Preschooler Sledding—Learning the Physics of Fun!

Taking a sled out in the snow is a great way to get some exercise with your preschooler during the winter months. Getting fresh air and exercise are not the only things you can do while sledding—you can also learn about physics!

Why do sleds work? They work for two reasons, one, the snow is smooth and removes friction that grass alone creates and two, the force of gravity helps the sled move down the hill quickly. Introduce your preschooler to the concepts of gravity and friction with a sledding activity.

What You Will Need

1. a sled or plastic saucer of some sort (in a pinch a plastic garbage bag will do)

2. a big piece of card board

3. a small hill or incline with at least 3 inches of snow on the ground

What to Do

Take you sled and cardboard to the top of your snowy incline. First, have your preschooler sit on the piece of cardboard. Give your preschooler a little push down the hill. What happens? Does your preschooler move fast or slow on the cardboard?

Next, put your preschooler on the sled and give a push down the hill. Does your preschooler go fast or slow?

Which one is faster? Have your preschooler guess why one is faster than the other. This is hypothesizing. Try variations with different materials you have around the house.

Explanation

What makes the sled faster than the cardboard? The sled (or whatever you use) is smooth and designed to have little friction against the snow. Friction is the force that resists motion between the ground and the sled. Gravity is the force that pushes us towards the ground. The slope of the hill makes it easy for your preschooler’s weight to move down the hill. Little friction and the force of gravity along with a sloped surface make it easy for your preschooler to move fast down the hill. Also, the heavier the preschooler, the faster he will move down the hill due to acceleration of gravity (a principle probably a little beyond a preschooler, so we won’t get into that here).

The snow and ice have little resistance—this is why we slip and fall on ice patches. Snow creates more friction than ice but when snow is compacted it creates less friction because it becomes icy. The cardboard has more resistance to the snow because it is not as smooth as a sled. It has rough patches that make it more resistant to moving down the hill. Instead of sliding or gliding down the hill the material gets wet and moves slowly, if at all, in the snow.

Variations

This activity can also be done on a sandy hill. You can also use other household items such as a cookie sheet or pie tin.

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