Enjoy the Snow and Slopes By Sledding
Most people that live in countries and areas where it snows will be able to recall fond memories of their childhood, while sledding. The fascination with sledding began in the 1800’s and since then many children have pushed sledding to different levels together with the neighborhood friends. There is nothing more exciting than racing down the slopes to find out who has the fastest sled or loading the sled with as many friends as possible just to see how far you can get before tumbling down the snow covered hill. Adults seem to forget the joy and excitement that sledding can bring till they have kids of their own and once again find themselves braving the hills and slopes.
Sledding, as we know it today, began with a prank and ended in a popular winter snow activity and an Olympic sport. In 1870, a few curious Brits decided to have fun with a delivery sled. Of course it didn’t take them long to enjoy the ride so much that ways of steering the sled and making it go faster were being explored. Today, the sight of a Skeleton, Luge or Bobsled is pretty common, but as with everything we take for granted in our modern lifestyles, it generally started with intrigue and curiosity. Children still flock to the snowy hills with their sleds, dodging trees, taking falls, building ramps and racing against their friends. The only difference between sledding in the past and sledding today, is that sleds like tubes, disks and toboggans are more advanced and protective gear is available to protect against the falls.
As expected, most injuries occur once the ride has come to an abrupt end and adults are not immune to falling off sleds. It is advised that adults always accompany their children while sledding to ensure that the path they have chosen to sled on is safe and is clear of any hazardous obstacles and that the path doesn’t end where there could be traffic. Ponds and parking lots can also pose serious risk and rather than spoiling the fun, set the example. Fixed objects such as lampposts, trees and fences can cause disabilities and adults should ensure that their children always wear helmets. Sledding in streets should be discouraged and parents should not allow children to sled head first down a hill. Sleds with steering mechanisms are another precautionary measure that parents can take to protect their families.
Sledding can be hours of fun for all the members of the family, as long as safety and protection has been taken into consideration and parents set the example for their children. There is no better way to spend quality time with friends and family than on the snowy slopes of snow skiing resorts.