There’s a distinct chill in the air and that only means one thing at Casa Eats World! Nagging. Incessant freakin’ nagging! Because, you see, both my wee powder pups are hooked on ice. Thankfully though, it is the type that falls from the sky as opposed to the stuff that’s manufactured in dodgy suburban garages. My kids are hooked on ice of the Falls Creek Resort variety.

As soon as the temperature drops below 20 degrees, Raffles starts pulling out his gloves and thermals and Sugarpuff stubbornly refuses to wear anything on her feet other than chunky black après ski boots. On one hand, it’s saving me big bucks on footwear, but on the other it tends to make her look like the leader of some kind of infant school bikie gang.

Jokes aside, the devilish duo really have become so addicted to snow that they may be in need of an intervention, and a visit to Victoria’s Falls Creek Resort only serves to fuel their frosty obsession.

Falls Creek’s Kids Snowsports School

Sheer recklessness coupled with a low centre of gravity has seen my little snowman graduate from the relative safety of the magic carpet to attempting black runs, and causing his mother a dozen heart attacks a day, in just a few short seasons. And my wee wild thing, Sugarpuff, is fast following in his ski boot clad footsteps.

Zero credit for their burgeoning snow skills goes to their agility-challenged mother, instead it’s all down to the awesome instructors at the ski schools we insist they attend at the start of every single snow trip. On this occasion, Raff and his instructor waste no time and head straight off for a warm up down the 2.4-kilometre Wombat Ramble, Australia’s longest beginners’ run, before shredding their way down the more advanced Highway 83.

Meanwhile, Falls Creek’s Kids Snowsports School’s purpose-built beginner terrain, undercover magic carpet, and patient instructors are making learning easy and fun for a giggling Sugarpuff, who seems as intent on chucking snowballs at their butts as she does learning to actually ski.

The resort offers a choice of freeride, freestyle and slopestyle skiing and snowboarding, as well as  backcountry skiing. There are also snowshoe tours for those people not inclined to extreme laziness like myself.

After lessons Sugarpuff and her dad head to Fox Trail, a gentle beginners run, for a little more practise while Raff and I, fuelled up on sugary Snonuts’ donuts, head to the more advanced Ruined Castle.

But in his haste to fling himself down the mountain, he doesn’t even realise his mother has fallen arse-over-tit off the lift and is currently impersonating a speed bump for all the other skiers attempting to exit the lift. When he does finally stop to locate his clumsy mother, I signal that he’s ok to take the run on his own and after dusting myself off, stop to soak up the glorious views while I wait for him to catch the next lift back up.

In the interests of not being humiliated further by a nine-year-old, I decide to swap places with Mr Eats World and spend the rest of the afternoon with Sugarpuff, practicing snow ploughs, snuggling, and smashing down more sugar-dusted donuts and Smurf-blue freak shakes at Snonuts’.  Like a boss. Take that Raffles.

Snowmobiling at Falls Creek Resort with kids

Later that afternoon I decide to demonstrate to my speedy powder pup what I’m really made of as we explore the Bogong High Plains by snowmobile.

Falls Creek is the only resort in Australia where you can drive your own snowmobile but, as you need a valid license to drive, Raffles has no choice but to hang on tight and leave his mama to drive the motorised beast like she stole it… all the way up to the lofty heights of Mount McKay.

I’m not sure if his breathlessness is due to the spectacular sight of the sun setting over an endless sea of white or because of his mother’s lead foot, but either way, he’s so impressed that when we return, Raff excitedly tells Mr Eats World that “Mum drives like a maniac. She’s so cool!”

And my status as action mum is reinstated. Booyah!

The kids get their turn the following day at Falls Creek’s Village Bowl, a dedicated snow play zone, where they both get to fang about on kid-sized snowmobiles in a controlled snowmobile course where kids aged 5 and older can buzz about, though at a top speed of around 15km/h.

They also manage to squeeze in a few toboggan runs and slip and slide their way down the purpose-built snow tube run, which comes complete with carved snow walls and a banked corner finish that just about stops them from mowing me down.

Falls Creek Family friendly accommodation

But it wasn’t just the ridiculous amounts of fresh snow, 14 lifts, 92 runs, the bags full of sugary Snonuts’, the snowtubing and snowmobiling, or the sensational kids Snowsports school that turned us into raving Falls Creek fans. Nope, the credit for that needs to be given to the divine Janette, our host at Tracker’s Lodge, who has both Raffles and Sugarpuff quite literally eating out of her ski-gloved hands, that is when they’re not leaping all over her for cuddles.

