Creative Sled Riding: Homemade Sleds

There's nothing like zipping downhill on a cold winter's day. Although there are a dozens of choices for downhill gear, there's nothing like a good homemade sled. Put on your thinking cap and scrounge around the house a little. The big thing to remember is safety. Anything that is nice and smooth on the bottom will make a nice homemade sled and slide downhill nicely. It should be free of anything sharp or protruding. Whatever you choose, if you want to go even faster rub the bottom with waxed paper or spray with a no-stick spray.

Here's a list of ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

Inflatable pool toys ~ dig out your pool toys, blow them up and you're ready to go! Don't use your really good ones for a homemade sled. They might get punctured when used as a sled. The good news is that even if they get a hole in them, they'll still be great for downhill fun.

Storage tote lids ~ make sure they are fairly smooth. If your storage tote lid has handles on the ends, you can put a rope through it to make it easier to pull up the hill.

Garbage can lids ~ these are best with handles on the sides. The garbage can lids with a handle molded into the top won't go downhill.

Shower curtain ~ preferably an old one. Don't strip the shower curtain off your shower...it might not be in good enough shape to hang up and use again. Wrap the curtain around you and hold on tight for a homemade sled.

Cardboard boxes ~ these might only last a few times downhill. The ones that look coated are especially fast. Be sure to remove any staples if there are any in your cardboard box.

Plastic laundry baskets ~ scrunch down in a rectangular basket and hold on tight. The handles on the sides are great for holding onto and steering.

Old satellite dish ~ these are pretty small, but fast. Be sure to remove anything sharp or bumpy.

Cafeteria trays ~ the old style flat ones work best. The newer ones with sections are not smooth on the bottom and are not very fast and do not make good homemade sleds.

Washing machine lid ~ from an old discarded washing machine. Be sure to remove any screws.

Top lid of a toilet seat ~ again, rather small but mighty. There's nothing to hold on to, but it's just the right size.

Outdated, discarded political signs ~ a perfect size for one person. Light and easy to carry up the hill.

Plastic folding tables ~ these are two seaters. Grab a friend and hold on tight. The corners of these might get banged up a little, but you can always put a table cloth over them if you use them for company.

Go ahead! Look around the house and in the garage. Just remember: safety first!