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Ski New Mexico teams with koat-7 tv to offer youths 6 to 12 a $50 beginner package during January. More than 7,000 children have benefited from the KOAT Kids Learn to Ski & Snowboard program.

The good news is that throughout the season, there are many kids-free deals, especially for young children but increasingly for those up to age 12 in conjunction with lodging packages. Even pricey Aspen Snowmass offers free lift tickets with an equipment rental from Four Mountain Sports for children between the ages of seven and 12, as long as you book a package with lodging through Stay Aspen Snowmass. And it's valid January 1 through April 21, 2020, a savings of more than $100 a day per child. Kids aged six and under always ski free.

If your kids ski rather than ride, those who book a winter package at Deer Valley in Utah, known for some of the best food in Ski Country, give kids 12 and under a free lift ticket with a paying adult. If you are newbies at Deer Valley and other resorts, you can purchase a less expensive beginner pass for the easiest slopes near the bottom of the mountain. (Deer Valley is one of the few resorts left that doesn't permit snowboarding.)

Keystone, one of the closest resorts to Denver, offers some of the most extensive complimentary activities off the slopes (including the world's largest ice fort at the top of the mountain). It also offers kids 12 and under free lift tickets as long as you book a two-night stay. (Make sure to read the fine print!)

The best deals, if your kids are in the right grades for free lift tickets, are passport programs offered everywhere from New York (third- and fourth-graders), Vermont (fifth-graders) to Colorado, Idaho and Utah (fifth and sixth grade). All you pay is a processing fee.

If you are new to snow sports, borrow and rent what you will need -- clothing as well as gear -- until you are sure this is something your family will like. (you can rent gear, including helmets, from companies like www.skibutlers.com and www.blacktierentals.com where kids 12 and under rent free at certain resorts for five days with an adults rental.) You can also find deeply discounted ski clothing at used clothing shops in ski towns.

A tip from snow loving families: take a day to adjust to the altitude, making sure everyone drinks a lot of water and uses plenty of sunscreen. That first day, play in the snow, go ice skating, snowshoeing or tubing. It's a lot cheaper than a lift ticket.

The next day, you all will be rested and ready to go. In their pockets, make sure the kids have lip balm, sunscreen and a snack and sunglasses (for when they take off their goggles). Hand warmers that go inside waterproof mittens are always a good bet for small hands -- and big ones too.

See you on the slopes!

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(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow "taking the kids" on www.twitter.com, Facebook and Instagram where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.)

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