Conveniently located along the The Falls Creek over snow shuttle route, Tracker’s Lodge is the ultimate in family friendly, with comfy family rooms, a spa and sauna for après ski defrosting, games room, kids club, a couple of handy toboggans the kids can borrow to fling themselves about the snow on, and a fantastic high resort position that’s easily accessible on skis.

But the pièce de résistance is dinner! Not only is the food incredible, but kids are served first so they can be whisked off by the lodge’s nanny to play the night away in the lodge’s very own kid’s club while the grown-ups (and a food obsessed Raffles) take their time over an insanely good nightly seven-course degustation dinner, that comes as part of the Lodge’s all-inclusive tariff.

Tracker’s Lodge is the icing on Falls Creek’s rather irresistible cake and can’t wait to get back for more snowy snuggles, skiing, scoffing of Snonuts and snowmobiling this winter.

FALLS CREEK RESORT WITH KIDS  – NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

When to visit
The Falls Creeks snow season runs from 9 June to 7 October. We like to ski in in September  as there is still plenty of snow, along with great value accommodation deals.
Getting there
Falls Creek is 4.5 hours from Melbourne, 7.5 hours drive from Sydney and just under 2 hours from Albury. There are also regular winter bus services from most capital cities. If you are driving, don’t forget to rent tyre chains as you’re legally obliged to carry them, unless you are in a 4WD. There’s a designated parking area at the resort and an Oversnow Taxi will transport you and your gear to your village accommodation.
Insurance
This is not negotiable. Families planning a holiday can’t afford not to have travel insurance, but for those planning to holiday on ice, it’s essential.
Book lessons
Always start your ski experience at ski school to get the kids’ snow skills up to speed. Book ahead to make sure they don’t miss out.
Gear up
Ski gear is pricey and kids grow fast so, if it’s your first time and you don’t know yet what gear best suits you and yours, hiring is your best bet. Do splurge on some cosy après ski boots (you can pick them up reasonably cheap) to keep the kids safe on icy surfaces, and ensure your kids have properly fitted helmets that are worn correctly (positioned low enough in front to protect the forehead and not too tight or loose). Parents’ heads are important too, so set a good example with a helmet of your own.

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Written by Raffles – Aged 9

I love skiing more than just about anything besides shovelling food in my face. And getting to combine both of my true loves in one go at Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu was my idea of heaven.

I was lucky enough to be mum’s plus one in January on a visit to Hokkaido.  Lucky not only because I got to go skiing with her at all, but also because it was one of the best years for powder in Hokkaido for a decade. Booyah!

This was my first ever time Powder Skiing and I didn’t really know what it would be like. What I didn’t expect was that powder would be so completely epic.

Powder snow is so light and fluffy and really different to the icy, slidy snow we get here in Australia. When I first went to grab a handful (so I could chuck a snowball at my mum’s head) I practically lost my arm in it, it was so deep and soft. It’s magical. But skiing on this stuff is a little different from skiing on icy snow.

But with 29 runs to explore at Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU and a huge variety of terrains I really wanted to try, I knew I had to get used to it fast. Luckily, I had one of Tomamu’s most awesome ski instructors, Yu, from Riki Japow Guide, to help me get used to it.

I picked up loads of tips at Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU. Here, I am sharing my kid’s guide to powder skiing like a pro.

1. Always stick with a buddy (even if your buddy is your mum who is way too slow and can hardly keep up with your superior snow skills).

The powder in Japan is deep. Really deep. And because it’s so dry and light and powdery, you can easily sink into it. The stuff is like quicksand. I know ‘cos I stacked into a pile of untouched powder on my first day and ended up buried up to my waist.  So, having a buddy is especially important for kids, ‘cos we’re shorter and more likely to vanish into its depths.

2. Use the right skis

If you have your own skis, it is best to leave them at home and rent some at your resort. Powder skis are wider because covering a greater amount of surface area means you’re less likely to sink into it.

3. Go to ski school

It is totally worth going to ski school every time you go skiing, whatever the snow conditions. The instructors are always total dudes and they teach you so many tricks and tips.

4. Get used to losing your feet

After a fresh fall, your toes and skis will suddenly become invisible as they’ll be centimetres under snow. The first time this happens you might get a bit nervous because you don’t know what is under all that snow, but tensing up is the worst thing you can do. Chillax! Stand with your feet wide and relax your legs and you’ll take on any little hidden bumps like a pro.

5. Keep your weight spread evenly

You know how they tell you to put more weight on one ski than the other to turn? Well forget that because if you do it on powder you’re likely to lose a foot in the snow and wipe out. It is better to share the weight more evenly across your skis and turn by lightly tipping your ski. My instructor had me start with little turns until I got a feel for it.

