We started to get ready to hit the slopes at Mountain Creek around 10am. We handed out some new gear -- snowpants, gloves, helmets, and boots – and the kids were excited to get bundled up… though the ski and snowboard boots were snug and tougher to tighten up than a regular pair of shoes. Once everyone was ready to hit the slopes, we picked up our Rental skis and snowboards and headed to the Mountain Creek bunny hill. The hill had a sequence of five levels for learning the basics. First was flat ground where the kids learned how to strap into their boards and skis and move around on flat snow. Next was the mini pipe, where we got to put our balance to the test. Dropping into the small downhill was thrilling for the kids. I saw so many smiles and laughs, and a few tumbles as the kids learned to navigate on the snow. Next step was the rollers, a series of three little hills to learn how to pump up and down. The kids picked this one up quick. Step four was learning to turn. The hill had a series of left and right turns carved into the mountain. The kids really liked this route and ended up spending a lot of time carving through the big S all the way to the bottom of the hill. The steering proved to be difficult to some, one yelled with a smile "I'm like Bambi on ice!". But eventually, they found their groove and were navigating the mountain with no problems. The final step, number five, was the downhill. There were some obstacles along the way, but mostly, it was the steepest route on the bunny hill. The kids felt so accomplished when they made it through all five levels. They wanted to go again and again and get the line better each time. I couldn’t believe how quickly the time went by. Some of the kids took the magic carpet back up to the top, and some hiked up the bunny hill with their gear like pros! By the end of the day the kids had worked up a sweat. We headed back to the lodge for snacks and to take off all the layers of gear. The kids chatted about how fun steps four and five were. Then we ate lunch and cooled off in the lodge until it was time to head back to NYC. On the walk back to the van, the kids were exhausted but energized by the fun new skills they learned.