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I have a theory: the family that skis together stays together. Skiing (or snowboarding for that matter) can be an expensive sport and it's therefore the type of holiday that kids will continue to enjoy with their parents as they enter their late teenage years and beyond - especially if the parents are paying.
However, skiing and boarding with kids, particularly young children and those doing it for the first time, is not always easy. There's the fitting of equipment for a start – not the simplest of tasks when kids haven't skied before - and schlepping the little ones' skis and boots around. You might think they'll carry their own gear but they probably won't.
So anything that reduces the hassle for parents of a snow adventure is a welcome relief.
Family friendly resorts
Widely regarded as New Zealand's most family friendly snow resort, Cardrona Alpine Resort between Wanaka and Queenstown is dedicated to making the family holiday easy for parents.
Cardrona's childcare setup is second to none. It comprises a licensed early childhood centre which includes a Nursery for children aged three months to two years and a Kindy for two- to four-year olds. Parents can leave their kids there to be well cared for in a purpose-built facility while they enjoy the mountain.
Even more impressive, however, is the separate Ski Kindy for kids aged two to four, which combines ski lessons and play time within a licensed early childhood centre environment.
The staff are trained to fit the kids with boots and skis, which saves time, energy and a massive amount of parental frustration. You can opt for a private lesson (one hour) or group lessons (two hours in the morning, two in the afternoon), with equipment hire and meals included.
For children aged five to 14, there's also the Cardrona Kids Club. Day or half day passes (including lunch) can be added to lesson and lift ticket packages, and it has its own equipment rental facility.
Leave instruction to the experts
Teaching kids the basics well is essential to get them sliding on snow fast and, if I have one tip for families just starting out on their skiing or snowboarding journey, it's to leave the instruction to the experts. It's the quickest way to develop confidence and ability on the slopes. Your kids will have fun and learn about mountain hazards and safe skiing etiquette as well.
All Kiwi resorts facilitate this and a lift and lesson package is often only minimally more expensive than a lift ticket alone. Moreover, at Mt Hutt kids 10 and under ski free (ie don't pay for lift passes) and at The Remarkables and Coronet Peak kids 6 and under ski free, so you can invest the money in lessons instead.
Interchangeable lessons
At The Remarkables, Coronet Peak and Mt Hutt (which are all owned and managed by the same company) the Kea Club provides all day ski and snowboard instruction for all ability levels for kids from five to 15 years, with lunch included on full-day programs. The ski schools at each resort function identically, so your lesson level at one resort will directly equate to the other. It means you can move between resorts (Remarkables one day, Coronet Peak the next) but easily continue your lesson progression. And, for younger children who aren't yet skiing, there are Skiwiland early learning centres at all three resorts.
Transporting gear
Reducing the amount of gear to be transported up and down the mountain is another way to reduce the potential stress of a skiing or snowboarding holiday.
If you hire your gear on-mountain at Coronet Peak, The Remarkables or Mt Hutt you can store it overnight free of charge.
Seamless rentals
The MyPass cards used at all three resorts for lift tickets, lessons and equipment hire also mean your details (ski or board length, boot size, lesson level and history) are stored electronically, so even if you do swap mountains your progress through the equipment rental process at the sister resort is seamless.
You can also hire gear at one resort (say The Remarkables) and deposit at Coronet Peak. At Cardrona you can return rental gear hired at the resort to downtown offices in Wanaka or Queenstown.
Dress for the mountain
Another tip for learner skiers and their parents is to dress for the mountain. Make sure you have the correct clothing and accessories to keep kids as warm as possible on the slopes: polypropylene undergarments, layers of good windproof and waterproof clothing (you can always strip a layer off if you're too hot but you can't add one if you don't have it), gloves, goggles and warm socks.
Use a helmet
Hire a protective helmet for your kids – it's usually included as part of the package. It's not only best practice as far as safety is concerned, it will also keep small heads warm when the temperatures drop. At many snowsports schools it's becoming a mandatory requirement, especially for children.
Take the shuttle
Driving up and down winding alpine roads can be tough and tiring if you're not used to it. There's always the option of a bus transfer instead. It can be a blessing if you are travelling with kids and you're all exhausted at the end of the day. Websites of each resort have links to the services and timetables.
This article brought to you in association with Tourism New Zealand.
