Homes, Trades and Games of Long Ago · Drawing 22 of 40
Sleigh ride on the snow
Long ago, in winter
In winter, wheels were swapped for runners. Bundled under blankets, the family set off in a horse-drawn sleigh, and the bells on the harness jingled along the snowy road.
Look together
What replaces the wheels under the sleigh?
An idea to try
Slide a box across a carpet, then the same box set on two rulers: which slides better? Talk about what runners change on snow.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Historical photographs, including an 1897 Montréal carriole in the McCord Stewart Museum collection, show these horse-drawn winter vehicles. Their runners slide over snow, unlike the wheels of a carriage.
The family, blankets and landscape are imaginary. Find the runners and bells, then compare this carriole with winter transportation your child knows.
Sources and context (1)
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.
Source review: 2026-09-19. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.