6. Focus forward

Probably the best thing to do is to keep your skis, hands, and eyes pointing in the direction you plan on going – which in my case was straight down, fast – or your turns can become difficult in the soft powder.

7. Go as fast as humanly possible.

If the snow is especially deep, it’s better to go faster so your skis don’t get bogged down in the snow. Oh, and because it’s waaaaay more fun!

8.Stack it often

I can’t believe how much I loved crashing into Powder snow. It’s so soft and fluffy to land in, it’s like falling into a pile of cold marshmallows. Whenever I saw a huge untouched pile, I’d aim for it! Be sure to leave time for making the biggest and best snow angels ever.

9. Fuel up

Skiing uses loads of energy and you need to keep fuelled up to make the most of your time on the snow. If you should happen to be skiing powder in Japan,  leave ample to time to stuff your face with all the delicious food they have on offer. To save you a little time, I’ve rounded up all the best eats at Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU here, so you can stuff your face with the best of the best food and be back on the slopes in record time.

10. Scare the pants of your parents

It turns out that kids learn to ski way faster than their parents. Mum says that is because we have a lower centre of gravity, plus we’re crazy and take risks and never worry about stuff the way they need to. I reckon she’s wrong. I reckon it’s because we are awesome and are just way better than them.  Make sure you get your instructor to take you on black runs and jumps and to do tree skiing (Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU has awesome tree runs) because that will really freak your parents out and you get to watch as their eyes bug out of their heads when you tell them!

Disclosure: Raffles and his way to slow mama were hosted by Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU

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You might think that with six lifts and scores of runs, including off-piste and backcountry areas, that Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU is all about shredding the slopes, but there are endless other indoor and outdoor activities for little snow bunnies and powder pups, whether they’re strapped into skis or not.

We certainly love the pow, and spend as much of our time as possible carving it up.

But Raffles and I are equally enamoured with the Ice Village, a magically illuminated wonderland built entirely of ice, which we visit on several occasions.

Slipping into the village with ungainly abandon down a steep ice slide, hooting and hollering all the way, we explore the shops, a fairytale wedding chapel and a hotel room where you can sleep overnight on a slab of ice.

There’s also a bar serving up flaming beverages in carved ice glasses, which of course I have to test drive! Spoiler alert: the drinks are not only utterly delish, but they prove effective as anti-freeze for warming my frosty insides on a -23 degree night.

The hit of our visit is the ice rink, the centrepiece of the Ice Village, although with piles of powder falling during the day we find it more like snow skating and are in fits of frozen giggles as we slide and tumble around the rink in spectacularly uncoordinated style.

The blazing fire back at our accommodation, Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu, proves just the spot to defrost post-skate.

Another great place for defrosting après- ski is the steaming hot Mina-Mina Beach, an 80-metre long heated indoor wave pool, Japan’s largest, that offers a slice of tropical summer despite the freezing temps outside.

Raffles grabs an inflatable pizza slice from amongst a pile of plastic flamingos, crocodiles and random sea creatures, and dives straight into the water. By the time I call him in, my little action man has moved on from pizza slices to riding the waves on a stand-up paddle board, acting for all the world like he’s holidaying in Hawaii rather than in a subzero wintery wonderland.

There’s also an open-air bath facing the forests of Tomamu which has me tempted, but Raffles decides that he’s not in the mood for an onsen this time around, which is surprising given how hard we struggle to keep him clothed at the best of times.

On another occasion, we find ourselves in a giant yellow inflatable boat on our way to a Family Snow Picnic, Tomamu style.

Raffles and I hold on for dear life as we speed across the powder into side country, towed by a supercharged snowmobile.

The family picnic and snow rafting, along with snow banana boating, snowmobiling and snowshoe walks are just a few of the offerings of the GAO Outdoor Center.

When we slide to a stop, we don snowshoes to clomp our way inelegantly across the untouched snow.

Eventually we reach a little hut, where we stop for an hour to play in the snow.

We’re given sleds and take turns sliding down the mountain with all the grace of drunken hippos.

Eventually, Raffles gives up and builds himself an arsenal of snowballs. Chaos ensues as he and our gorgeous host, Yuki, wage an all-out snow war, chucking snowballs in every direction and using the mini-sleds to bash the snowballs about in some kind of hybrid ice tennis.

They boys stop their shenanigans only for gorging on the melting, magical s’mores we toast over a fire in the hut, and a mug of steaming sweet tea.

