'I wanted my kids to see snow but am NOT a skier. This was the perfect holiday option.'

Ever since my daughter laid eyes on Elsa and dressed exclusively in her capes for three years, she has begged to see snow. 

Each winter her birthday wish-list says, 'family visit to the snow'.

As parents bred in the country and on the coast, we prefer to spend holidays chasing the sun. Our boards are for the surf, not ice. 

With three kids under seven, my patience levels are not up for skiing lessons and hours of complaints about wet and cold bits. 

Watch: If toddlers could talk, this is what they'd really say. Post continues below..

But her yearly requests wore me down. I decided to gift her snow — with some prerequisites.

I needed a place for beginners, where kids can play and mutinous toddlers can be contained. Somewhere only a short drive away. Somewhere without an eye-watering price tag.

Looking for the closest snow to Sydney, there are places it might snow, like the Blue Mountains, Oberon and Orange. But it had to be definite. 

I remember vividly my first snow at Mt Selwyn and the beauty of Thredbo, but the NSW Snowy Mountains were too far for a weekend trip. 

Google and school mums led me to a ski field I'd never heard about.

It had snow play, toboggans and ski and snowboard lessons. The best bit? It's only three-and-a-half hours from the city, or a 45-minute drive from Canberra.

Corin Forest recreation park.

Hiding up in the ACT's Brindabella Range is Corin Forest, which boasts snow all winter. 

In a good season, Corin Forest has about six snowfalls. When the weather isn't playing along, snowmaking machines transform the site into a winter wonderland for months. 

The ski resort is affordable, easily accessed and has a bonus thrill for kids — the longest alpine slide in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Fake snow wasn't my first preference, but the weather forecast looked promising for a Frozen moment. I was hopeful. Over the course of two nights before our snow day, Corin Forest was blanketed.

So, we took off for our kids' first snow experience. 

Image: Supplied.

How do you get there?

While it's a short drive from Sydney, I'm not wild about seven hours of road-tripping in a day, so we stayed in Canberra and visited from there. 

On a frosty morning from the nation's capital, we drove towards the ranges and its snow-dusted mountaintops. Seeing the roadside turn white under giant mountain ash trees was a squeal-worthy delight for the kids. They demanded we pull over. 

A quick stop to feel and run around in real snow for the first time ever. A core memory for all of us. Then, it was back in the car for the last kilometre to Corin Forest. 

Our family visited at the end of June and the Weather Gods were on our side. A good dumping of snow, blue skies and warm sun. A pretty picture welcomed us. Tall trees opened to a clearing with snow-covered buildings next to a frozen creek, cuddled by snow. 

Image: Supplied.

Book an early session. And out of holidays if you're a rebel.

The process of getting on the snow was simple. Anyone going on the ice needs a waiver; if you want to save time pre-book your tickets.  

The site is quaint, with plenty of parking. On arrival there's a toilet block and rustic café, next to the creek and picnic tables. 

The ticket booth staff will direct you up a hill to the clothes and boots rental building (if you need it) and the play areas where you can grab a toboggan and go. 

It's not for everyone — but I love a long weekend in the school term. 

If I can help it, I avoid crowds and queues with kids. We went on a Friday, before the school holidays, and had no lines, few people and loads of space to play. 

With barely anyone on the snow, my older children, aged five and seven, had clear runs tobogganing. Slide after slide, they flew down laughing their rosy-cheeked faces off. 

On one side of the tobogganing was a snow play section — this snow I found more compact. The other side was a field for ski and snowboard lessons.

Because it snowed, we took our kids out of the play zones for Mother Nature's dusting where it was easier to dig for snowballs, build snowmen and attempt snow angels.

Image: Supplied.

Warm up the kids with a hot choccie and open fire. 

After two hours of play, it was coffee time. Or croissants and hot chocolates for the kids by the café's large open fire to warm up little fingers.

We had tickets for Corin Forest's 1.2-kilometre alpine slide, but it was delayed opening because it was wet from snow, making it unsafe. 

Rain will also close the ride. If this happens, you can get a credit, but not a refund. Kids older than eight can ride the slide themselves (ages two and up need an adult), and they get to control the speed down the mountain. The slide is a huge attraction in warmer months. 

After a few hours, my kids were exhausted; they didn't have the attention spans to continue exploring the area, but families with older kids might enjoy the bush hikes or a visit to then Gibraltar Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the ACT just five-minutes away. 

Our day in the snow was short, sunny and — miraculously — without tantrums. A day that felt like a parenting win. An outdoor adventure peppered with belly laughs and a longed-for wish granted. Or the Best Day Ever, according to my kids.

Image: Supplied.

If you're not a fan of fake snow, Corin Forest might not be for you. But if it's about the kids — they won't know the difference. 

It was the perfect first taste for our young ones. Just pack a pair of spare socks and you won't regret seeing their faces light up. 

My tips before you go: 

• Go early in the day and ask about group bookings. I found out a school was coming in when I wanted to book, so I changed to an earlier timeslot.

• Pack spare socks and clothes. Use appropriate footwear. We used gumboots for the kids — two stayed dry, one got soaked inside from aggressive tobogganing. 

• On clothes — it doesn't need to be expensive. If you're not a skiing family, borrow from friends and family. I scored barely worn jackets, pants and mittens — plus underneath thermals for my big kids for $80 on Facebook Marketplace. Look for sales. My toddler's suit was half price at Anaconda, and Aldi have a Special Buys Snow sale most years. 

• Less of a tip and more of a manifest. Hope for real snow. It's way more magical.

  Feature image: Supplied.

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