The colder months of the year make many want to hibernate indoors until the first spring flowers pop up, but just like these people in photos from Ohio Memory, there is still plenty of fun to be had in nostalgic winter sports.

One activity that can be fun for beginners and experts alike is ice skating. Research suggests that the earliest ice skating happened in southern Finland more than 4,000 years ago. The first skates were made from shank or rib bones of elk, oxen, reindeer, and other animals and attached to shoes with leather straps or screws in the later years. There is not a specific date or time for when the metal blade was introduced, but it is depicted on skates in early Dutch prints. After ice skates evolved from just an attachment to shoes to what we now think of as ice skates, not too many other updates have been made. There are still many places in Ohio that host outdoor skating on frozen lakes and ponds when the conditions are safe, or indoor skating in a rink heated locker rooms and bleachers for watching.

If you would like a more physical and demanding activity, ice hockey is the newer choice with very early roots. Ice hockey emerged in Canada in the late 19th century, evolving from similar stick-and-ball games. The sport has been linked to games played in ancient Greece, Egypt, Ireland, and by Indigenous peoples in the Americas prior to the arrival of European settlers. As teams battle it out to see who can score the most goals, there are sometimes falls and collisions that lead to injuries, so this may not be for everyone. If you take to the ice for a friendly match up or to face your bitter rival, remember to wear pads and a helmet to keep the game just what it is: a game!

Somewhere between a leisurely glide around a rink and a high energy impact sport, you could try skiing, snowboarding, or sledding to keep the adrenaline flowing. The earliest evidence of skis dates to about 6300-5000 BCE in the Northern region of Russia where fragments of ski-like objects were found, and about 3000 or 4000 BCE in Scandinavia where rock carvings depict a skier with a single pole or axe in their hand. Snowboarding emerged from skiing in the 1960s and 70s but gained popularity quickly and became an Olympic sport in 1998. Sledding may be one of the most popular and economical activities as you don't need a lot of equipment or a huge venue. Some evidence has suggested the first sleds weren't even used on snow but sand in ancient Egypt to help move large rocks and stone for construction.

More images of these exciting past times or newspaper articles describing events can be found throughout Ohio Memory. Whatever you decide to do this winter, whether staying indoors or braving the cold, remember to stay warm, be safe, and above all, have a great time!

Thank you to Ashely Rodriguez, Digital Projects Coordinator at the Ohio History Connection, for this week's post!