Tummies still rumbling, we gobble down a bubbling Hokkaido style cheese fondue at Green Kitchen, Raffles finding time to sword fight imaginary snow dragons with some of the epic icicles hanging off the roof.

Then it’s time to snowshoe our way to what appears to be a random tee-pee surrounded as far as the eye can see with nothing but soft, untouched snow.

As we slip through under the canvas, Raffles discovers, to his absolute delight, that he’s not only allowed, but being actively encouraged, to play with sticks and fire. Booyah!

We’ve come to make Baumkuchen, a ten-layered cake popular in Japan. The process is painstaking, with the cake cooked over the open fire, one fine layer at a time.

It’s a hungry nine-year old pyromaniacs dream come true, especially when he gets to eat the results of his endeavours.

Speaking of eating, Raffles finds it easy to appease his hefty appetite, chomping his way through the resort’s more than 20 on-site restaurants. He makes it a mission to dine on Hokkaido’s best local delights, stuffing his copious gob with fresh sashimi and sublime sushi, platters of fresh crab and salmon, Hokkaido scallops, steaming rice bowls, spicy soup curry, chargrilled local meats, hot pots and enormous bowls of ramen cooked every way imaginable. Often in a single sitting.

We’re especially partial to dining in the new hotalu street, Japan’s first ski-in/ski-out shopping precinct where some of the resort’s best restaurants can be found, along with sweet stores and shopping.

Enchantingly surrounded by fire pits that blaze away even when the snow is falling, which it does, constantly, it has a great atmosphere (and some rocking ramen) that brings us back time and again.

Of course Hokkaido has so much more to offer visiting families than just skiing. For those who are more in to sunshine than snow, here some of the best all season things to do in Hokkaido with kids.

Disclosure: Raffles and I were kindly hosted by Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU but, like our opinions, all skating, snow fights and scoffing are our own.

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It’s sooo fluffy” declares Raffles happily as he leaps out of our coach into the nearest heap of fresh snow, disappearing somewhere into its powdery depths. We’ve arrived at Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu, just a 90-minute drive from New Chitose Airport in Sapporo, to flurries of snowflakes dancing in the sky like frosty fairies. I’m so entranced that I momentarily forget I’m travelling with a nine-year old boy and don’t make it as far as the front door before the first snowball hits me square in the head.

I suspect it will be the first of many.

Tired following our flight from Australia, we planned on taking the afternoon easy but one glance at the pillowy, white powder snow that Hokkaido is so famous for, and we are racing to the resort’s in-house ski shop to get kitted out with skis and boots in preparation for a mountainside mission.

Of course, any mission that involves Raffles is also going to involve food, so we pop our gear in a locker and head to hotalu street, Japan’s first ski in/ski out shopping and dining street to ramen ourselves up at AFURI, one of the more than 20 restaurants scattered around the resort.

I dive headfirst into a bowl of zingy Yuzu Ratanmen while Raffles sips and slurps down a bowl of Tsukemen.  Already stupidly excited, the steaming noodles have Raffles skittering about like a loon.

“Let’s ski” he squeals, running back out into the snow and into the tunnels that connect hotalu street to both Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu and sister property, Hoshino Resorts Tomamu The Tower.

Located on the hill within the self-contained hotel complex, the five-star, all-suite, ski in/ski out Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu is surrounded by a pretty snow-dusted pine forest. I’m eager to explore what’s on offer for Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU with kids and keen to check out our enormous suite, but Raffles has snow on the brain, and he’s ushering me out the door as soon as we’ve donned our ski gear.

Barely an hour after our arrival, we are skiing out of the resort down to the Tower Express chairlift, which takes us about halfway up the mountain and for our first experience of skiing on powder.

We’d been warned it might take some getting used to, instead we’re immediately hooked on the deep, silky pow.

We squeeze in a few hours of exhilarating runs before it’s time to call it a day, spotting dozens of cute woodpecker houses and squirrel bridge in the trees surrounding the lift to RISONAIRE.

We lob our gear in the lockers by the door, and head straight up our two-bedroom suite on the fifteenth floor, which offers us an enormous 120 square-metres of luxurious space, almost unheard of in Japan where rooms tend to be on the smaller side. There’s a separate living room, a shower room, and a huge bathroom with a separate shower, a private sauna and a Jacuzzi overlooking the slopes.

Ten points for guessing where we spend the next hour.

After devouring our not insubstantial bodyweight in crab at hal, the resort’s exceptional buffet, we end our night at the Ice Village, an illuminated winter wonderland with an ice rink built entirely of ice, which is just one of the other exceptional off piste attractions and activities at Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU.

We attempt to get our skates on but temperatures have dropped to -23 and when our gloves freeze literally solid, along with our icy tears of laughter, so we call it a night.

