Playing Outside

[dcm]

What do we do when only two of our dck's absolutely don't like playing outside at all?

Our group consists of; myself, my hubby, our two boys (ages 5 and 3), two 4-yr-old dcb's, one 3-yr-old dcg, a 16-month old dcg, two 12-month old's (boy and girl).

One 4 year old boy and the 3 year old girl, complain every single time we go outside. It was shorts and t-shirt weather today, and they were whining that they were cold (pretty sure it was just to complain about something).
We have the Step 2 roller coaster, a basketball hoop, a soccer net, a water table, hoola hoops, sidewalk chalk, slides, picnic table....so there's no shortage of toys to play with.

Our plan for the spring/summer is that we stay outside just after breakfast and parents pick-up in the backyard (830am to 5pm). This is hard when we have to hear the constant whining from the two of them. We are ready to term them just because of this, we told all of the parents in the interview that our family loves the outside and we will be outside all day during the summer but those parents now, complained to us this morning that we were outside too long, and we re-iterated that we play outside, and they kind of rolled their eyes and left. We don't know what to do?

[TwinKristi]

What would they rather they be doing? I've never had anyone complain that we're out TOO long! We would stay outside all day if possible too! But I have mainly DCBs and a tomboy DCG who all love to play outside! Sometimes we come inside because it's too hot! We have a covered deck/patio and it turns into a sauna sometimes! I'm thinking of having dh put up some misters or something to keep cool this summer. We have a portable AC unit we bring in during the summer so we have the option.
But I would talk to the parents about why this is a problem. It seems kids don't have the imagination we did as kids. I loved being outside with friends! What would they rather be doing? Are there activities they like you can move outside?

[My3cents]

What do we do when only two of our dck's absolutely don't like playing outside at all?

Our group consists of; myself, my hubby, our two boys (ages 5 and 3), two 4-yr-old dcb's, one 3-yr-old dcg, a 16-month old dcg, two 12-month old's (boy and girl).

One 4 year old boy and the 3 year old girl, complain every single time we go outside. It was shorts and t-shirt weather today, and they were whining that they were cold (pretty sure it was just to complain about something).
We have the Step 2 roller coaster, a basketball hoop, a soccer net, a water table, hoola hoops, sidewalk chalk, slides, picnic table....so there's no shortage of toys to play with.

Our plan for the spring/summer is that we stay outside just after breakfast and parents pick-up in the backyard (830am to 5pm). This is hard when we have to hear the constant whining from the two of them. We are ready to term them just because of this, we told all of the parents in the interview that our family loves the outside and we will be outside all day during the summer but those parents now, complained to us this morning that we were outside too long, and we re-iterated that we play outside, and they kind of rolled their eyes and left. We don't know what to do?

California? What will you when the temps are too hot to be outside? California can get very very hot.

Your program, your rules. They knew what they signed on for correct? It was made clear that you are outside all day? I wouldn't term and I wouldn't let the kids run my show. I would make sure your using tons of sunscreen, and water is available.

You can tell parents, but if you make a check list and go through it one by one with them having them sign off on it and also giving them a copy of your rules and regulations is your best bet. They were verbally told, they saw it with eyes, and then they touched it by signing it.........only thing left is smell, and taste. I suppose you could cover those two senses at the interview too. Offer an ice tea outside, and wave some sunscreen around or lay it on thicker then norm for the interview.........ok being silly but seriously you have shown them in three different ways, four or five actually and if they don't get it by then, just do your thing and they can choose to jump off or on the sunshine train, but don't allow them to give you any grief over something you clearly went over at your interview. I take it you allow most of the inside toys/activities to go outside?

Good luck, being a bit silly here with lots of truths too. Your home, your program, your rules- so long as your following your states guidelines for licensing you should be good to go-

best-

[Play Care]

California? What will you when the temps are too hot to be outside? California can get very very hot.

Your program, your rules. They knew what they signed on for correct? It was made clear that you are outside all day? I wouldn't term and I wouldn't let the kids run my show. I would make sure your using tons of sunscreen, and water is available.

You can tell parents, but if you make a check list and go through it one by one with them having them sign off on it and also giving them a copy of your rules and regulations is your best bet. They were verbally told, they saw it with eyes, and then they touched it by signing it.........only thing left is smell, and taste. I suppose you could cover those two senses at the interview too. Offer an ice tea outside, and wave some sunscreen around or lay it on thicker then norm for the interview.........ok being silly but seriously you have shown them in three different ways, four or five actually and if they don't get it by then, just do your thing and they can choose to jump off or on the sunshine train, but don't allow them to give you any grief over something you clearly went over at your interview. I take it you allow most of the inside toys/activities to go outside?

