ski with 16 month baby?

[liachan]

Hello,

This is our first message in this forum.

We are a family with a 16 month baby girl and we are planning our holidays in Finland in a few weeks.
We are going to spend 2 or 3 days in Helsinki but after we really want to move (we have 12 days in Finland and we are travelling in bus/train) to do some ski cross country.
We already saw some sites but we haven't found enough information about places with ski that can be nice to our baby (with activities, etc) and that's the reason why we wrote this.
We will be very happy to read some tips/ideas that can help us to choose our itinerary. So, we ask:

1 - Do you know some good "baby friendly" places to make ski?

2 - Is it common to have some kind of babysitter services in those "ski centers"?

3 - Is it a good idea to carry the baby with us while skiing? What is the best way to do that? With a baby carrier?

4 - Where can we find some nice websites about "baby activities" in Finland?

5 - Which other advices would you give to us?

Sorry if there are to many questions : )

thank you all for your kindness and attention!

[onkko]

3-




And to others, it would be good to know where you are going, finland is big country after all.

Ylläs has childcare http://www.yllas.fi/en/child-care but that was just first what came in mind.

[liachan]

wow, thank you onkko for your reply!

that photo seems very nice - do you think it is possible to rent that kind of "sled" to our baby?
It seems really kind!

Yllas seems also very charming but we don't know already if we can go that north - we are trying to find some solutions a little more in the south. But we never know...

I hope some more people here can send us more tips : )

thank you onkko!

[Hpslm]

As of today 11.3., a few weeks to the future cross country skiing starts to be a lot more difficult in the "south". No new snow and plus degrees weather means icy and dirty ski trails at the best and melted trails as the more probable situation.

The downhill skiing centers are essentially the ones where cross country skiers can use ski centre services. Commonly the cross country trails tend to just exist on/near normal outdoor exercise routes and no-one needs a center just for jogging routes, so the we-have-only-cross country skiing-centers are scarce.

As for transporting the baby whilst skiing, the kind of sled that Onkko linked would probably be the best/only option. You have to call the centers you're planning to visit to find out if they rent ones specifically fit for your purpose. Do take notice that it needs to have its own skis at the bottom/molded to fit the trail to be usable on the ski trails without destroying them. I would also imagine that the insulating air buffer that the skis bring to the space between the snow and the bottom of the sled helps with keeping the baby warmer.

[Liam1]

I'm afraid that today (Monday 12th) is warmer (5C at 9 this morning) and sunny in Helsinki / espoo and the forecast is for a few days of above zerotemperatures. Skiing - especially pulling a kid in a sled will be extremely hard work and wet!

Also from your questions about how to carry your child, I guess that you are not very experienced skiers. If so, I'd also warn that it could take some time especially on hilly trails (which a lot of the tracks are). I'm sure that even if you are novices you will be better than me, but keeping myself upright is a struggle without worrying about something pulling me back (or flying past if I brake after coming down hill!)

But good luck

[liachan]

Thanks everyone for the messages. : )

We have found a way to go well north of Finland where we hope still found a lot of snow in two weeks.
Before we'll be a few days in Helsinki and I would like to ask if I anyone knows some good addresses with second-hand shops with cheap winter/snow clothes for babies, something like this :
http://www.childmode.com/wp-content/upl ... tled-1.jpg

but CHEAP !

Anyone knows?

Thank you !