Sledding with Kids in Ottawa

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icon of someone sledding with the words Ottawa Sledding Tips and Spots go go

We’re about to get a lot of snow! We wanted to share some of the places to go sledding with the kids, along with some tips to keep your kids safe.

We polled our community to ask where some of their favourite spots for sledding are and some of the favourites are:

  • The NCC’s Green’s Creek + Bruce Pitt

  • Lansdowne Park - nice and central and close to lots of restaurants and other ammenities

  • Apollo Crater - 600 Apollo Way, Orleans (this is also an off-leash dog park so not a great choice if you or your kids are uncomfortable around dogs and a great bonus if you’d like to bring your dog with you)

If you’re looking for even more ideas, the city of Ottawa has a map on their web site that shows all of the city spots that are designated for sledding.

Safety tips parents with small children: 

While sledding is a fun winter activity it can also be dangerous. Here are some tips provided by the City of Ottawa that are good reminders.

·            Protect your brain – wear a ski/snowboard or hockey helmet.  

·            Check out one of the approved City of Ottawa sledding hills at ottawa.ca/sledding

·            Avoid a hill that is steep and make sure there is plenty of room at the bottom to stop. 

·            Watch for hazards – like other sledders, icy areas, trees, rocks, fences and rivers.

·            Avoid sledding head first or on your back. Sit or kneel on your sled.  

·            Watch the weather and avoid icy conditions.

·            Choose a sled that is easy to control, avoid inner tubes and plastic discs. 

Any other tips or spots to share - we’d love to hear them in the comments!