Kids Ski Lessons and Skiwiland at Coronet Peak, Queenstown New Zealand
All the info you need about Skiwiland and your kids’s first ski lesson in Queenstown, NZ
We’ve just got back from a ski/snow trip to Queenstown, New Zealand where all four members of our family did skiing and snowboarding at the same time, for the first time! Prior to our adventure at Coronet Peak, I’d done a fair bit of research and struggled to find much out about what exactly a kid’s group ski lesson and the preschool Skiwiland program actually involved. Now that we’ve been, I want to share everything I know so you can be nice and prepared:
Skiwiland at Coronet Peak
Sneaking a peek over the fence at Skiwiland to watch my 4 year old learning to ski in Coronet Peak, Queenstown. My whole family was on the slopes with the right instructor for their levels - so awesome!
My 4.5yr old did the ski lessons program at Skiwiland for 3-5yr olds. Lunch and snacks were included in the day’s fees, and from what he’s told me there were healthy meals and lots of hot chocolates (a big tick from both of us!).
The instructors are incredible and so good with the kids, even when those kids were crying and exhausted at the end of the day. They are qualified early childhood professionals and focus not just on skiing but on the overall whole day’s experience and enjoyment.
The kids’ skis, helmet and goggles were all organised by the Skiwiland staff.
Onto the skiing! There is a miniature magic carpet (travelator for the snow) for them to ride on. They have miniature skis. And they practise going straight and getting used to sliding down a very gentle slope. At the end of my son’s three days in Skiwiland, he received a Skiwiland ‘report card’ which ticked off all the things he’d learned, from how to move safely in the snow, carrying his skis, listening and following group instructions, and being playful on his skis. There was a section for kids ready to progress to the next level, which my son didn’t do, where they can begin to learn more about speed and making the wedge shape.
At the end of each day I spotted my son on a taboggan having the time of his life in free play snow time.
The kids also spent some time indoors too. From what I could tell, there were times when all the kids were inside in the warm, doing free play, drawing and preschool-style activities. And they also did this in the snow – we spotted them playing What’s the Time Mr Wolf and dancing the Hokey Pokey in the snow too. Lots of fun and practise wearing snow boots and clothes too!
The Skiwiland area is right near the restaurant/café section of the Coronet Peak, so it’s very accessible if you want to drop off/pick up your kid on your way to/from the slopes. Also, the outdoor area is safely fenced and secure, there’s no way your kid is going to disappear. And it’s full of bright and colourful props and decorations, set up to be a fun and welcoming space. This area is right next to where the rest of the ski lessons meet and close to the bottom of the chairlift Meadows Express. This means that parents can stop by and watch if you want to sneak some photos or see how they’re doing, without distracting them.
When we were there, the hours were 9am-4pm, which meant we could drop my 4 year old off and get to the adult/kid lessons which started at 9.45am and went until 3.30pm. It was perfectly timed so you didn’t have to rush.
My son loved going to Skiwiland and was so proud of himself for ‘learning to ski’ like the rest of the family.
Kids Group Ski Lessons
3 Generations learning to ski at Coronet Peak, NZ - my daughter, me and my mum! We kept seeing each other on the ‘magic carpet’, even if our lessons split up once we were at the top.
My 7 year old daughter did three days of group ski lessons. She had two of her cousins with her (7 and 9 years old) which was great. When they signed in, they went together and asked to be in the same group. The instructors were really accommodating and kept them together. Generally they grouped kids the same age together, so don’t worry about your six year old being with a group of eleven year olds.
After getting our ski pass, we lined up to get our hire gear – ski boots, skis, helmets and poles for me (kids don’t use them). This is probably the hardest part of the day to be honest. After 8.45ish it gets very busy and you have to line up, try and hold all your gear and the kids’ stuff too, and it’s crowded. After the first day we got there early just to avoid lining up to get gear.
Your kid will need their own snow clothes (pants, jacket, thick socks, waterproof gloves) and goggles.
Lessons were 9.45am – 3.30pm. The meetup point for lessons is right at the base of the slopes, near the chairlift, and there are bright flags and a fenced area and it’s easy to spot.
Each day the kids had a different instructor. They all had a favourite, and my daughter’s was Daisy, on the first day, who gave them lollies and hot chocolates when they needed a break.
The kids lessons had morning tea and afternoon tea breaks, where they got a hot chocolate inside. You can’t take a bag for the kids, but you can put little snacks in their jacket pockets if they want something to eat during this time.
If you book the three day beginner lesson package, each day the kids will progress through the first three levels. My daughter either wasn’t confident/ready for the third level on her last day, or she was just tired. I think she probably could have just done two days lessons or a third at the same learner level. Being aware of your kid’s energy and mood as they progress is important, because you want to make sure they’re in the right level and still enjoying themselves.
We picked up the kids for their hour-long lunch break each day. You can book them in for supervised lunch, but we liked having the chance to check in with them. Make sure you do a toilet stop before they go back out. Getting lunch from the café was quick and easy, even though it was busy. There were lots of tables to sit at too.
At the end of each day, you’ll need to return the hire gear (and scan your ski pass so they know it’s returned).
I was doing adult lessons at the same time. It was so cool to be near the kids, seeing them learning without being in the way. However, it was also better sometimes to just pretend I couldn’t see them, like if the kids had fallen over or were being a bit naughty, it was hard for me to concentrate on my lesson.
