Who said kids can't ski at home?
You don't have to have snow outside your house or go to expensive ski resort to have a lot of fun skiing. It's all about setting up the mood and imagination. Kids can play anywhere with anything.
Since it's winter, Olympics is around the corner, we don't have snow and it doesn't look like we gonna head to a ski resort this year (or any year for that matter) we decided to have some fancy skiing at the house.
To be able to ski, even if it's in the house you need skis.
Every time we need something and we don't have it, my daughter shouts out: "maybe we can make them".
To make homemade skis we used:
- cardboard for the skis
- plastic soda bottles as ski boots
- wooded sticks (that we found during our leaf hunt in the fall) as our ski poles.
Then we colored the skis, attached the bottles (with clear tape), taped the skis all around with clear tape to have them stronger and for better slide. We attached some rope thingies to ski poles and handles. And Voila - got the skis.
My kids were already in the skiing mood by the time we finished making skis. In case, yours aren't - create a skiing mood in the house.
Ideas on how to create skiing mood in the house
- If you are an experienced skier - talk more about skiing with your child or watch some skiing videos to get kids in the mood and to have an idea on what different things skiers do (as my daughter thought that they dance like on ice).
- Let the kids wear skiing clothes or just a hat, scarf and some gloves.
- Create and mark a skiing route around the house. Mark the start spot and the end one.
- If possible create some mini slopes (use some firm pillows for that) or even a mountain to ski from (we put a board on the low mattress for them to slide off).
- Add fake snow.
- Have award ceremony for the champions.
What I really like about this skiing activity at home is that it teaches my child that she can create real fun anywhere. It all depends on her imagination and positive attitude.
Important. If you choose to do this skiing activity at home, please supervise your children and pick safe choices for this play.
Happy skiing!
Natalie @AfterschoolForSmartyPants says
Love this idea! Thanks for sharing with Afterschool!
Birute Efe says
Thank you, Natalie.
Deceptively Educational says
I love this and my boys would too. I'm featuring this at tomorrow's After School Linky Party on my blog. Stop by and share more of your great ideas!
maryanne @ mama smiles says
What fun! Looks like your daughter thoroughly enjoyed this activity 🙂
Heidi Kay says
Hello there,
I was perusing the web, looking for great "Olympics" activities to share with the pediatric therapy professionals we serve, and found your "homemade skis" post. It is darling! I was wondering if I could have permission to feature one of the photos on our Instagram feed.
(http://instagram.com/pediastaff#).
As you may know, I am unable to create a clickable link to your post through Instagram but I can put a link to your blog (and the specific page the photo came from) in the description if you would like...
Here is the post that has the image I would love to share:
https://playtivities.com/skiing-home-homemade-skis/
Thanks so much in advance!
Birute Efe says
Heidi, yes, sure you can use share my Homemade Skis image. If you could just put link to my blog and this post it would be great. Thank you so much for asking 🙂
Cheryl says
Love this! So much more creative then just using wax paper. And I love that the child would rather make it then buy it!
Birute Efe says
Thank you Cheryl so much. I noticed that my daughter plays with the toys and things that we make ourselves than the toys that we bought in the store. Don't remember when that happened last time.
Wendy Cook says
Just a thought.... make sure that the edges of the holes cut in the plastic bottles are covered/made smooth as this plastic can scratch/cut little ankles! Happy Skiing!
Birute Efe says
Thank you, Wendy so much for your suggestion. Our plastic bottle seemed soft enough not to cut but I think it is a good idea we put some tape around just in case. Appreciate you left a comment about this.
Sarah says
Hallo
I've tried to make the rims of the bottle soft by warming them up with lighter/candle, it made them a bit round.
Hope it could help.
Great web!
Brandii says
I was thinking about the edges of the bottle like Wendy. Before I had gotten to her comment I had already decided I was going to duct tape a pair of my son's boots to some cardboard skis so it would be more comfortable and "wearable". My boys move fast and I think they might crash and dig into those bottle edges a bit too much. That and we don't buy anything in that shaped bottle so it would take foraging to find them. We have shoes that fit. : )
Vincent Muterspaw says
A participant generally thinks that their outs will give them the best hand but then this is not usually the case. General, much more visitors in one room, the better. Enjoyable is waiting for you following all.