17 Easy Do-It-Yourself Sleds

So it snowed… a lot more than the forecasters predicted. Despite the icy roads and slippery sidewalks, for many, a lovely snowfall is an excuse to go sledding, even if it is just down that tiny median in front of your home. Maybe you’re one of the lucky few with a store-bought sled and the envy of the sledding hill crowd.

If not, don’t despair. Coloradans are famous for their ingenuity when it comes to makeshift sleds. Our friend Jody Mace at Charlotte on the Cheap (a Southern gal, go figure) has come up with 17 DIY options.

Read her list and then look around your house. Likely you’ll find something that doubles as a sled. We can’t vouch for the effectiveness or safety of these techniques. Use your judgment.

Keep in mind that anything you re-purpose for a sled will probably get ruined and no longer be able to serve its original purpose. But it’s worth it, right?

And, even if the snow is a bit thin in your neighborhood, your home-made sled will be ready to go when we finally get a ginormous dump. What have you used as a makeshift sled? Leave a comment!

1. Fast constructed sled: This Instructables page shows how to make a fast sled from a cardboard box, a trash bag and (of course) duct tape.

2. Cookie Sheet

3. Lid from plastic container

4. Boogie board

5. Baby tub

6. Cushions from outdoor furniture

7. Tarp (especially if the snow is icy and hard)

8. Inner tubes

9. Dog bed. Ask your dog first, and then wrap it in a trash bag with duct tape.

10. Shower curtain

11. Trash can lids (not the roll-out kind, obviously; you can’t tear those up)

12. The old standby: cafeteria tray. Although you might not have one in your house.