Rate it with Ryan: Winter 

By Ryan Oberecker, Grade 6

Today for the Rate it with Ryan: Winter I will rate things to do in the winter that are fun but exciting. The first thing we will rate is sledding.

Nothing brings kids more joy than waking up in the morning and seeing outside covered in a coat of glittering snow, but what is more exciting is sledding down a snow covered hill. Sledding has been something kids have been doing for years. Many people have different ways of sledding such as on your stomach, feet first on a sled, or going down with 3 people. But the most common way is a good old fashioned sled. How do I know which hill is best for sledding? A good sledding hill is usually big and not too steep. It also has smooth ground instead of rocks and mud at the bottom. How do I know which sled works best? A good sled is usually plastic or wood (Foam sleds work well but tend to break or dent). A good sled also is long. Hopefully with these tips sledding will be even more fun and exciting. I give this activity a 10 out of 10. What would you rate it?

For the second thing we will rate today is something you all have probably heard of. SNOWBALL FIGHTS!!!!

Snowball fights have been a snow activity for many years as well as sledding. Snowballs are a way to throw things at people without really hurting them. But what do good snow balls look like? They have slushy snow in the middle and hard packed snow on top. How do you throw a snowball? The way most people should throw a snowball is kinda like a baseball, use the strength in your arm to propel the snowball forward and let it rip! Many people don't realize this but snowballs are very easy to keep frozen. All you need to do is make a bunch of snowballs, place them in a bucket or tray, and carry them throughout the day or hide in a bush or tree, but don't forget them! This snow sport is extremely easy and fun. I rate it a 9 out of 10 would you?

For the third Rate it with Ryan I will rate something most people find very fun in the snow, snow forts. Either if it is an igloo, or a hole in the snow forts have kept some of us busy for hours in the snow. How do you know what a good snow fort looks like? Most forts are made of blocks of snow made from packing snow in a bucket or cup and placed on top of each other. The way that I tend to make them is to dig a diagonal hole in the ground and place sticks on the sides to keep the fort from collapsing. Then you can crawl inside and enjoy your new fort! This is an activity that will keep you busy building and playing with, and storing snow balls for later snowball fights! This is really easy and fun to do so I'll give it a 9 ½ out of 10! What would you rate it?

Favorite Snow Sports of the Fugett Lowdown Staff: 

Sledding: 15

Snowball fights: 8

Snow Forts: 3