Discounts are available by booking child care and lessons at least seven days in advance.

Child care: Ages 8 weeks to 4 years.Cost is $115 for a full day. Reservations recommended; call (970) 925-3136. Child care in Aspen is offered by Kids' Club in the Yellow Brick Building, 315 Garmisch St. The state-licensed program offers indoor and outdoor (non-skiing) activities.

Other options: Aspen Babysitting Company (970-948-6849) offers babysitting services at your hotel room or condo (insured and bonded). Little Red School House (970-923-3756) has licensed day care for ages 3–5. Baby's Away (800-948-9030; 970-920-1699) rents and will deliver baby needs to your lodge, such as cribs, strollers, car seats and toys. Reservations are recommended for all of these services.

Children's lessons: Aspen Skiing Company has different children's programs, depending on the mountain. The programs at Snowmass are detailed separately. All kids 12 and younger must wear helmets while in ski and snowboard school. Helmets can be rented for $6 a day. Equipment rental is an additional $18. Lift tickets are extra for kids 7 and older. All-day programs include lunch. For more information about lessons, call 970-923-1227 or 877-282-7736.

Ages 3–6 (Level 1–4) ski at Buttermilk, ages 5–6 (Level 5 and higher) ski at Aspen Highlands. Cost is $115 for a full day; $77 for a half day. Reservations are strongly recommended; if space is available for walk-ins, prices are higher.

Ages 7–12 skiing and ages 8–12 snowboarding pay $82 per day at Buttermilk or Aspen Highlands. Kids 7–12 who are first-timers can take a lesson package that includes lesson, rentals and lift ticket for $100 (must be 8 years old to snowboard).

Special activities: Children from 5th through 12th grade can mingle with local kids in the afternoons at the Aspen Youth Center (hotline with weekly activities information, 970-925-7091) in downtown Aspen. The center has games, ping-pong, pool tables, movies and a dance room. The center does special programs depending on the season. Admission is free.