Dear family travelers:

Every parent knows that the key to family vacation nirvana is making sure the kids have fun. That's true when you are heading to the slopes for some FUN IN THE SNOW.

Here are some ways to enhance your experience-and make sure everyone leaves happily:

-- Resist the temptation to put younger kids with older siblings or to teach them yourself. You want small class sizes. Park City Mountain Resort, for example, permits just five kids to an instructor, fewer for preschoolers. Share a private lesson with cousins or friends if they are close in age and ability.

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-- Look for ski areas that are offering kids-ski-free and kids-fly-free deals (www.Ski.com can help.) You can also find discount lift tickets through www.liftopia.com.

-- If the kids are beginners, opt for a smaller resort, like Brighton in Utah and Bolton Valley in Vermont.  

-- Plan some off the slope activities like the weekend Kidtopia fun and games at Keystone and Friday night festivities at Elk Camp atop Snowmass. There's dog sledding, tubing, zip lining, ice skating, snowshoeing, horseback riding and a host of other activities at snow resorts across the country and in Canada. The website KidzN-Snow has lots of ideas.  

-- Consider staying at a ranch near a major ski resort like Vista Verde or C Lazy U where you can indulge in a variety of fun in the snow activities in one place. Here's what I wrote about our recent stay at a ranch.  

-- Rent their gear on the mountain at the ski school so they'll not only have the latest, but if there's a problem, it can be quickly replaced. (Look for deals where kids-rent-free if you've rented equipment.)  

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-- Make sure the kids are well rested and well-fed. If you've just arrived after a long flight, give them a day or a morning to acclimate, visiting the ski school first.

-- Outfit them properly with long underwear, moisture-wicking ski socks, fleece sweatshirts, waterproof pants, mittens and jackets and goggles. Stash a power bar and hot chocolate packet in their pocket "just in case" Snowmamas  has more tips.  

-- Smear sunscreen on their faces and give them a tube to use at lunch along with lip balm.

-- Rent or buy a helmet to protect their head. Research shows that helmets can reduce the risk of brain injury by as much as 75 percent; for more information on helmet use, visit www.lidsonkids.org.

The worst mistake parents can make when introducing their children to snow sports is setting expectations too high, ski school directors say. Kids get tired, hungry and cranky. Go with the flow.  

Just remember, there's always next year.