We go outside, even in the winter
We are looking at A LOT OF snowy days coming up this winter!
And we cannot wait for all of our outdoor winter adventures.
We wanted to address some concerns about having kids outside during the colder, darker months. Please rest assured that we keep abreast of the weather constantly. We are always tuned into how the kids and adults are faring. We keep their safety and comfort in mind as well as all the safety and licensing regulations.
We will also not subject a child to outdoor play if they are not properly attired. We have worked to have a stock of jackets, mittens, hats, even boots so that a child who comes unprepared may still participate with their friends. That being said, visiting our Supply List and making sure that your child has everything they need for each season helps us and them each day!
There will be some days that are too wet or too cold! We will have little movie and popcorn parties and days where we do art while the weather outside is frightful. BUT barring exceptional highs and lows, most weather is perfectly fine for kids and adults of all ages, and we will be going outside as often as possible.
The Better Kid Care Program, the center of knowledge for all the best childcare curriculums and teacher programs, has an entire article on the importance of winter play for children. You can read it here.
The loss of consistent outdoor playtime is absolutely detrimental to the physical and emotional wellness of a child.
In this article from Tinkergarten, they talk about how children need several HOURS of play time a day to be healthy! Keeping them indoors may seem the best way to be safe, but really, we are hindering their growth.
Occupational therapists encourage parents to take children outside in all seasons. This helps brain development and to mitigate sensory issues that are on the rise in children.
Kids are meant to play. They are meant to get dirty and windswept. They are meant to eat snow, trip in their swishy snow-pants, to fall down and find they can get back up again.
According to Pediatric Occupational Therapist Angela Hanscom, not only are these things incredible for attention and sensory issues, they are a KEY ROLE in developing The Vestibular System. This is the system our bodies use to know where we are in space! It is even more important than it sounds. Without serious play, children are more frail, more clumsy, less able to pay attention, and much more likely to struggle with emotional regulation.
Our preschool teachers are especially focused on “Kindergarten-Readiness.” This involves working on letters and numbers and pre-writing skills, but it also involves physical health and social-emotional independence. Outdoor lessons and games help cement fine-motor and gross-motor work. Operating in varying weather helps develop their sensory resilience which is essential for increasing attention span inside and outside of the classroom.
For more on Angela Hanscom’s research and Timbernook Program, click here!
For more on outside play and holistic healthy development, check out this CoordiKids Article
Here are some totally normal, outside winter activities we do at Common Ground that actually promote Kindergarten Readiness.
1. Building an Igloo with Friends: Promotes core strength, cooperation, simple machines and tools usage, basic engineering, imaginative play, patience, sensory endurance
2. Snow Walking and Rolling down Hills: Inner Ear training, strength training, leg and inner core training, aerobic workout
3. Snow Writing: Using natural tools to promote fine-motor practice. You can also use markers to do color work.
4. Winter Walk: Aerobic Exercise, Seasonal Cycles and Lessons, basic biology flora/fauna studies
What do we always say? NO BAD WEATHER. ONLY BAD CLOTHES!
Is you child really set up for this winter? Here are items that we have on our student supply list that we highly recommend purchasing as soon as possible.
Please keep in mind that all the shopping links on our blog are Amazon affiliate links. If you shop with amazon through those links, you are also supporting Common Ground directly AND keeping your kiddos prepared for all seasons!
Check out our SUPPLY LIST for our recommendations for each season!
SNOW BOOTS — Snow comes in all different shapes and sizes, but it is always cold and always wet. An insulated, water resistant boot that goes high up a child’s leg will keep them warm and dry while they play. PLEASE NOTE: While rainbows will keep a child’s foot dry, they are not properly insulated and do not offer any protection against the cold. Snow boots are most appropriate in cold, wintry weather.
WATERPROOF GLOVES OR MITTENS — Snow gloves protect against the cold, but they are also water resistant. Cotton gloves, while warm, will become wet very quickly and will do more harm than good when trying to keep your child’s hands warm. Please make sure they have snow gloves available.
SNOW PANTS — Snow pants are key to making sure a child is warm and happy for a longer period of time. The water resistant fabric makes sure that the pants they wear to school stay as dry as possible so fewer clothing changes are required.
THERMAL UNDERWEAR — We recommend these over sweat suits because they keep a child warm without overheating them or keeping their sweat in. These are perfect for layering winter clothes and helping a child regulate their body temperature while they play rough outside.
We will keep you all posted on our winter lessons and activities! Stay safe!!
— LJ and the Common Ground Crew
Here are some other essential readings on the subject of being outside.
Safety Tips for Childcare Providers and Parents!
A Montessori Guide to Playing in Winter!
Athletes and Explorers discuss keeping your kids warm in winter!