We awake to blue skies and a heavy carpet of snow and are geared up ready to explore the 29 runs as soon as the lifts open. The Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU ski area offers a variety of terrain from an awesome beginner’s area to great groomers for intermediates.

There are also a few mogul runs and back country skiing for the experts, something we are not, so we head back up The Tower Express for a warm up runs before hooking off on an ungroomed blue run so fluffy it’s like skiing through a field of cotton candy to the Resort Centre.

From there we take the 13-minute ride on the Unkai Gondola to the startlingly pretty Terrace of Frost Tree and its surrounding sea of white snow. The frost trees are so otherworldly and look so much like something from a fairytale one could be forgiven for thinking it has been zapped into frozen place by a tanty throwing Queen Elsa.

The views from the terrace are just as mesmerising and we soak them up over steamy hot chocolate around a fire.

We grab a couple of gargantuan marshmallows to toast, Raffles showing off his mad mallow skills while I manage to set fire to my ski gloves in the heat.

While I shove my molten hands in the snow before they burn my skin, Raffles and his instructor pal, Yu, spot a bunch of snowtrikes and are careering down the hill at break neck speed.

We take Dragon Ridge down to the massive Exhibition run, the longest groomed run in the resort, where I stack in spectacular style and am left flailing in the powder, my speed demon offspring leaving me in his powdery wake.

When I finally unbury myself from the deep powder and catch him up, we head to the Resort Centre for lunch, Raffles pigging down a delicious soup curry, a Hokkaido specialty, before heading to Farm Designs, belly at the ready for some of famous the Choco-Moo cheesecake he’d seen showcased on television by his foodie idol Adam Liaw.

The cheesecake is every bit as good as expected, cheesy, creamy, light and luscious, but still not content he decides to shove a Hokkaido Milk ice cream down his throat for good measure because what else could a boy want in -15 degree temps than more frozen stuff?

Fueled up and raring for more icy runs, Raffles and Yu leap back on the Unkai Gondola while I take a break to check out some of the fantastic offerings at the hotel’s sister resort, Hoshino Resort The Tower, a four-star, family-friendly option with a choice of Japanese and Western style accommodation.

We meet back up at 4pm and Raffles is bursting with excitement. When I discover he’s been tree skiing I too almost explode, but more with fright, as I am more than a little terrified by my wee powder pup’s sudden pro ski skills.

In what has been a series of skiing firsts, the afternoon sees Raffles ditch the intermediate slopes and groomed trails to head back into the trees, try his hand at night skiing and take his first ever short, but suitably hairy, black run.

He celebrates with dinner fit for an Emperor at seafood pub, Kanemaru Goto Shoten, gobbling down an extravagant platter of silky sashimi, grilled Hokkaido scallops and a huge salmon hotpot, a specialty of the area. The food is as worthy of his affections as the day’s epic runs.

Thanks to the endless stretches of deep, delectable snow at Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU, my boy is hooked on powder. So much so that after another overnight dump, he skis continuously, unwearied, until the very second we need to board our coach for the airport. Even then having to be dragged away from the snow, kicking and screaming, but he gets his revenge with one last well-aimed snowball at his mother.

Disclosure: Raffles and I were kindly hosted by Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU but, like our opinions, all snowfights, stacks and sashimi scoffing are our own.

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Believe it or not, skiing has been around since before the wheel. While it’s only been seen as a leisure sport for a few hundred years, cave paintings dating back as far as 20,000 years show early man attaching sticks to his feet. It’s safe to either assume that it was as a mode of transport… or that Ice Age Louboutins needed a bit of refining.

Skiing, and all the gear that comes with it, has certainly come a long way since then, but if it’s your first family ski trip it’s still hard to know where to start.

So we’ve put together some hot family ski holiday hacks to ensure your family has a cool holiday on ice.

1. Resort report

Sure you can get great deals by choosing to stay at a nearby own and staying on snow does cost a little more, but we think its worth it. When skiing with younger kids staying on the snow means less distance to lug gear, and the kids, and there’s always somewhere to go if they need time out.  Size doesn’t always matter. Its also important that when it comes to family ski holidays size really doesn’t matter as often the smaller ski resorts are more intimate, less crowded and better cater for families.

Japan’ ski resorts are brilliant for families with excellent facilities. Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is especially great for kids, with as much to do of the slopes as their is on them. In Australia,  our there’s plenty on offer at Perisher Resort, Thredbo Resort and Falls Creek Resort with kids as there is so much on site for families to enjoy.

