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High quality childcare goes a long way to making successful family vacations, especially when you're traveling with babies and toddlers.

Parents, rest assured: a couple who skis does not have to curtail their outings once a baby comes along. The top ski resorts for families have a full complement of possibilities for child care, including nurseries, day time and evening babysitters, and programs for young children. To ensure a positive experience, parents will want to check out each program just as they would investigate a child care provider at home, and think carefully about what would work best for their little one.

Elizabeth Skypeck knows the ins and outs of caring for young children on vacation. She manages the Treasures Child Care Center at Smugglers' Notch Resort, recently recognized as #1 in North America for its family programs by SKI Magazine readers.

Skypeck says, "Good resort childcare shares many of the same quality indicators as a regular program: a safe and welcoming environment, developmentally appropriate materials and activities, and nurturing, professionally trained caregivers."

She advises parents to look for a program at a resort that is licensed by the state in which it operates. This assures that the program meets minimum guidelines for staff training, adult-to-child ratios, and fire safety, and that the program is inspected yearly. According to Skypeck, Vermont, Maine, and Colorado all require resort childcare programs to be licensed.

Interview the Childcare Facility

Skypeck suggests that parents call and interview the resort facility just as they would a regular childcare provider or babysitter. She offers the following suggestions for questions to ask:

• What is the ratio of caregivers in the room to children?
• Who in the building is trained in CPR and First Aid?
• Are there written procedures for finding parents in case of emergencies, such as if the child becomes ill?
• How are sick children handled?
• How are allergies or other needs handled?
• What is the policy on outdoor time?
• Is there a pick up and drop off procedure and is it secure to ensure that only the parent or a person designated by the parent can claim the child?
• Is there a half-day rate?

Skypeck also encourages parents to check out the facility upon arrival at the resort, including diapering and food preparation areas. This may be a quiet time to ask any remaining questions.

Morning drop offs at vacation child care is just like drop offs at home and may be hectic. "When parents come in to drop off their child, I like to remind them that a unique feature of resort child care is that it is always the 'first day of school'," says Skypeck.