Winter Sled Games

Sled Relay

• Break the group into teams of at least two and hand each a snowball. Mark starting and finish lines, at least several yards away, in the snow. Have each group start behind the starting line with one player from each team sitting in the sled holding the snowball. Each team must race to the finish line and back to the starting line, holding the snowball and staying in a seated position in the sled. The players use their feet and hands to propel them across the snow. When he returns to the starting line, he returns the snowball to the next player in line and vacates the sled. The first team who has every player return to the starting line with the snowball intact wins.

Snowball Swap

• Have two children position their sleds at the top of the hill at the same time, seating them at least 10 feet apart. Give each child a snowball and send them down the hill simultaneously. As they are sliding down the hill, they both must toss their snowballs to each other to exchange them. The player who catches and receives the most snowballs after several trips down the hill wins.

Snow Obstacle Course

• Craft an obstacle course that can be maneuvered with the use of a sled. Position a sled for each child at the start of each course and create various sections of different obstacles for the children to maneuver. Create a winding pathway marked with flags where the players will have to maneuver a zig-zag course while staying seated in their sleds. Mark an area that instructs players to tie the sled to their waist and drag it uphill for several yards. Place hula hoops on the ground and direct the players to then hold the sled over their heads as they jump through the hoops. The first player to complete the course wins.

Sled Driving Test

• Create a course using cones for the children to maneuver through. If a child knocks over a cone with the sled she must return to the beginning. Set up narrow paths, winding turns and curved rotaries for the players to carefully navigate. If a corn is knocked over, the player must return to the beginning. Send each child through one at a time and monitor their speed with a stop watch. The child who reaches the end of the course the fastest wins.