Another Aussie favourite is Charlotte Pass Snow Resort, the highest ski village in Australia. Accessible only by over snow transport from Perisher, there’s great on snow accommodation, kids’ care and a fantastic ski school with a personal touch that our kids really responded to. It almost feels like  staying with some long lost loaded ski resort-owning uncle, such is the family atmosphere.  And, as it doesn’t get as busy as some of the bigger resorts, there was plenty of room for our little skiers to manoeuvre their way down the slopes. There are no queues either. Well hardly any, except those one or two times when we had to wait as long as 30 seconds for our turn on the poma.

2. Insure it

One of our most important family ski holiday hacks starts before you even depart home. And is a not negotiable. Get insurance. Families planning a holiday can’t afford not to have travel insurance but for those planning to holiday on ice, it’s essential. But be careful to ensure  your insurance includes comprehensive ski cover, as most policies don’t automatically include it.

3. Snow play

When choosing a resort its an idea to check to see if they have enough other activities for kids as not all tykes take to skiing and not all resorts allow alternative options like sledding, snowmobiling (though kids have to be over a certain age or share with an adult) and snow tubing.

4. Leave a light on

When driving on icy roads remember to go slow, always keep your headlights on and leave loads of room between you and the car in front, unless you want your drive to resemble a slippery session of snow dodgems.

5. Chain gang

If you are driving, don’t forget tyre chains. In fact, to enter Kosciusko National Park, gateway to several of NSW’s biggest ski resorts, you’re legally obliged to carry them unless you are in a 4WD. Chains can be hired at most ski rental stores in the bigger towns outside of resort areas, just make sure someone shows you how they fit.

7. School’s in

Your entire family will have a far better time if you all do lessons, so be sure to start your ski experience at ski school to get you and your kids’ snow skills up to speed and to provide an opportunity for kids to hang out with people their own age. Raffles loved honing his skills as was an eager student and Sugarpuff, who had her first lesson this year, not only made a new BFF but was skiing like a pro after just two stints of ski school.

8. Too cool for ski school?

If you have little members of the family who are too small for ski school, make sure there are adequate childcare facilities at your chosen resort, and that they are situated in a convenient and easily accessible location so you can reach them quickly in the event of an emergency.

9. Hire it

One of our top family ski holiday hacks to save families a fortune is to hire. Ski gear is pricey and there’s a whole bunch of it to gather. But you don’t need designer duds and the kids will grow out of theirs in seconds. So if it’s your first time and you don’t know yet what gear best suits you and yours, hiring is the best, and cheapest, bet. Here are more tips on what to wear skiing for first timers.

10. Heads up

Unless you want to reenact Humpty Dumpty, make sure your kids are wearing properly fitted helmets because kids heads aren’t all that easy to put back together again either. It’s also important to ensure they are worn correctly (positioned low enough in front to protect the forehead and not too tight or loose) for maximum protection because there ain’t much use wearing them as a decoration. Parents’ heads are fairly important too, so set a good example with a helmet of your own.

11. These Boots are made for walking 

Do splurge on some cosy après ski boots (you can pick them up reasonably cheap). They help keep the kids safe on icy surfaces while keeping their tiny toes toasty warm. Ski socks are another wise investment too as they’re designed not to slip on the feet and help to reduce the risk of blisters. .

12. Screen time

There’s nothing worse than a goggle tan but people seem to forget to screen before they ski. It may be cold but snow reflects the sun and makes little faces even more susceptible to burning.  We carry a mini tube in our jackets so there’s no excuses not to slather it on every few hours.

13. Snack and go

A day on the snow can be as exhausting as it is fun so be sure to fill their pockets with a few healthy, energy snacks like Babybel cheese or even a small chocolate treat. Raffles is such a dedicated skier he has to be reminded to eat, something that is almost unheard of when it comes to my little glutton.

14. Fight club

A snowball fight is obligatory and your vicious wee children will turn on you. Be prepared for both the onslaught and a steamy hot chocolate in front of a roaring fire afterwards.

15. High and dry

Find and use the drying room at your accommodation to keep your gear dry. There’s nothing worse than watching the kids try to wriggle into cold wet clothes, except perhaps wriggling into cold wet clothes yourself.

16. Do you wanna build a snowman?

The kids number one on their list of family ski holiday hacks? Pack an extra scarf and a carrot so the kids can build an epic snowman or two. A feather boa is a nice touch if you want yours to go as glam as we do.

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My frosty duo love snow. Though, if I’m being honest, until last ski season, and our first visit to Perisher Ski Resort, they’d spent more time falling in it, playing in it and eating it (they do know to avoid the yellow variety) than they had skiing on it or, in fact, spending more than five consecutive minutes upright in it.

