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!

by Natasha This is the first winter season that I was able to enjoy with my son. He was too little and immobile in the previous winters to really enjoy anything but the sight of snow. But now that he’s up on his feet walking and is able to express himself in little words here and there, I decided the time for him to enjoy the season has finally arrived.

That was also greatly helped by his exceeded enthusiasm every time we stepped out of the house to get in the car and drive to the day car. He would see the snow on the ground and start saying, “snow! snow!”. When it got a little warmer outside, I decided it was time the Baby gets his fill of the white fluff.

I dressed Baby H in his winter attire, layers upon layers of clothes and we went out to our front yard. I had thought about the big-kid hill around as a start, but Baby H is too little for it still. He sat on the red Micky Mouse round sled and I began pulling it forward. At first he was a little confused about my part in this activity, but once he clued in, all I could hear from behind is “Again, Mommy! Again!”.

Back and forthing on the front yard eventually created a nice smooth path, but I think the bumps along the road were Baby H’s favourite part. Every time we’d hit one, he’d giggle to the point of falling out of the sled.

We played and played for an hour, and I couldn’t stop watching my child smiling and laughing this whole time while sledding about in his red Mickey and rolling in the snow uncontrollably.

It was a great and season-appropriate activity to do in our own yard, and a good workout to boot. If we get more of the good weather and fresh snow, you’ll be sure to find me out front pulling my little dude around. I suggest you take some time and enjoy the season too.

Natasha is a new mommy to her first born, Baby H. She runs ShopHaven, a blog that reviews products and profiles local businesses and individuals from the Ottawa area. Natasha is also the creative force behind ShopHaven Baskets; a highly customized gift baskets service. Follow Natasha on Twitter (@shophaven) to keep up with her daily adventures and Baby H’s mischiefs.