We'll be inner tubing on Cincinnati's hills this week. Photo: Maddie Baker/Unsplash

We’ll be inner tubing on Cincinnati’s hills this week. Photo: Maddie Baker/Unsplash

With a winter storm continuing to blanket the area’s hills with inches and inches of snow, the young and the young at heart typically take to the slopes with sleds. If your local store is sold out of sled or you just feel like staying off the roads, here are some at-home alternative products to maintain the winter wonderland tradition in Cincinnati.

Inner Tube 

Hopefully you saved your pool floats from this summer. A blown-up inner tube or similar flotation device provides a safe cushion to glide on the snow-topped hills of your neighborhood. 

Air Mattress

This alternative would be a great device for multiple sledders at once. An inflated air mattress would coast down the snowdrift, though it could be difficult to steer. We recommend using this alternative with few obstacles or obstructions in the pathway.

Trash Bag and Cardboard

This idea is a do-it-yourself classic. To create your own disposable sled, you will need a heavy-duty trash bag, duct tape and a panel of cardboard that is proportional to the length of your legs and rear. First, you will slide the cardboard base inside the trash bag. Then, you must fold and tape any loose parts of the bag so that the trash bag is tightly secured around the cardboard. Finally, once you arrive at the top of a hill, you will slip yourself inside the bag with the cardboard panel acting as your base. 

Laundry Basket

A plastic laundry basket is perfect for a first-time sledder with parental supervision. Children can fit inside the basket and be bustled around the neighborhood while securing their hands or feet from getting caught underneath. This alternative will be best for flat areas or small hills that have a smooth pathway; basket is more likely to flip over and cause injury if faced with an obstruction. 

Plastic Container Lid

A large plastic lid is the most likely alternative in this list due to its availability in your own house. Sledders can find this alternative from a laundry tote, garbage can or storage bin. A lid can easily provide a safe trip down the hill.

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This article appears in Feb 1-28, 2021.