Make a Long Slip and Slide
One of the joys of summer recreation is the slip and slide. It's a fun way to beat the heat, be silly, and generally have a great time with friends. Sure, you can buy one at the store, but it's simple and inexpensive to make one at home. We'll show you how.
Contents
[hide]Steps
Fast and Cost Effective
- Get sheeting. Go to the nearest all-purpose hardware store, and buy a 10x100 foot (3 x 30 meter) plastic sheeting roll for about $5.00 USD.
- Look for it in the paint supply section.
- Roll out the plastic. While it's best on a long hill—gravity is your friend—even flat land will work.
- Weigh it down with anything that won't hurt if you hit it.
- Sandbags are one way to go, though you could also use water balloons—just don't expect them to stay put for very long!
- Get it wet with a hose. Soak that slide along its full length, and keep the hose at the top so that you get continuous fresh water supply.
- A rainy day works well too! Just don't play in the water if there are thunderstorms in the area—lightning could put a hole in your slip and slide, and make short work of sliders, too.
- Start sliding!
The Enhanced Slide Version
- Get sheeting. Go to the nearest all-purpose hardware store, and buy a 10x100 foot (3 x 30 meter) plastic sheeting roll for about $5.00 USD.
- Look for it in the paint supply section.
- Get a roll of duct tape, too.
- Roll out the plastic sheeting so it is flat.
- Cut the sheet in two. With a pair of scissors, cut the plastic sheet in the middle, from one end to the other.
- Lay the two pieces so they overlap slightly. Your new slide will be about 200 feet (60 meters) in length.
- Duct tape the bottom of the meeting point together.
- Note: if you like a wider slide, just buy two rolls instead of one. Instead of cutting the sheet in half, just tape the two full-width sheet together.
- Slide. There are 2 options here:
- If you have a large hill in your yard, lay it down the hill, wet it down with the hose, and enjoy.
- Wait for a rainy day, go to the biggest hill you can find, roll it out, and enjoy.
Tips
- Use soap or oil for a more FUN slip and slide experience
- Be careful with rocks if using them to weigh it down.
- Keep on the slide. Grass is just not very slippery compared to the slip and slide.
- Use rocks to weigh it down at the top and if you have enough, duct tape the edge to the grass every 10'.
- You can use the steaks to hold the ends down. Just push them all the way into the ground besides using rocks because the rocks can scratch you.
Warnings
- This can be dangerous. Make sure you set it up in a safe manner.
- Make sure you check up on whether your park will allow a slip and slide if you're going there. At some places it is illegal because it can burn the grass if left on too long.
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