so you don’t end up with beginners injuring themselves on slopes they cannot handle.
Evening entertainment
There will be plenty to do during the days on the slopes to keep your pupils busy but what about in the evening? The last thing you want is a group of bored and restless kids as that can tend to lead to bouts of mischievous behaviour. Take with you some activities to keep your pupils occupied once the days skiing is done such as quizzes or games. Group team building activities are usually good for keeping kids occupied and you can make them as creative as you like. Form your pupils in to teams and conduct a quiz on this term’s topic to keep their minds fresh. Alternatively you can resort to good old charades, anything to stop them running riot in the ski resort. In addition, good tour companies will help you organise in-resort après ski activities such as bowling, ice skating, pizza party nights, swimming and more.
Educational stimulus
Eventhough your ski trip is a break from the classroom, children can learn in any environment. Take this chance to teach your pupils about the history of the area or country you are in or about the physics involved in skiing itself. The outdoors is one of the best classrooms on the planet and its teaching resources are endless. You can take with you sheets of animals or landmarks which your pupils can keep an eye out for whilst on the slopes. There are also elements of personal and social development such as money management, organisation skills and time keeping that are crucial elements in the development of your pupils into adults.As a school skiing trip is guaranteed to stick in the minds of your pupils, anything you teach them on the trip is also likely to stick.
Above all…have fun!
With everything you and your colleagues need to remember and keep an eye on it can be hard to remember a school skiing trip is supposed to be fun too. Take a deep breath and relax. As long as you are fully prepared before you leave with medical information and medication, things to keep your pupils minds active and something to keep you all entertained; your school ski trip will certainly be one to remember.
Article supplied by Ski Adaptable – specialists in arranging school ski trips with over 40 year’s industry experience
