Did you know that tobogganing, a classic and fun winter activity has been banned in some cities?? It’s true! Read the article to learn about it.

Needless to say, we don’t do a whole lot of tobogganing (also called sledding or sliding) here in North Carolina. Okay none. But I go whenever I’m back in Canada visiting my relatives in the winter and there’s snow. If you’ve ever gone sledding, you know it’s crazy fun. So people are pretty miffed about not being allowed to do an awesome and healthy winter activity. (You seriously get good exercise dragging your sled back up the hill.)

A friend of my mom’s sent her this clip from a really popular show in Canada, that shows how silly it is to ban a popular and classic winter activity. It’s pretty clever. Watch it here

Good eh? So I was thinking I would talk about how to make sledding safe. It’s common sense really. Here are some tips.

1. Make sure your path is clear before you start down the hill. Don’t assume someone is going to see or hear you coming if they’re in the way. Crashing into others is one of the big ways people get hurt.

2. Give yourself lots of room. Your path down the hill can be unpredictable, depending on slippery patches, etc.

3. When you’re at the bottom of the hill or walking back up, look up the hill to make sure you’re not in anyone’s way. Stay clear of anyone coming down the hill!

4. Remember that snow ramps can be unpredictable, and a pretty easy way to get injured if you go flying off. Speaking of unpredictable, make sure you’re sitting stable on your sled. No standing up or crazy tricks.

5. Respect other sliders on the hill. Everyone is there to have fun, not to get hurt.

6. Make sure you’re in a safe area, with no barriers, or other hazards.

Like I say, sliding down a snowy hill is one of the funnest winter activities there is, and super healthy too. Just keep using your common sense and it will stay that way!

See you soon!

Finn