Outside Play in the Cold with BABIES??

[MommyMuffin]

I love going outside with my kids but I have a 4 month old and a 2 month old....do I put them in winter gear and set them in their carseat on the porch so that the older kids can get outside.

I know licensing says I have to take the kids outside weather permitting...but they dont say how to take out such little ones.

Also, I do not have an assistant and I have 7 dcks.

[Zoe]

I haven't run into this yet, but when I was teaching, I saw my kids' daycare lady doing just what you described. Bundling up the little tykes with coats and blankets, etc, and putting them in the car seats. I think if licensing allows that, that's what I would do. Not for very long, but enough to help out the older kids who need that exercise.

[MamaJ]

if they are good sleepers, I'd plan to go outside with the older kids during the babies' morning nap and bring a monitor out with me, and periodically do a visual check on them. However with that you run the risk of one baby not sleeping well, waking up early or just a few minutes after you got everyone outside.

when I had an infant (my own), I would bundle her up in the car seat or stroller. It's kind of a pain, but unless you want to "wear" one of them in a bjorn, ergo with a winter cover, etc...that's about your only option.

[littlemissmuffet]

...do I put them in winter gear and set them in their carseat on the porch so that the older kids can get outside.

Yup!

[Cat Herder]

Resin wading pools and ball pit balls are how I survive that stage outdoors.

I have to take them ALL out as long as the temps are in the safe range.

[JeepGirl6]

I was actually trying to figure this out too. I have a 3 month and lately the weather has been in the 60's...I got one of those full carseat covers where it has a little opening for the infants face, so I will wrap her in blankets and then put the car seat cover on, works great!

[AnneCordelia]

I put my babies in high chairs on my deck. Or I set up a playpen on the deck (but I know there are some states that won't let you use those for non-sleep). Sometimes I'll put them in the stroller with the raincover on, if it's windy. I find they are a great audience to read to when they're strapped in.

[Unregistered]

signing on anonymous...
I wouldn't send my baby to a provider that would take them outside like that. I have parents already say to me (about their toddlers) "it's pretty brisky out there today so I wouldn't go outside". I'm not doing anything the parents wouldn't approve off. I'm here to make them happy not state. But I don't have older kids to worry about. If that were to happen I would probably use the baby monitor and take my chances during their naptime. If the big kids only get 5 minutes then that's what happens...

[2ndFamilyDC]

I have always felt it is a problem taking older kids outside when I have an infant. This is how it goes at my house.
Have all the kids go to the bathroom before getting ready to go out.
Begin getting kids ready to go out. Takes a good 1/2 hour to get everyone ready.
Older kids are sweating by the time I get the younger ones bundled up.
Then a toddler or infant poops.
Now gotta go change a diaper. Meanwhile everyone is roasting and acting up.
Ok, finally got the diaper changed and kid bundled up again.
Out we go.
Someone steps into a pile of snow and their boot comes off. Now they are crying because their boot is off and their sock is soaked.
Another kid is crying because their mitten came off and their hand is freezing.
And so it goes.
After being outside for less then 10 minutes I have kids crying, they are cold and they want to go inside.
So it takes at least a half hour to get ready to go out and we spend 10 minutes or less outside and then it a good 20 - 30 minutes to unbundle them and get their gear all put away and dried off.
SO NOT WORTH IT TO ME! It is one rule I do not care for in the winter months.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Same issue, but its HEAT

In FL, its too darn hot!
This is a TOUGH dilemma! I don't know what to tell you. I agree with unregistered that as a parent, I would not want my infant in a carseat on the porch in the cold. There must be a better way.
I just think its impossible if you have ages infant-5 to have outside time if its too hot/cold.
We have ages 1-5, but we are a licensed center and there are 2, sometimes 3, teachers on duty. Bigs go out, Littles stay in when its too hot (which is ALWAYS). Bigs and Littles ALL go out in the morning, but Littles come inside if they start looking sweaty, usually after about a half hour. In the afternoon, outside time is OPTIONAL for Bigs, but Littles stay in.

But how on earth to do this with one person?!? I am at a loss. Sorry

[Blackcat31]

Where I live, it is often double digits below zero for days and weeks on end. I think our low for last winter was -31 degrees (actual temp, NOT windchill)

I stress to all my parents during the interview process how I feel about being outside. I think it is important to have the fresh air even for a few minutes during the winter months. I do not take really young infants but when I did in the past I either bundled them up in blankets or left them inside to nap using a monitor. My licensor was the one who suggested using the monitor so I know it is okay to do so.

If a parent was not okay with either the monitor or me taking them outside if they were awake, then I would not have had the family enroll. There are plenty of other providers to choose from. I however, am a provider who promotes and utilizes the outdoors. Winter, Spring, Fall and Summer.

Obviously when it is physically dangerous to be outside, we do not go but we do go out as much as we can during every season. As far as getting all the littles dressed by myself (I have 10 FT'ers) I start by laying their snowpants out and have everyone start getting dressed at the same time. I assist those that need it and we move on to the next article of clothing together as a group. That way no one is fully dressed while waiting for others. Sometimes getting dresses takes us 20 minutes and then we are only out for 10 but it is what it is.

[Mom_of_two]

When I have babies I do what a pp said- take the bigs out with a monitor when babies are sleeping.

IMO if a parent chooses you for DC and you explain your policies it is fine. It is fine for babies to get a little fresh air in cooler weather. It's not like you would enjoy putting them on the porch in a blizzard. LOL. Some room to assume common sense here, I think!!

I love when parents appreciate me taking the kids out. We walk my 4 year old to preschool right now. Today is Gorgeous- 60 and sunny. One of the moms got here and assumed I'd be driving 'because of the cold' -no way! I want my kids to be healthy and active and appreciate the outdoors and all of the seasons. Using common sense of course! If it is 30 and snowing, we will be driving! Keep us posted.

[KEG123]

I've had to think a lot about this because I'm due next month so I'll have my newborn in the colder months. I'll probably put her in a baby carrier of some sort, most likely the Moby, with my coat on over us both. I doubt we'll be out long on the days we go out though, maybe 30 minutes tops? I don't know, this is my first winter as a provider. I've got mostly 2's and a 3.

[Blackcat31]

When I have babies I do what a pp said- take the bigs out with a monitor when babies are sleeping.

IMO if a parent chooses you for DC and you explain your policies it is fine. It is fine for babies to get a little fresh air in cooler weather. It's not like you would enjoy putting them on the porch in a blizzard. LOL. Some room to assume common sense here, I think!!

I love when parents appreciate me taking the kids out. We walk my 4 year old to preschool right now. Today is Gorgeous- 60 and sunny. One of the moms got here and assumed I'd be driving 'because of the cold' -no way! I want my kids to be healthy and active and appreciate the outdoors and all of the seasons. Using common sense of course! If it is 30 and snowing, we will be driving! Keep us posted.

Isn't it funny how different areas consider different things cold? Here if it was 30 in January we would all be wearing T-shirts and no jackets because for us that is a heat wave! ::

We went down to North Carolina with our kids a few years back in October. The motel had an outdoor pool. The temps we in the mid 60ies. My kids swam all day while the locals were wearing thick jackets. I guess we grow them tough up here in the north.

Our last trip was to Pamona, CA in February and my DH and I were wearing shorts and T-shirts while everyone around us was dressed in jackets and long pants. Some even had stocking caps on. We were roasting!!

[Meyou]

I take a monitor out and play during the little ones morning nap. In the afternoons I will bundle them in the stroller with cover.