Beat the family peak

Easter skiing hols are cheaper and with Easter arriving in late March there's a chance they'll be sunny too. No wonder they're almost sold out. Children's beginner slopes are often the lowest and the sunniest in a resort. Book now and head high for snow cover. Let specialist consultants do the detailed planning. Ski Solutions (020 7471 7700, www.skisolutions.com) has glitzy Lech for families not short on euros - extensive, sunny nursery slopes above the 1,450-metre-high village, and full day-care from three years old (including two hours' skiing) at the new kindergarten. Seven nights half-board at the four-star Hotel Elisabeth - familyrun with pool - cost £725 per adult and £635 per child, including flights and transfers.

Independence pays

For a blizzard of family ideas, get the free 2001/2002 ski directory from the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO, 0870 751 8080; www.aito.co.uk): 26 companies offer 180 resorts in 10 countries. Additions include skiing in Alaska, farmhouse-based self-drive holidays to Austria, family specialists, budget coach trips and heli-skiing.

Big is better

Get social and share a chalet with another family - grown-ups can split childcare, kids enjoy the freedom, and catering to tots' dietary quirks is easy-mushypeasy. Scott Dunn Ski (020 8682 5050, www.scottdunn.com) has chalets sleeping up to 14. New this winter is stone-clad, three-floor La Petite Pia in MÈribel, with balcony views and games room with pool table and darts. Sleeps 10; from £1,065 per adult and £895 per child.

No strain by train

The Saturday Eurostar (08705 186186, www.eurostar.com) leaves Waterloo at 9.23am (Ashford 10.36) straight for the heart of the Tarentaise Alps: Mo°tiers, Aime and Bourg St Maurice (arriving at

6.22pm). Plenty of room for children to let off steam on board, and just half-an-hour transfer to resort. Civilised return times, too: Bourg St Maurice 9.59am, Moutiers 10.44, back at Waterloo before five. From £195 return, child four-11 £130, under-fours free.

Tignes spirit

MGM chalet apartments have large living rooms, use of a private, heated swimming pool and are big enough for two families. A new residence opens on 5 January in Tignes, at the base of the high-speed Grande Motte funicular (for some of Europe's best high-altitude skiing). Erna Low (020 7584 2841, www.ernalow.co.uk) has the "five-room mezzanine" apartments which sleep eight in comfort (ie: in beds, not in the living room) for £1,816 in late March, including ferry crossing for two cars.

So safe

Scandinavia is perfect for anxious parents and kamikaze kids. Neilson (0870 333 3356, www.neilson.co.uk) has a new charter to Dagali, Norway. The tiny airport is 30 minutes from the pretty beginners' resort of Geilo. Free lift-passes for undersevens, provided they wear a free helmet with duck or shark covers. Family pluses include pools in many hotels, classic Nordic childcare at the Trollia Club (£12 for a half-day) and a free, unsupervised children's play cabin at the foot of the slope.

The treatment

Big operators all offer family deals, but for the best childcare call a specialist. Esprit Ski (01252 618300, www.esprit-holidays.co.uk) has extended its "Classic Child-care" to a new resort - Puy St Vincent in France.

Ski tuition, from age three, with local instructors exclusive to Esprit, costs £100 for the week, afternoon snow-activity clubs £135, evening children's clubs are free and full-day nurseries £135. The Chalet Residence 1600 offers extra space - each family has an apartment, but everyone eats at the dining room/lounge/bar on the ground floor. From £629 per person half-board in late March (children's discount up to 25 per cent), including flights and transfers.

Lingo bingo

In Andorra half the instructors at the top two resorts are native English speakers. Andorra's dutyfree status also means cheap spirits and bargain cuttingedge ski gear. New for Panorama Holidays (0870 7 505060, www.panoramaholidays. co.uk) is the family-friendly (ie no-noise) Apartments Bonnel in Soldeu; £1,036 for a family of four self-catering

in a two-bedroom apartment in late March, including flights.

Little extras

Alpine chill equals wailing monster. Snow+Rock has warmers kids want to wear - new this season, a snowman hat with its own scarf and carrot nose, by Cacao, £19.95. Beware Easter sunshine: Sun Wipes, impregnated with factor 20 sun cream, eliminate fights involving children and cream tubes, £4.95 for a pack of 20. Snow+Rock (0845 100 1000, www.snowandrock.com)