Perisher Ski Resort knocked our thermal socks off from the moment we arrived to gently falling snow. In fact, my wee weirdos were so impressed that we hadn’t even checked in to our digs, the family-friendly Perisher Valley Hotel, before they were rolling in snow, tongues out like a pair of deranged mutts lapping at the sky because, according to the youngest of my two nutters, “snow tastes like sky-flavoured granita”.

Perisher Ski Resort’s Perisher Valley Hotel has to be one of Australia’s best spots for skiing with kids. The ski-in, ski-out hotel is located right in the heart of the action and our comfy tri-level suite is spacious enough for us to hide from our insane offspring for a minute or two. It also offers us glorious views over Perisher’s Front Valley.

And there’s a spa, sauna and in-house masseuse for the use of guests who aren’t accompanied by small rabid children, as well as a games room for normal families to relax and play in after a busy day on the slopes. Clearly, that would be other families because there is nothing even remotely normal about this one.

The perfect location for a family ski holiday, along with directs snow access, the Perisher Valley Hotel also offers internal access to all of Perisher Centre’s facilities. These include a shopping arcade, restaurants, ski hire, the Snowsports School, and Snowy Daycare (for children aged six weeks to three-years old) where Sugarpuff spent her day eating paint, making friends and terrorising the lovely staff, while we took a Michelin-man impersonating Raffles off for lessons at Blue Cow, just a couple of minutes by ski-tube away.

Blue Cow, one of four village bases at Perisher Ski Resort, offers challenging runs for those inclined but has excellent beginner slopes perfect for kids… and uncoordinated parents. That would be me.

As Raffles took off for his lessons he implored Mr Eats World and I not to worry about him as he’ll be ready to hit the black runs by the time we get back. So we left our slightly over-confident son to his dreams of world ski domination for a morning of racing each other down the slopes, giggling like a pair of naughty school kids all the way. There may also have been a stop for a bevvy or two. The kid-free hours were fun, though my ankles felt like they’d been savaged by pit bulls, and I confess to having fallen over so often that my arse had more bruises than James Packer after a kerbside catch up with an old mate.

By the time we returned, our little powder pup wasn’t quite ready for those black runs but we were quietly slack-jawed at his progress.

My awesome little dude was flying down the slopes and riding the magic carpet with a grin frozen to his gorgeous face… and by frozen I mean that I could quite literally see icicles forming around his eyebrows.

Despite the chilly temperature and looming frostbite, Raffles enjoyed himself far too much four us to leave and had to be dragged off the slopes so we could make it back to the Perisher Centre in time to collect our other little snowflake from childcare where, judging by the fact that she had managed to paint herself all the colours of the rainbow, she’d also had a lovely time. Luckily, the yellow and pink stripes she sported on her forehead coordinated beautifully with the multi-coloured snowsuit we stuffed her into in readiness for some frosty family fun.

Snowballs were flung, angels were made and an epic snowman was constructed by Raffles while Sugarpuff played with her best friend, Johnny, a plastic pineapple from Hawaii and ate a snowman’s face… sometime’s it is just safer not to ask – about her choice of friends, or the Hannibal Lectrette impersonation.

Following our frosty frolic there was still just enough time to dry off and clean up for an amazing dinner at Snow Gums Restaurant where, exhausted, we watched the sky light up with fireworks before tucking our weary kids, and a plastic pineapple, into bed to do it all over again the next day.

Now as we don’t like to visit the same place twice, usually because the second time is only to apologise we need to decide which ski resort our little snow bunnies can wreak havoc in this winter… because it’s going to be seriously tough to be Perisher Ski Resort with kids.

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“Mama, snow is cold”  declares Raffles  as we reach Thredbo. The boy is a genius. We’ve arrived at Thredbo Village just as tiny white flakes of snow start to fall from the sky. Perfect. Timing. It’s our first time in Thredbo with kids, and my first time in two decades, and we are all mesmerised by the magical sight of the frosty ice fairies dancing about our car and we wind our windows down to get closer to the falling flakes.

Pulling up to our home for the weekend, The Denman Hotel, Raffles launches himself from the Landcruiser into the nearest pile of fresh snow and rolls about laughing, while Mr Eats World and I check out the spectacular views of the white mountainside.

After checking in, we chuck on our après ski boots and walk the short distance to get kitted up for the following days planned mountainside mission, stopping every thirty seconds for Raffles to chuck another snowball at his dad, something he’s been waiting for since the second he discovered we were heading to the snow.

