Going Outside With Little Toddlers

[MNMum]

I'm in MN and it is starting to get rather cold out. On Tuesday I am starting a part-time 12 wk old 2 days/wk. Here are my other kidlets: 13 mos, 16 mos, 2 yo, 3 yo, 3 yo. My current plan was to go outside with all but the 12 week old, when she is sleeping in her crib inside (this is legal in MN with a monitor). Instead I'm contemplating only taking the 3 older kids out during morning toddler naptime on these days for the coming months. Essentially, these young toddlers would go outside on M/W but not T/Th. Then I would only do preschool on M/W.

Does anyone have different temp cut offs for different ages? I feel the 2 yo and 3 yo's could manage to keep mittens/hats/boots on and be able to play outside until about 10 degrees. However, I am constantly putting boots/mittens/hats back on these two little ones. They won't last more than 10 minutes once it's below 35 degrees.

Ideas?

[Abigail]

I'm glad you asked. I'm way up here in North Dakota freezing everyday and I'm not ready for this weather! I have a 4 month and 16 month old starting in a few weeks and don't think I can be outside very often unless my dh watches the 4 month old. I just don't know how cold is too cold for little babies. Same goes for a stroller walk, should I just plan to keep the 4 month old inside all the time unless it's sunny and 30 degrees? What would you recommend? Everyone here is full time right now.

[melskids]

We ALL go outside everyday, providing it is above 20 degrees.

It takes quite a bit to bundle them up, I'm not gonna lie.... But I think it is worth it to get these kiddos OUTSIDE!

The infants get bundled in their carseats or a stroller.

And for the toddlers who wont keep their gear on....I've got a solution for that.

I take really big long heavy socks, and put them on OVER their mittens and boots. they usually go all the way up their arms or legs. then when I put their snowpants and coat on, they can't manage to get any of it off.

[nannyde]

We do a walk every day.

Over twenty and under eighty including the wind chill and heat index.

I use mitted sweatshirts over their coats so we don't have to mess with gloves or mittens.

I've never had them take their shoes or boots off. It would be difficult to do with a mitted sweatshirt.

[melskids]

wow nannyde...thats an even easier/better idea then mine!

do you just sew the sleeves shut?

and some of mine can just kick their boots off....they don't need their hands at all....GRRRRR....

[nannyde]

Read this thread :https://www.daycare.com/forum/showth...ghlight=mitted



I'm not a sewer so it's hard to explain.

Pretend it's a pair of pants and you are hemming the bottom of the pants up two ... three inches. Then sew the pant legs at the bottom together so if you put them on you couldn't get your foot through the bottom.

The part you hem up in the shirt is the bottom of the sleeve. With the sweatshirts I use they have a wrist band at the bottom of the wrist. I hem that part up and the sew closed the opening.

It gives you a double layer of cloth at the end of the sleeve and the sleeve sewn shut.

You don't add anything to the bottom of the sleeve. You just buy BIG so that when the sleeve is sewn shut there is ample room for the whole arm to be in the sleeve. I need them big anyway because I put them OVER the coats.

Each sweatshirts arm is about two inches longer than the tip of the kids finger. That allows plenty of room when they bend their elbows.

[Meyou]

We go outside almost everyday unless it's bitter out. On nice days we play and on not as nice days we walk. If we've had days and days and days of yucky weather we play in the garage on bikes and with chalk with the door open or partially open.

With little ones I make sure I have a place that's trampled (if it's snow) or clear for them to walk/play. They get soooo frustrated dealing with mobility problems from the snowsuits and boots but can do quite well on the driveway playing in the snowbanks on the sides or in a little pile I shovel for them. They love buckets and shovels in the snow for entertainment.