Childcare Chatter: Cold weather or not, let the kids play outside

By Shauna Perrior on November 9, 2019.

With the weather getting colder, many families are settling in for the winter. Bike rides have ended, as have family hikes and playtime at the park. Early sunsets and wind chills mean that children will get less and less time to play outdoors. Parents and educators start to feel that with all this time inside the children are bouncing off the walls. Outdoor play advocate Erin Kenny has a very simple solution to this problem: “Children cannot bounce off walls if we take the walls away.” So how do we do that in these colder months ahead? Especially when we feel like we just can’t get our kids to put the coat or mittens on. Shouldn’t we just keep them inside?

Playing outside in the cold, or any inclement weather such as extreme heat, rainfall or wind, requires us to be prepared. Wearing the proper clothing for the weather and climate you are in is the best thing you can do to make your time outside enjoyable. It is imperative that children have adequate clothing to be outdoors when the temperature dips down but that doesn’t mean it is too cold to play. Pediatricians also recommend that children do not go out alone; older children should still play with a buddy and younger children should always be supervised by an adult. It’s important for adults to check to be sure that everyone is comfortable, dry, and having fun outside.

Inclement weather does pose challenges and risks for children. Taking those inherent risks away from them by not allowing them outdoors robs children of the opportunity to overcome these challenges and risks and, thereby, build resilience. When adults do all the problem-solving for children around weather, they do not learn the lessons themselves. In fact, they are likely only learning that such weather needs to be avoided at all costs and missing out on real learning opportunities on how to properly prepare themselves. For example, going out in the cold snow in a pair of cotton mittens, will very quickly teach that such mittens are not helpful for keeping them warm. Or, going out without a toque will mean cold ears very soon. It is still important for adults to check to be sure that everyone is comfortable, dry, and having fun outside.

As a caregiver, you can support your child’s learning and risk taking by modeling appropriate seasonal attire, being prepared with backups, and planning breaks to warm up. Pack the cotton mittens and the cold weather rated ones and tell your child they can choose which they will wear. They may start with the cotton mittens and then switch to the warmer ones part way through their play. Or, point out what you are noticing, by sharing your observation that their ears are looking a little red and ask “Would you like your toque now?” These natural learning and risk assessment opportunities work to build the confidence of our children. They will remember the time their hands got too cold and choose the warmer mitts independently. They will also begin to internalize the message that they can be trusted to make sound decisions for themselves and that they do not need to rely on someone else to do that for them at all times. This is where resilience and healthy development flourishes.

So as the cold weather approaches, I encourage you to allow space for your child to assess risks and challenges involved in play during cold weather, being there with back up supplies as needed. Trust that your child is capable of learning these lessons. When we see a child as capable, they will also see themselves the same way.

Join the Medicine Hat Early Childhood Coalition on Facebook for more great thoughts on early childhood development.

Shauna Perrior is a coordinator of the Medicine Hat & District Child Care Association (www.mhdcca.com).

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