Good luck, being a bit silly here with lots of truths too. Your home, your program, your rules- so long as your following your states guidelines for licensing you should be good to go-

best-

I think the OP is from Canada?:confused: Although not sure where in Canada it would have been warm enough today for shirt and shorts today?

In any event I would not entertain the whining. They can play with the toys or they can sit out, their choice.

[Scribbles]

I wish it was shorts weather here

You said you told all the parents that you spend all day out side during the summer time and since it is nowhere near summer yet, especially in Canada maybe they thought it was too long to be outside. The kids might really have been cold. The breeze can be chilly up north. Just trying to think how a parent might see it.

[daycare]

we also have outside all days too, but we do have a small reading center out in the summer time with color books if they wish to just rest in the shade.

I would just have them sit in the shade.

Just curious, do you guys come inside for naps?

[dcm]

Yes, we are in Canada It was 20 degrees Celsius today! Maybe not exactly short weather, but with the sun beaming down, we were all boiling I was outside in a tank top and a long skirt!! All of the kids were wearing a windbreaker jacket, some had wetpants, and all of them were wearing sun hats. The parents provide sunscreen and we apply to all, before we go outside. Kids start getting dropped off between 630am and 7am and by the time breakfast is made, we try to get outside by 9am at the latest. Parents pick up between 5pm and 530pm. We have a large picnic table with a large umbrella that provides shade for the kids, and the water table is there to cool off if needed. We also keep a large jug of ice cold water available at all times (we don't serve juice at our day home, only water and milk w/ meals). The younger ones do go inside to nap, some nap twice a day, some nap once, because my husband and I run it together, one of us supervises the naps and the other one is outside with the rest of the kids.

We do have the kids go sit, if they are disturbing playtime by whining, but most of the time, they voluntarily go sit on the deck steps, just because they don't want to be outside. We go up to them and try to get them involved in the toys/activities, but that usually just makes them whine more because we are not giving in and going inside, I guess. I was tired of seeing the sad faces. The big problem we feel is that kids just don't "play" anymore. The boy likes to talk about video games, (maybe he watches a lot of TV at home), the dck's don't have access to our TV at all, ever.
I mean even inside, the boy and girl, don't "play" much, they will pick up a toy here and there, join us in activities in, etc. but their attention span only lasts for a very short while and they just sit there. Trust me, we try constantly to get them excited, but no. We ask the parents what they do at home, and the one Mom said that it was a lot of activity for their child to take in ?! Huh?! My just turned three year old is more active.

So do we just ignore the whining and keep trying to include them? ...and let them sit if they don't want to be included? Is it okay to spend all day outside? I mean, what's wrong with the fresh air and outdoors!

[Crazy8]

Yes, we are in Canada It was 20 degrees Celsius today! Maybe not exactly short weather, but with the sun beaming down, we were all boiling I was outside in a tank top and a long skirt!! All of the kids were wearing a windbreaker jacket, some had wetpants, and all of them were wearing sun hats. The parents provide sunscreen and we apply to all, before we go outside. Kids start getting dropped off between 630am and 7am and by the time breakfast is made, we try to get outside by 9am at the latest. Parents pick up between 5pm and 530pm. We have a large picnic table with a large umbrella that provides shade for the kids, and the water table is there to cool off if needed. We also keep a large jug of ice cold water available at all times (we don't serve juice at our day home, only water and milk w/ meals). The younger ones do go inside to nap, some nap twice a day, some nap once, because my husband and I run it together, one of us supervises the naps and the other one is outside with the rest of the kids.

We do have the kids go sit, if they are disturbing playtime by whining, but most of the time, they voluntarily go sit on the deck steps, just because they don't want to be outside. We go up to them and try to get them involved in the toys/activities, but that usually just makes them whine more because we are not giving in and going inside, I guess. I was tired of seeing the sad faces. The big problem we feel is that kids just don't "play" anymore. The boy likes to talk about video games, (maybe he watches a lot of TV at home), the dck's don't have access to our TV at all, ever.
I mean even inside, the boy and girl, don't "play" much, they will pick up a toy here and there, join us in activities in, etc. but their attention span only lasts for a very short while and they just sit there. Trust me, we try constantly to get them excited, but no. We ask the parents what they do at home, and the one Mom said that it was a lot of activity for their child to take in ?! Huh?! My just turned three year old is more active.

So do we just ignore the whining and keep trying to include them? ...and let them sit if they don't want to be included? Is it okay to spend all day outside? I mean, what's wrong with the fresh air and outdoors!

You really stay outside from 9am till 5-5:30pm??? Honestly, I think its ok to not be big fan of the outdoors, some people just aren't (I'm not) and you can't change that. Sure we all need fresh air and being outside for a few hours is great and its very beneficial for them to learn to play and such, but for someone who doesn't love it naturally 8 hours is probably just way too much for them. The parents did sign up knowing this so maybe it is time for them to just look for a daycare better suited to their childs personality.

