Snow Holiday With Kids

Snow Holiday at the Coordinates of Snow – With Kids

Ruka is the best place in the world for families – when the kids are having fun, the joy spreads to the whole family. There’s plenty to do both outdoors and indoors, from morning to evening.

Choose Slopes Suitable for Children

The first times on the ski slopes are exciting for anyone, so it’s important to choose easy enough places to get familiar with skiing and to practice those first turns. In the areas designed for children, you’ll find everything needed for versatile and playful practice, such as wave tracks and slalom courses.

The slopes targeted for children and beginners are located in East Ruka, in front of the Ski Bistro slope restaurant and Ski-Inn Hotel RukaValley. Rosa & Rudolf Family Park offers several magic carpet lifts, gentle slopes, a ski carousel, a break hut, tubing area, campfire spots, a playground, and lots of fun activities. For the more adventurous young skiers, Ski Bistro also offers Ruka Park Junior with jumps and rails, as well as Mini Ruka, which charms the smallest skiers. From Ruka Village, you can travel easily to East Ruka via the Village-2-Valley gondola, and the Ruka Skibus conveniently takes you from the front slopes to Rosa & Rudolf Family Park and other services (the bus is free of charge if you have a valid ski pass).

On Rudolf’s Adventure Route, you can pet a reindeer’s soft fur and ski through an exciting adventure trail. The route begins from the left side of Vuosseli’s Aho Trail (slope 27), where a gateway hidden in the forest leads to the adventure. The trail winds gently down and ends at the lower part of slope 27, from where it’s easy to reach the VuosseliExpress and Kulma lifts.

Rosa & Rudolf Family Park Ruka

Take Proper Breaks During Your Ski Day – and Remember Snacks

One of the most important factors for a successful ski day is taking enough breaks and enjoying good snacks. Snacks are easy to carry in a backpack, or you can rent a storage locker from the Piste or Vuosseliportti rental shops for the day. Among the slope restaurants, Ski Bistro is especially popular with families thanks to its proximity to Family Park and its family-friendly facilities. Ski Bistro offers conveniences like a drying cabinet for wet mittens, child-care rooms, and spacious restrooms.

There are also several rest spots and campfire areas on and near the slopes – perfect for roasting sausages. For example, you’ll find a hut at the top of Saarua and both a break hut and campfire spots in Rosa & Rudolf Family Park. All rest areas are marked on the slope map.

Take the Kids (and Yourself!) to Ski School to Learn New Skills and Make New Friends

In Ruka ski school, children and young people learn new skills, make new friends, and most importantly – have fun. Choose Werneri courses for the youngest skiers or beginner park and racing courses for more energetic youngsters. The instructors for the children’s and youth courses look forward to new adventures with their students, and each course is a small experience of its own, no matter the skier’s level. Ruka’s ski school also offers lessons for adults – perfect for trying a new sport or improving technique in a familiar one.

Rukan hiihtokoulu Wernerikurssi

Prepare a Backup Plan for Cold Days

It’s impossible to predict the exact temperature on the fell before your trip. If the cold becomes too intense, there are plenty of fun indoor activities as well. Older kids – and parents – can compete in a game of bowling. At Holiday Club Kuusamo Tropiikki you’ll find an Angry Birds Activity Park with things to do for all ages, and in Kuusamo town center there’s a comprehensive sports center with a swimming hall and ice rink.

Did you know what a winter inversion is? In Ruka and other fells, it is often significantly warmer at the top than in the valleys below – sometimes up to a 15-degree difference.

Go Through the Slope Rules and Safety with the Kids

To ensure a smooth holiday, it’s wise to go through the shared slope rules with children and teens. Especially during busy times, there are many skiers on the slopes, so everyone must be aware of others. Remind kids about controlling speed, making safe turns, and behaving properly on lifts. Special areas – such as snow parks – have their own rules regarding right of way and consideration for others. You can read more about slope safety through our slope safety page as well as Finnish Ski Area Association guidelines.

Please also note that the use of remote-controlled flying devices (drones) is prohibited in the Ruka ski area for safety reasons.

Plan Your Ski Trip Around Family-Friendly Events

It’s a good idea to plan your snow holiday around events designed for children and families. Younger kids love Kidfest – Naperoviikko in week 11, while schoolchildren head to the slopes during winter holiday weeks 8, 9, and 10. During these times the fell is full of fun, free slope activities for kids and teens of all ages. Parents can enjoy some alone time – or join in the snowy fun. With all the activities available, the ski day will never feel boring.

At Ruka, you can also experience the slopes by sledding down on a snow racer (rattikelkka). From Saturday to Thursday, sledding takes place under evening lights from 19:30 to 21:00 on slopes Saarua 16 and 18 and on the Kuru slope.

Another hugely popular experience is the Ruka Coaster – a mountain coaster, which twists spectacularly between the slopes and offers both a fast-paced ride and stunning scenery from the sled. Ruka Coaster is open year-round, but during winter, severe cold and frost may affect its opening hours.

Bring Quality Gear – and Always Wear a Helmet

Warm base layers and ski clothing, a helmet, and properly sized equipment are essential. Even if an older sibling’s boots or skis are available, it’s best to choose gear that fits well. With modern and correctly sized equipment, kids enjoy their time on the slopes more and learn to ski faster. A helmet is an absolute must – it protects children both during falls and in collisions. If anything is missing, rentals have everything you need, and you can also visit Ruka Store or Ruka Brand Village for shopping.

Take Advantage of Family Discounts on Lift Tickets and Accommodation

Don’t forget to check family offers and accommodation packages when booking your ski holiday. Family-friendly lodging focuses on comfort throughout the entire trip, and Ski-Inn guests, for example, can borrow sleds from the Ski-Inn Hotel RukaVillage reception. See also all sledding hills in the Ruka area.

Helmets should always be worn on the slopes, and children under 6 ride all lifts for free when accompanied by a paying adult. Children receive a free Rosa & Rudolf lift pass (RFID) when parents purchase their tickets. Kids aged 6–11 get generous discounts on lift tickets, and Ruka also has its own pricing category for 12–17-year-olds.

All Ruka lift tickets are cheaper when purchased online by midnight the day before.

Family Ticket: 25% Additional Discount on Children’s and Youth Lift Tickets

When two parents buy 5–14-day lift tickets, children’s and youth tickets receive an additional 25% discount. The Family Ticket applies to regular-priced 5–14-day tickets and is intended for family members living in the same household.

Book lift tickets

Published Jan 1, 2019; updated Feb 19, 2026.