I remember a time “BK” (that’s “before kids” – not the fast food burger chain), when après ski meant peeling off my ski boots at the Black Bear bar and switching gears with nachos and beers.

Now traveling with a family in tow, post ski pastimes are not just sipping toddies and soaking in hot tubs. As baby boomers select ski resorts, their offspring are as much a part of the entertainment equation as the grown ups. Ski areas recognize young kids need festive fun when the lifts stop spinning. Some resorts have gone way beyond providing a heated swimming pool or an after hours day care.

Bretton Woods rolls out white carpet for kids with après ski sledding parties and indoor entertainers like Almodarr the Magician and Ju Ju Bee the Clown. From 4:30-6:00 p.m. at the Hobbit Center during holidays and Saturday afternoons, kids 4-12 are welcome and there is no admission fee for the fun. This family oriented resort takes care of the kids with feature performers and snacks. Coinciding adult après ski parties are happening in Bretton Woods’ beautiful base lodge and at the grand Mount Washington Hotel.

If parents are lodging at the lovely Mount Washington Hotel, they can ship the ankle biters off to more Kids Camp from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Children ages 4-12 go tubing on Saturday nights, celebrate “Everybody’s Birthday” on Sundays, and the weekly themes march on with Pirate night, Luau, Academy Awards, Jungle and Safari nights. Mom and Dad can feel confident that their angels are being fed and having fun so they can dance and dine elegantly in the Hotel Ballroom without wee ones underfoot.

Sugarbush has a circus of entertainers, literally. Circus Smirkus, the Vermont-based youth circus, provides performances at the Sugar Bear den for kids ages 4-12 every Saturday from 5:30-9:30 p.m. Kids attending Sugarbush’s Saturday night sessions will learn silly stuff like how to fall down on purpose, how to take a Pie-in-the-Face, how to juggle and spin fine-china on skinny straws. The cost is $40 for the first child, $25 for siblings– which includes a pizza dinner, and presumably covers damaged plates and cream pies.

Sugarbush also amps up their fun for the whole family during holidays weeks with après ski Family Feud Trivia led by the cutest competition-caliber couple on skis, Doug and Kelly Lewis.

Smugglers' Notch slides in a little education after recreation for kids. Science of Nature takes place weekday afternoons. The goofy Professor Alpine and The Winter Wizard demonstrate how snow is created, and how science and nature work in harmony to create wonderful winter weather. Taking schoolwork a step farther, Wednesday is Study Hall Smuggs-style with certified teachers to help 6-12 year olds keep up with lessons while away from school. Marko the Magician makes an appearance to lighten the learning load for kids at Smugglers’ après ski sessions.

Okemo offers Kids’ Night Out at the new Jackson Gore Inn. Every Saturday night (and certain holidays weeks) from 6:00-10:00 p.m. the day care becomes the place for pizza, movies and playtime with trained care providers. Four hours of supervised fun for the kids allows Mom and Dad time to rediscover cocktails by the fireplace and dinner with candles, not a crayon or coloring book in site.

If you are traveling with your wireless laptop, Waterville Valley keeps the little ones entertained inside and on line, after all-day Kids Kamp on the snow. When kids log on to Waterville.com, they can link to the interactive Snowmonsters page to play animated games, and give feedback about their Waterville experience.

Of course, if you find yourself at a ski area without all the aforementioned fanfare for your little friends, I suggest time at the heated swimming pool, followed by pasta dinner, a bedtime story about snow snakes and ski bunnies – then send them off to downhill dreamland where they can carve perfect ski “pizza pies” and French fries.
 

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