No sled at hand? These 7 alternatives will help you out
9.1.2024
Translation: machine translated
Don't have your sledge with you at the moment, but still want to race down the snow-covered slope? These cool replacement snow vehicles are available.
Of course, if you've explicitly arranged to go sledging, you'll take a sledge with you. But it can also happen - and it happens to me all the time - that you go on a trip with your kids and don't take it with you because you haven't actually planned a sledging trip.
This is what happened last weekend: Even though the city was covered in snow, I went to my sister's house with my sons and no sled. The two boys looked longingly out of the window: there was an ideal sledging hill opposite their flat, which was well frequented by numerous families. So we packed them both into an Ikea bag.
The advantage of this is that it keeps their bums dry and also has two handles for a better grip. If you don't have an Ikea bag to hand, a laundry bag or a large beach bag will also do. However, you should bear in mind that the bags will be dirty and wet afterwards.
Waste bags
Which brings me to the next ideal sled replacement: Bin liners. They keep you dry and can get dirty or broken. As you will probably have to dispose of the bag afterwards, this alternative is not very environmentally friendly, but it is easy to find in every household. A leaf bag, on the other hand, is definitely reusable, but perhaps not quite as quick.
Large cardboard box
I'm sure you order large parcels from Galaxus all the time. You can use these as sledges: simply tear off a large piece and take it down the piste. Plus: you can colour this snow vehicle together with your children beforehand.
A car inner tube that is no longer needed
If you like tinkering with cars, you might still have an old inner tube from a tyre lying around somewhere. Thanks to the smooth rubber, it can even become really fast. However, you need to learn how to sled with the inner tube, as it's not always easy to keep your balance on it.
Covering the windscreen of your car
If you have a cover for snow and heat in your car: This makes a wonderful toboggan and is usually so long that you can even toboggan on it while lying down.
Car sunshades
Trend Car sun protection with magnetic function, anti-ice windscreen cover, white, 160 x 95 cm
A baking tray that is not too small
Easy to find in probably every home: a baking tray. Place it on the tray, hold it firmly at the sides and off you go. But you have to be careful. It can get bumpy, especially on uneven ground, as the tray doesn't adapt to the surface as well as a plastic bag, for example.
A discarded air mattress
Air mattresses or sleeping mats are also a great substitute for a sledge. If you inflate them, they can even be really cosy. But it can also be a discarded one that already has holes in it anyway
If you have several of these replacement sledges at home, you can of course try them all out. Then have a race to see whether the baking tray, air mattress or bin bag child gets to the bottom first.
Not with you
However, if the above-mentioned alternative sledges are all a little too dodgy for you - you'll also find plenty of real sledges here. These are our three top sellers this winter:
Which of the above alternatives have you tried and how well did it work? Let me know in the comments
Cover photo: Anne Fischer
A true local journalist with a secret soft spot for German pop music. Mum of two boys, a dog and about 400 toy cars in all shapes and colours. I always enjoy travelling, reading and go to concerts, too.