The great thing about messing about in the snow is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to have a lot of fun, especially when the kids are small. Littlies can have a huge amount of fun just romping in the snow, building snowmen and sliding down slopes on tarpaulins or plastic rubbish bags.

The most important thing for youngsters is to keep them comfortable so that they enjoy the experience and want to come back for more.

Gearing up for the snow

Keeping warm, dry and protected from the sun. Keeping warm is an obvious one for any one. It’s cold out there – there wouldn’t be snow otherwise.

Clothing

Start with thermal underwear

Couple of light layers – a turtleneck is a good idea as is a vest

Outside layer should be water and windproof.

Ski pants (waterproof) NOT jeans

Stay away from cotton (this includes jeans); it will stay cold if it gets wet

For kids up to about six years a one piece outer is recommended rather than jacket and pants so that they don’t get snow between their layers of clothing - a tired, wet and uncomfortable child throwing a tantrum on the slopes is not a pretty sight.

• Gloves or mittens (waterproof) – these are a MUST – mittens are recommended for small children up to about six years. Fingers are warmer in mittens and for parents they’re easier to get on kids.

• Hat – 60% of heat is lost through the head

• Socks

• Sunglasses and/or goggles– the sun reflects off the snow and makes the whole scene much brighter. Eyes can be damaged by long term unprotected exposure -Snow Blindness. Goggles should be worn over the top of sunglasses. Everyone should use eye protection of some description.

• Helmet – being seen much more these days, approx 40% of skiers and snowboarders now use them– 20% of moderate to serious injuries are head injuries.

• (The most common skiing related injuries are knee and ankle sprains and fractures. The most common snowboarding related injuries are to the wrist, shoulder and head. Fortunately here in New Zealand most of our ski fields are free of trees. Hitting trees at speed can cause serious injury or death.)

• Sunblock – At altitude the atmosphere is thinner and provides less protection from the sun's UV rays. This means that your skin is more likely to burn than at sea level. All exposed skin needs sunblock including under the nose, chin, ears etc that will be hit from sun reflecting off the snow. This also means on overcast days.

Skiing and Snowboarding

Skiing and snowboarding are both popular with snowboarding being the “new kid on the block.”  having only been around since the mid 1960s. (Snowboarding got off to a bad start with some snowboarders being quite young, coming from the skateboarding fraternity, and having a bit of an attitude. Now, however, it has gained respectability and is very popular with all ages)

While most adults who have done both, say that snowboarding is easier than skiing, for young children skiing is easier. Until kids get to around eight years old their leg calf muscles are not strong enough to control the snowboard properly. As ski control doesn’t require so much leg strength at this stage, it is easier for kids. Experienced adult skiers are able to teach children, as young as two, to ski, by holding them on small skis, between their own skis. You obviously can’t do this with snowboards so adults and kids have to operate separately meaning such small children won’t be on the slopes with their parents.

Lessons – available on the mountain

Ski-ing from about 4 years old, snowboarding from 8 years old $35 (approx) for half an hour

Hiring – available on the mountain or else where.

Per day (approx)

Skis/board $35 - 45 adults, $25 – 35 youth/child

Clothing – varies per item

Buying – new for children

2^nd Hand – check around, a more affordable option.

Hitting the Slopes – Where to go

The ski season generally lasts from mid June to mid October (although Whakapapa on Mt Ruapehu can last till November). There are 17 commercially operated fields in New Zealand and 10 separate club fields – most clubs welcome casual skiers. Many of the commercial fields have clubs with lodges operating for members. Only a couple of commercial operations offer on-hill accommodation with the vast majority of ski-in and ski-out lodges being club owned.

North Island Fields

While Auckland is far too warm for natural snowfall there is a great option at –

Snowplanet  www.snowplanet.co.nz

This huge freezer operates at Silverdale 20 minutes north of the harbour bridge, is the only all-year-round snow resort in the Southern Hemisphere and the fifth largest snow dome in the world.

Gear hire, lessons, retail etc.

Mt Ruapehu

Whakapapa – Ohakune – Tukino

Mt Taranaki

Manganui

South Island Fields

Nelson

Rainbow

Christchurch Surrounds

Mt Lyford – Hamner Springs – Temple Basin – Craigieburn – Broken River – Mt Cheeseman – Porters – Mt Olympus – Mt Hutt – Mt Potts – Mt Dobson – Fox Peak – Round Hill

Queenstown and Surrounds

Treble Cone – Cardrona – Snow Park – Snow Farm – Coronet Peak – The Remarkables – Queenstown

Check them all out on www.snow.co.nz or www.nzski.com

Passes

Day Passes - around $80, which should give use of all chairs, lifts and tows on that field. Half-day passes are also available, as are multiple day passes. Life passes are also available at times and will probably cost around $4,000. 

Many of these resorts have cr่ches with Cardrona being well known for being especially family friendly.

Clubs

These are a great way to enjoy the mountains with the kids, and have a social life as well. These are often family orientated with membership around $800 per year for a family and $ 35 per night per adult including food. You have to muck in with these, and members are expected to wash up and clean at the lodges, but there is often an employed cook on site.

There are the odd working bees during the off season but you may be able to opt to pay a higher membership fee if you don’t want to do this extra.

The sleeping arrangements are generally bunk rooms and these are often the only way to actually stay on the mountain rather than coming and going each day.

Snow sports are some of the most exhilarating sports going. Parents and children can often enjoy them together and be performing at the same level, so there can also be some good natured rivalry going on. Being up in the mountains among spectacular beauty while enjoying a thrilling sport will keep you coming back winter after glorious winter.