As the snow begins to fall again Raffles shouts, “Mama, mama, it’s just like Granita – only sky flavoured”, his face pointed to the heavens with his poking tongue out to catch the falling snow. His sister, also lapping at the falling snow like an over-excited puppy obviously concurs. Freaking weirdos.

Already stupidly excited, the ski hire shop sends Raffles over the edge. As he’s fitted for his boots, he stomps about in a frenzy, “Look Mummy, I have robot feet. I’m a Transformer.” Of course he is. If he could just transform yourself into a sane person for a few minutes while I sort out my own boots, that’d be fab.

And there they are. My old nemesis. I remember you well. I eye the clunky boots with suspicion, glaring at the size-nine bear traps that will be my footwear for the next two days. I try to show them I’m unafraid, but who am I kidding? I already know that within 48 hours they’ll have me beaten, blistered and bruised. Bastards.

Dinner is at the Denman’s award-winning Terrace Restaurant.  The view over the mountains is spectacular, as is the food. At least, the half-dozen mouthfuls I get to try are. In typical form Raffles and Sugarpuff poo poo the kids menu and pinch most of my duck liver pate and pork belly while I slowly waste away (OK, the wasting away is wishful thinking).

Par for the course, really. Thank God that liquor laws prohibit pre-schoolers from drinking, at least the pint-sized pilferers can’t steal my wine.

We awake on Saturday morning to clear blue skies, sparkling icicles hanging from the awnings and a heavy carpet of fresh white snow. Just wow.

As we collect our kit to head for the mountain Raffles is giddy. But I am terrified. Am I really about to do this again? With a four-year old?

Yep! Ready to discover what the Thredbo with kids experience is all about, we drop Sugarpuff of at Thredbo’s childcare centre and head to Friday Flats and ThredboLand (for learner skiers aged three to six) for Raffles to have his first ever skiing lesson.

After sending him off to do his thing, we are introduced to our own private ski instructor who enquires as to what level we are. Is there a level zero, I ask? Or better yet, somewhere I can sit with nice schnapps until the lesson is over? No? Right. I take a deep breath and put my skis on.

And then… nothing goes wrong. I don’t break myself. And dare I say it, I’m having fun. In no time my nerves are gone and I am once more skiing far too fast, grinning insanely as I fly down the slopes as if the last two decades hadn’t even passed. I couldn’t even care less that my ankles feel like they’ve been attacked by pit bulls.

Mr Eats World and I head higher and higher and come down faster and faster, all fear out the window. I swoosh, he swishes. I swish, he swooshes. We become so cocky we’re practically ready to try out for the next winter Olympics. Until the moment that my competitive husband has been waiting for all morning as I fly past him at break-neck speed, becoming airborne and landing in an ungainly heap, legs akimbo.

His jubilant “Woohoo” echoes around the Mountain. Nice. I remind myself to push him off the ski lift later.

We decide to check on Raffles progress at ThredboLand and discover that he’s already learned to balance and control his skis. And by balance and control I actually mean he can stay vaguely upright while his arms flail and he slides and slips down the slopes.

But it’s astonishing how fast children pick up skiing and just a few hours later he is upright and on his way. And Raff loves it! His confidence has skyrocketed and as we take one last run with our proud little man he is convinced that he can do anything! Win.

We reward ourselves with hot chocolate and steaming hot sugary donuts (who knew they could be so good) on the way to collect our little snowflake from the childcare centre.

We stuff her into her Michelin man snowsuit for a little family frolic time in the snow. Snowballs are flung, angels are made and a giant snowman built.

Sugarpuff squeals and our newly minted powderhound declares it the best day. Ever!

But it’s not over yet. We head back to the Denman to freshen up for another evening of battling over who gets to eat my dinner at the Terrace. I lose. Though the mouthful of confit duck I do manage to save is a revelation of flavour and texture.

There’s a little commotion mid entree and the kids rush to the windows (allowing me to actually get a few mouthfuls of my pate) as fireworks crackle in the skies.

We all watch on in delight as hundred of skiers with lit flares create a river of red light that snakes down the mountain… yet another enchanting sight in a weekend full of magical moments.

Back to our meal and I stop wasting my time sword fighting my children using the silverware and, realising that getting to eat my own meal unmolested by small people is a lost cause, focus on drinking.  Sated and exhausted, we hit the sack and sleep like we’ve never slept before.

While we’re a little more blistered and bruised than when we arrived, we’re heading home from Thredbo with kids converted. But as we pack the Landcruiser, Raffles is a touch distraught because “we didn’t get to meet any polar bears, mama!”

We’ll just have to look harder next year, my fearless friend.

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