We know that feeling. The snow is falling onto the fresh, velvety white blanket that has covered the ground. Everyone is outside; playing, throwing snowballs, making snowmen, heading towards the closest, steepest hill with sledges under one arm, prepared to embark on the most fun they’ve had all winter. Everyone is going, except you. Why? Because you didn’t buy a sledge when you had the chance to. ‘I won’t need one of these, why would I need a sledge?’ you said to yourself, ‘It never snows in this country’.
But don’t panic, you shall have fun! Sledging is still possible, even without a sledge. It just requires a few items that you should hopefully have lying around the house.
Cardboard
You’ll be hitting the slopes in a matter of minutes with this one. You should be able to get your hands on this material relatively easily, as everyone should have a bit of cardboard lying around the house. This durable bit of material can surprisingly handle some speedy slopes and you more than likely won’t get mad when it eventually gets ruined!
Laundry Basket
Okay so this one is best suited for the juniors. Unless you happen to do an exceptionally large amount of washing on a regular basis. A laundry basket may not have the same aerodynamics as the cardboard option, but it still gets the job done!
Bin Bag
This may be the cheapest option out of all of these sledge-stand-ins. Along with the very low price point, using a bin bag as a sledge actually has some science behind it. If your snow is compact and hard on the ground, this makes it ideal to use the bin bag. The smooth surface of the bag creates less friction on the snow, resulting in a very speedy home-made sledge!
Rubbish Bin Lid
An absolute classic, the humble rubbish bin lid has been whizzing people down snowy hills winter after winter. It needs no introduction. It’s functional, cost-effective and sturdy; a win-win. Although you may have to get yourself a new bin once you’ve used it…
Dinner Tray
You know the ones. The ones that have been passed down the family about five times and are stacked high in an unfamiliar kitchen cupboard. Give the trays some much-needed action by taking them out on the fresh snow. This technique also doubles up as an effective cleaning method for your long-forgotten trays!
Camping Mat
Similar to the dinner tray, you’re bound to have a camping mat lying around the house which has slipped your mind. This method guarantees a (slightly) more comfortable ride down the slope, at a fraction of the price of a proper sledge.
So there we have it. Six ways to join in with the snowy activities – even if you don’t own a sledge! It just requires a bit of creativity and the willingness to search your house high and low for these forgotten about items. Most importantly, have fun and stay safe – no matter what you’re using to propel yourself down that snowy hill!