Epidimic of No Outside Time?

[quailsgarden]

I put the sandbox on some concrete garden blocks. I think a pallet would work good too, we just had the concrete blocks in the yard at the time.

[DBug]

We have an outdoor arena close to us. It's got a roof, but the walls are open to the fresh air, and in the summer it has a plastic mesh floor. When it's raining, we put on raincoats and head over there with balls, ride-ons and snacks, and spend the morning running around in the "outdoors" even though it's pouring rain! I love it .

In the fall/winter/spring, we're outside doing bus runs at the very least, no matter what the weather is like. Usually it's just easier to stay outside since everyone's bundled up anyway. It doesn't get that cold here, maybe an average of -15c (5f) during a cold winter. I can't imagine being stuck indoors for the whole winter! I'd go absolutely bonkers!

[Sprouts]

I am in Arizona too and it is HOOOTTTT lately! We didn't go out at all last week because of the high temperature warnings. By today, I was sick and tired of being inside so we went out for 15 minutes (it was 99 degrees at 8:30 when we went out ). I read on the news that the schools are doing 15 minute increments, so I figured I would try it out and it was just enough time for the kids to enjoy themselves without turning bright red and overheating.

I saw on the news that it should drop to 103 by Thursday and I can't wait!!! 103 is a cold front for us ::.

What about those misting sprays I've seen at lowes?
http://www.lowes.com/pd_154138-23036-WC166_4294856700_4294937087?productId=1018737&pl=1&currentURL=/pl_Portable%2BFans_4294856700_4294937087_#BVRRWidgetID

I know how hot it can get out there in the summer but this might make it bearable

[Meyou]

Country Kids....I did see a post awhile back about really wet cold weather and the kids were in snow suits and water proof ponchos. Depending on your age group something like that could work....at least for a walk around the neighbourhood : )

That was me. We have alot of rainy but nearly freezing weather here so I do full snowsuits with adult ponchos cut down to size right over the top. The only thing you can see is their face sticking out. We do ALOT of walking in the yucky weather but we try to make it fun by having races and hunting monsters.

The lack of outside time really bothers me too. I want them to be kids and be dirty and carefree. I've had so many people tell me that other providers think it's just too hard to take them out regularly. I'm the opposite...two days in the house and I'm climbing the walls and the kids are on a mini trampoline in the living room!

Last thing is THANK YOU for the turtle sandbox water table idea. I didn't fill my sandbox this year because I have so many littles that all it would have been was a pit to carry sand from to dump on my yard. I can easily put it up on blocks for a water table and get some use out of it!!!

[littlemissmuffet]

I don't think there is any excuse... where I am from it can be EXTREMELY hot in the summers (110) and our winters are brutal (-31) with crazy amounts of snow. On "nice" days we spend almost the entire day outside (evento do lunches, art/crafts time, story time, etc) - unless there is an extreme weather warning to keep children in, on days where it's too hot/too cold we go out in 10-15 minute increments until it adds up to at least 30 minutes.

I hear providers complain way too often that it's not worth dressing the kids up/down for just 10 or 15 minutes of outdoor time, but I think that's just a lazy excuse. I do it for 5 months of the year each winter.

[Blackcat31]

I don't think there is any excuse... where I am from it can be EXTREMELY hot in the summers (110) and our winters are brutal (-31) with crazy amounts of snow. On "nice" days we spend almost the entire day outside (evento do lunches, art/crafts time, story time, etc) - unless there is an extreme weather warning to keep children in, on days where it's too hot/too cold we go out in 10-15 minute increments until it adds up to at least 30 minutes.

I hear providers complain way too often that it's not worth dressing the kids up/down for just 10 or 15 minutes of outdoor time, but I think that's just a lazy excuse. I do it for 5 months of the year each winter.

[Country Kids]

That was me. We have alot of rainy but nearly freezing weather here so I do full snowsuits with adult ponchos cut down to size right over the top. The only thing you can see is their face sticking out. We do ALOT of walking in the yucky weather but we try to make it fun by having races and hunting monsters.

The lack of outside time really bothers me too. I want them to be kids and be dirty and carefree. I've had so many people tell me that other providers think it's just too hard to take them out regularly. I'm the opposite...two days in the house and I'm climbing the walls and the kids are on a mini trampoline in the living room!

Last thing is THANK YOU for the turtle sandbox water table idea. I didn't fill my sandbox this year because I have so many littles that all it would have been was a pit to carry sand from to dump on my yard. I can easily put it up on blocks for a water table and get some use out of it!!!

Your welcome for the turtle box sandbox water table idea! I'm so excited that I can do this. I'm thinking of asking my liscensor to put it in writing and putting with my inspection so when I get a new one I can show it to them.

[SilverSabre25]

I don't do a lot of taking indoor toys out/arts and crafts out type stuff because of the layout of our home (bi level...it's stupid and I hate it. I would move in a heartbeat if I could) but I wish I could, and I probably will once my babies are bigger and I don't have to haul *them* in and out too.

We try to go outside for a good portion of every morning. We used to get out for lots of the afternoon too but then everyone pick up and nap schedules shifted and it's not working.

[MyAngels]

This has been a trend that's increased for quite a long time. I remember reading an article back when my oldest was quite young - the author called it raising a generation of "hot house" kids. That term stuck with me all these years and I've been determined not to allow that to happen to the kids in my life.

[spud912]

I don't think there is any excuse... where I am from it can be EXTREMELY hot in the summers (110) and our winters are brutal (-31) with crazy amounts of snow. On "nice" days we spend almost the entire day outside (evento do lunches, art/crafts time, story time, etc) - unless there is an extreme weather warning to keep children in, on days where it's too hot/too cold we go out in 10-15 minute increments until it adds up to at least 30 minutes.

I hear providers complain way too often that it's not worth dressing the kids up/down for just 10 or 15 minutes of outdoor time, but I think that's just a lazy excuse. I do it for 5 months of the year each winter.

Wow, I never knew that Canada could get to 110 . I lived in Wisconsin (the most northerly state I lived in) a loooonng time ago and remember it getting in the 90's, sometimes low 100's with humidity and it was MISERABLE because nobody had a/c.

Yeah, last week the high was 115-120 degrees (and hitting 105-110 by 8/9 am), it was too hot to be outside, even for 15 minutes. I'm all for going outside in small increments and doing water activities, but the severe heat advisories kept us in . The best part of Arizona is that we can be outside all day in January with a light coat with highs hitting sometimes in the 70's in December and January.