Winter often calls for awesome snow and when the weather isn’t so adverse that you’re holed up, binge-watching that series of Game of Thrones or The Crown that you’ve been meaning to get round to, it makes for a great day out for all the family.
Although 2020 basically cancelled all our winter-holiday plans, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the outdoors during this wonderful season. If you’re not the proud owner of a trusty toboggan to ride wild snow banks and white hills, fear not. Below we’ve listed 6 household items which can be used as sleds without breaking the bank. Not only will they allow you to get creative, but they also get the whole family involved.
The DIY spirit is one of the best things about sledding and doing so can take you back to your childhood roots, when the biggest sledding worry you had was the competition between you and your friends over which inspired, makeshift sled could get you down a hill the fastest and without wiping out. As ever, if you end up using any of the ideas below, take care and always keep an eye on young children. Sleds can gather quite a lot of speed when racing down hills and, if not careful, can cause injury.
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Cardboard
High on the list of DIY sleds is cardboard. Durable enough for an afternoon’s fun on a slope, you won’t be too upset with ruining a makeshift cardboard sled, especially when you’re hitting your highest speed sledding down a particularly steep hill. This guide, from Instructables, takes the cardboard sled one step further with the help of some duct-tape, bin liners and a need for speed!
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Tea Trays
Think about the hard plastic trays you find in any cafeteria and then think about the amount of abuse such items get in their lifetime, a little snow may actually be therapeutic for both you and the tray!
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Laundry Baskets
This may be better for the younger crowd, say, between three and five years old, but laundry basket sleds have been hauling children around for generations. Surprisingly versatile, though not necessarily fast.
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Bin Bags
There’s actually a degree of science and reasoning to using a big bag or tarpaulin as a sled. Icy, hard snow makes for ideal conditions and can potentially propel you faster down a hill and for far cheaper than a spinner or toboggan.
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Bin Lids
Think of those old-school metal bins your grandparents put out, as opposed to the plastic ones we have these days. They might still have one lurking around the compost heap at the bottom of the garden. Depending on how hard you hit the hills, you may want to grab a hammer to whack the lid back to a decent shape or simply retire the entire can altogether once you’re finished using it!
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Cushions
Ride in DIY luxury with a camping cushion or grab the nearest outdoor cushion from a patio set, throw it in a hefty bag, and prepare for a fast ride for minimal effort or money.
