NSW
Australia’s most family-friendly ski resort
From kids’ festivals to fireworks and flare runs, there are an abundance of things for families to see and do at Thredbo this winter season
Kids’ flare run and fireworks
Armed with flashing LED lights, kids are loaded onto the Easy Does It chairlift alongside snow sport instructors every Thursday as the sun sets, ready to descend the gentle slopes for the kids’ flare run! Once all the littlies have reached the bottom, the sky lights up with a spectacular fireworks celebration. The lights are available for purchase from the stall out the front of the bistro, and the experience is free for children aged from three to 14 with a valid lift pass. As an added bonus, there’s also a fireworks show every Saturday night.
Images: The kids' flare run at Thredbo, The night skies lit up with fireworks
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Kids’ Snow Festival
During the July and September school holidays, Thredbo comes alive with family fun! The Kids’ Snow Festival offers everything from the joy of toasting s’mores at the Friday Flat fire pits and playing giant Jenga and Connect Four outside the Friday Flat Bistro to supervised movie nights (with mandatory popcorn!) at Thredbo Alpine Hotel. Make sure you time your trip to be there on a Thursday, which is Family Fun Night! Kids can get a selfie with the Thredboland animals and see them march across the snow in a parade. There’s also music and games like limbo with some awesome prizes. It all happens near the Friday Flat Clock Tower from 4pm to 5.30pm.
Image: The Kids' Snow Festival at Thredbo
Learn to ski and snowboard
With so many other cool things to do, it can be easy to forget the main reason you go to an alpine resort in winter – to ski or snowboard! Thredbo has a team of professional instructors on hand to facilitate its extensive program, which ranges from first-timer lessons for three to six-year-olds at Thredboland, where they ride a miniature train on skis to the magic carpet conveyor belt to learn to ski or ride down, to private and group lessons for kids of all ages (and adults!). It’s also introducing a new 98-metre long magic carpet – called Freddy’s – for the 2023 season, which travels through a tunnel to protect skiers and riders from the elements! It’s in the resort’s new Kids Learning Area, where kids will be able to ski down both sides and interact with fun obstacles on the way down. A new office space will house on-hand supervisor staff and offer more convenient toileting facilities for guests in lessons.
Images: Learning to snowboard, Kids with their instructor at Friday Flat, Learning to ski
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Project Shred
For those keen to take it to the next level, Thredbo has partnered with the Chumpy Pullin Foundation to help develop the next generation of superstar shredders! Kids can learn tricks and tips from some of the best skiers and snowboarders in Australia in the resort’s child-friendly terrain park as part of the innovative Project Shred, and take part in a workshop with top athletes to discover the ins and outs of becoming a pro. There’s also an autograph signing session with the athletes and coaches, a sausage sizzle and live music, plus heaps of giveaways and prizes. And all registrations come with a rad Project Shred t-shirt to take home!
Image: Shredding in the terrain park at Thredbo
Merritts Mountain Haus Feast
For a unique on-mountain experience your family will remember forever, be sure to book the Merritts Mountain Haus Feast. Rug up and ride Australia’s only alpine gondola to Merritts Mountain House, located at 1660 metres, to indulge in a Bavarian-inspired banquet, including giant baked pretzels, schnitzel and bratwurst. The ride back down is a truly special experience, as you take in the view of the twinkling lights of Thredbo Village below. The Merritts Mountain Haus Feast is available on select Fridays between June 23 and September 1.
Images: A family enjoying Merritts Mountain Haus Feast at Thredbo
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Thredbo Leisure Centre
One of the best things about Thredbo is the fact there’s so much to do off-snow too! Thredbo Leisure Centre – just a five-minute walk from the village – has loads of great activities to enjoy. There’s a pool, a waterslide and even a Mission Inflatable obstacle course, which is open every afternoon throughout the winter season for kids at least 1.2 metres tall. There’s also a sports hall where you can play basketball, soccer, netball or table tennis; a bouldering wall and trampolining for kids aged eight and over.
Images: Mission Inflatable at Thredbo Leisure Centre