My daughter loved her lessons and was so proud. They got to ride the magic carpets, learn how to cruise down the beginner slopes (they’re such quick learners!) and ride the chair lift. I was so proud of her and it was such a joy to see her take on this new sport with such ease. And that’s a testament to the ski instructors too – they really know how to keep kids interested and having fun.
Things to Note
Book your ski lessons online or call the number. The website is not that user friendly, but the phone service was incredible – definitely call if you have a group or you’re not sure what to choose.
The café is open from 8am.
The first day you’ll need to go to the service desk to get your kids’ passes. They’ll need these to sign into their group lessons and to get their ski hires.
The kids will need to keep their passes on them (it’s like a little plastic card). If they’ve got a chest or arm pocket on their ski jacket, that’s best because it will automatically beep through the ski lift/magic carpet for them (and it’s harder for the kids to lose them).
On the first day my daughter’s ski instructor suggested putting a snack in one of her pockets, in case she got hungry before lunch.
At the end of the day, your kids will probably be tired, hungry, and therefore grumpy. After a day of being careful and listening, they also find it hard to listen to any more rules or instructions from parents. Speaking from experience. After the first day, I packed snacks for the end of the day, so the first thing I did was give them something to eat while we were getting our snow gear off (keeping them quiet and still). Once their sugar levels came back up and they’d had a little sit while they waited, everyone was much happier.
At the end of each day, you can ask the ski instructor how your child did and if they are ready to do the next level. This way they can let you know what’s best. Once you’re on the mountain, they are very flexible and helpful, and will want your kid to be where they’re best suited.
Book lessons early. As early as you can. Get the days you want because it books out fast, especially at Skiwiland where there are limited spots.
Your kids will probably need sunscreen and lip balm. It’s a long day in the sun, and if you don’t get sunburned you’ll probably get dry red skin from the wind anyway.
There are lockers downstairs so you can take your bag and food from home if you want. There are also plenty of food options at the cafes and we found heaps for the kids to eat (sushi, pizza, hot chips, burgers, muffins, etc).
There is drinking water available inside the café eating area for free.
There is a bus from Queenstown to Coronet Peak, but you do need to book your seat.
If you drive your own car up the mountain, there are free shuttle buses from each carpark.
There is lost property at the service desk. You’ll need photos of your gear (typically gloves) to prove its yours, so take a photo the first day while you’ve got everything.
The kids lessons were great, but they had the most fun at the end of the day when they could just have a go with mum or dad and each other, having fun showing off what they’d learned. If you get to the mountain early, you can ski from 9am until lessons begin at 9.45 too.
The adult beginner lessons are in the same area as the kids, so if you’re doing it at the same time you’ll get to see them all day. I even rode the magic carpet with our kids and threw snowballs at them. It’s not like you drop them off and won’t see them again (unless you want to!).
You can book days whenever you like, so I wish we’d done like Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday Tuesday Thursday – having a day to rest and relax in between. The two days in a row was a bit much for my daughter, who loved skiing but was just tired. (Also having a day for your snow clothes to dry out is helpful too!)
There is also Skiwiland childcare as an option if you have younger children/toddlers/babies who don’t want to ski.
There is a shop at Coronet Peak if your kids lose anything, like snow gloves.
Other mountains have kids ski lessons too, but we picked this one for the 4 yr old Skiwiland option. Also, Coronet Peak is the closest drive to Queenstown, which makes a difference in the mornings when you need to get up there early with all the snow gear.
There are different levels of ski lessons, from Skiwiland to first time kids, all the way up to blue and black slope group lessons. There are also other kids programs and snowboarding lessons too if your kids aren’t complete newbies like ours.
We prepared our kids by showing them videos of kids learning to ski before we went, so they knew what to expect. We also ‘practised’ balancing. We found that scooters, bikes, balancing beams and roller blading were helpful back home in the sunshine, to help them pick up the basic balancing on skis quickly. Though most kids picked it up pretty quickly to be honest! Read more about how we prepared for our ski trip here.
Queenstown, New Zealand, is a really great place for ski lessons with kids if you’re from Australia. It’s an easy 3-4hr flight from Brisbane and an amazing place for a holiday. They have lots of different beginner lessons up to more advanced, and different learn to ski packages and options. We chose a 3 day beginner ski package, and you could pick to do each lesson on any day, they didn’t have to be consecutive.
Overall, our experience with kids learning to ski at Coronet Peak in Queenstown was absolutely awesome. We all loved it, and even though we were tired it was so worth it. I’m so glad we took the risk and invested in booking the lessons. We could not be prouder of the kids.
And of course, I am so proud of ourselves, for giving it a go – it’s daunting making all this happen when you’ve never even been skiing yourself. I still can’t believe all four of us were able to have three full days at Coronet Peak, skiing (snowboarding for my husband), it’s just a dream that I never believed could be possible. When we last came, six years ago, my husband snowboarded for three days while I stayed in town with my then 1-year-old. I never imagined it would be possible that both of us parents could spend three days in the snow with the kids (but like, not with them). And I’m glad we were able to see them throughout the day, watch some of their lessons, and hang out for lunch. While we were independent of one another, we still shared the experience and knew everyone was nearby. And I’m glad we went with cousins so they now have someone to share these memories with for the rest of their lives.
Taking our kids for their first ever ski experience at Coronet Peak was a choice that I’m so happy with and I’d highly recommend it for others.
Your Turn
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments below.
And if you’ve taken your kids skiing, how did their first lessons go? Any tips to share with others?
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