[debbiedoeszip]

A friend, who must live in your general area, was bragging about the beautiful weather and 20C temps. I'm in Ontario and it was only 5C today (brrrrr). I was just happy to be out in a hoody (vs. parka).

<<<Yes, we are in Canada It was 20 degrees Celsius today! Maybe not exactly short weather>>>

It's shorts weather around here when the temps hit about 15C. Mostly teens and YA, but you see lots of people out and about in shorts. Not me, but I'm sensitive to the cold.

[Lucy]

Yes, we are in Canada It was 20 degrees Celsius today! Maybe not exactly short weather, but with the sun beaming down, we were all boiling I was outside in a tank top and a long skirt!!

Must be Western Canada? By my calculations, that would be about 70 F, which is what it was here in the Pacific NW of the US. Lovely!!!!

[Meyou]

It was 19 here on Monday and there were lots of people out in shorts. Canadian summer has started! ::

OP, it sounds more like these kids don't know how to play rather than hating the outside. Have you tried ignoring the whining and just sending them to play toys over and over? Sounds simple enough but often when I stop tolerating "bugging" behavior they give it up. "Go play, whining is all done for today." Repeat. If they want to sit they can but far from you, in the play area somewhere. Also, chronic complainers here must be very tired and need to go rest in their beds. That fixes more problems than I can count. It's amazing how untired, unwhiny and unbored 3 and 4 year olds can be when they resting is the alternative.

[Play Care]

Do you offer any structured outdoor play or is it all free play? Right now we get outside for an hour or so in the morning and a couple of hours in the afternoon. If I were going to have a completely outdoor program I would probably have centers set up outside (and assign children a spot when it was that time) as well as the art and craft, circle time, etc. to break up the day.
Like another poster mentioned, they may just not like being outside - especially if it seems like they don't get out much elsewhere. The parents also may have signed up for your program thinking the kids would get their outdoor time with you, and then they wouldn't have to do it.
It may be time to have a talk with the parents "DCP, as you know when you signed on I made it clear we were an outdoor program. It's been x amount of time and Tommy still seems unhappy when we are outdoors. As the weather gets nicer, we will not be spending *any* time inside." They may have heard you say you were mostly an outdoor program but assumed you meant that you were out for a couple of hours in the morning and afternoon. They may really not know that you meant completely outdoors...

[nothingwithoutjoy]

Is it okay to spend all day outside?

Yes!!

Lots of kids haven't learned how to play outside. Many parents don't value it, or are always rushing here and there, or don't think to get outside with their kids. And, like you said, many kids don't know how to play without being entertained. But they can learn.

I wonder if you have some open-ended things for play: loose parts, mud kitchen, building materials, natural areas... ? Sounds like you have lots of toys, but to get really lost in play for hours, they might need something with richer possibilities. Just a thought that might help. My kids play with toys for only very short times, but play in the mud kitchen or with sticks for ages.

[coolconfidentme]

In the summer we spend as much time outside as weather allows. Last summer I had a DCB who whined & complained about it. I told him if he wanted to complain & be miserable he could do it over there...., alone. (I pointed to the picnic table.) If he wanted to make the best of it he could go over there. (I pointed to where the kids were playing.) When he whined I just pointed to the picnic table. After a few weeks he stopped complaining..., it was getting him know where. Try it, who knows?

If they still complain tell them, "This isn't Disneyland..., The Happiest Place On Earth. It's DAYCARE!" ::::

ps..., Eye rolling is rude & disrespectful. I let the DCKs know its not acceptable behavior here.

[Heidi]

Yes!!

Lots of kids haven't learned how to play outside. Many parents don't value it, or are always rushing here and there, or don't think to get outside with their kids. And, like you said, many kids don't know how to play without being entertained. But they can learn.

I wonder if you have some open-ended things for play: loose parts, mud kitchen, building materials, natural areas... ? Sounds like you have lots of toys, but to get really lost in play for hours, they might need something with richer possibilities. Just a thought that might help. My kids play with toys for only very short times, but play in the mud kitchen or with sticks for ages.

Ditto this!

Mine are quite a bit younger, but they are now also adjusting to an almost all outdoor program. I also have a covered porch, so unless it's pouring buckets, we can be outside all day except nap. We COULD do nap outside, but I'm pretty sure it would be way shorter then, and I'm not giving that up.

The first day out, which was Monday, they wandered around looking lost. Yesterday was much better.

Check out the blog "Let the Children Play", and their section "Play Outside!" for ideas. http://www.letthechildrenplay.net/

I was thinking...boys that age= FORTS! Give them fort materials, maybe some kids binoculors (sp). Find some books about "adventures" to read to them to give them ideas (I read at the end of lunch because I have a captive audience, btw).