From duck whistles and hooters to the Muppets, here are the 5 most unusual (and funny) tips we have been given by teachers for running great school ski trips.
Keep your group entertained, safe and noticed on the slopes!
Duck Whistles & Hooters!
This may sound a little farfetched but we have seen it in action and it really does work. On a ski trip at half term, the students were split into groups and the teacher responsible for each group had a whistle with a distinctive sound. Amongst them was a duck whistle, a horn and a claxon, all of which stood out from the crowd and immediately focused the students attention on where they should be.
It worked an absolute treat and the kids are used to the sound and where able to pick out where their particular teacher was no matter how busy the location was… Brilliant!
Mahna Mahna Song
The old Muppets ditty could be heard across the mountains this season and not only did it make everyone around smile (and join in) but it had the effect of identifying members of the group from within a crowd of people.
It also had a whole host of social benefits because it gave the group a sense of belonging and familiarity. It even worked from a chairlift to a group below who had no idea where it was coming from. Full marks on that one!
Song-sheets
The benefits of keeping each other entertained with a list of songs for communal singing can’t be underestimated.
At one stage we had the full rendition of the theme tune to Frozen sung by all of the students all of the teachers and the bus drivers… word perfect and in tune. It may have looked strange to passers-by but we loved it and so did the group. This particular group didn’t need song-sheets because this was obviously part and parcel of their relationship with the staff (which was wonderful) but if you don’t regularly have a sing song on trips, some song sheets might bring the whole thing together.
Luminous Ski Helmet Covers
A simple but effective idea used by a school ski trip party leader this year was to get luminous ski helmet covers for all of her students. Once again this worked like a dream because the group were easily identifiable where ever they went on the mountain. It also gave the students that sense of belonging and meant that they too could seek out other members of their party when in a crowd.
It is a bit of a variation on a theme from other parties who have had luminous vests given to them in ski school but the helmet idea really stuck out.
The School Mascot
One of the school ski trip party leaders in resort this year had the best travelled school mascot we have ever come across.
There were photos going back 25 years of the ‘Chester’ the school bear travelling the globe. The students took the challenge of getting the best photo opportunity possible for ‘Chester’ very seriously and voted for the winning photo that would be posted on the school website.
Makes a change from selfies!
Over to you…
Drop us a line and tell us your top (unusual, funny or genius…) tips that you’ve bought back from your school ski trip.
Some fab ideas for keeping kids amused and in check on a school skiing trip. The bright yellow helmets is my favourite point as it can be so easy to loose kids in crowds… let alone when you have a whole class of them!
Thanks Izzy, we agree!