Outside Play in the Winter

[Sunny Day]

For those of you who get nasty winters (I live in Ontario, Canada, so I get them bad! ), how often do you get your daycare kiddies outside to play? I feel like I have not been getting them out enough, but I have all little ones, it takes me 20 minutes to half an hour to get them all ready and then we get outside, they can't walk, their mitts are falling off and they're all screaming and crying after 5 minutes. Its just NOT worth it! I usually get them out about twice a week....

[Stacy214]

I live in NC and we just don't go out ever during the winter...I know I know I am supposed to get them out but I have two 4 mos olds, 1 yr old and 2 yr old....so I create lots of gross motor activities to do inside. It's not worth the bundling up and like you said the time.

[melskids]

i live in upstate NY, which might as well be Canada....

we go outside EVERYDAY. yes, its a hassle getting them all dressed, but to me, its part of the deal, and i also think its good practice for them. i dont look at it as an added chore, but more a learning experience for them. i think its important that they get fresh air everyday. (even if sometimes its only for 10 minutes) it does have to be at least 20 degrees out, with no wind chill. we did attempt 14 degrees the other day, cause the school agers were bugging to go out, but it was too cold, and took our breath away. little babies are bundled good and put in their bucket seats w/ a blanket. i have one who is just learning to walk, so he kinda crawls around a bit. the snow is too deep for anyone to navigate right now, so we mostly play on the sidewalk and on my porch. yesterday we brought out liquid watercolor in spray bottles and they spray painted the snow banks. they loved it!!!!

[countrymom]

I don't take them out, today its cold again, and by the time I dress them all and get them outside its such a hassle thats its not worth it anymore. I hate winter.

[Jewels]

ooh melskids I love the idea of the watercolors and snow.

I also take my children out everyday, as long as its 20 degrees or higher, and I live in MN, so again, we get very good winters, I;m sometimes bundling 8-9 children to go outside, takes about 45 minutes sometime, and we can stay outside for sometimes an hour, they have a blast, and I think there have only been a total of 2 weeks so far, where its been to cold in the afternoon to go out. I also consider this part of the job. even though sometimes I do not enjoy it, The best thing I have done, is make sure I have all the appropriate clothing, I have very good snow pants, boots, coat, and gloves myself, so I am always comfortable outside, which makes it easier to get the kiddos out.

[WImom]

We go out everyday unless it's really windy and the windchill is below 15. I think we've only stayed in three times so far.

[Michelle]

I live in Calif. I love to take them outside. You guys who live in the east would totally make fun of us because it will be like 55-60 degrees and I will have them looking like they are ready for Alaska... guess our blood is thin... I hate it because its usually in the 70's in the winter.... really boring , I want snow!!!!

[AnythingsPossible]

We don't go out in the winter. I hate that we don't, but that's the way it is. We have dogs that share dc outside space. In the spring/summer/fall, I keep the dog mess cleaned up everyday, religiously, in the winter it is to hard to keep on top of. Not a good reason, but it is what it is. The parents all know how we operate. I do try to get them out for walks once in awhile, but it honestly doesn't happen very often. I want to fence in another area so we can have a summer yard and a winter yard. When we have gone out in winter, my group just kind of wanders around and doesn't do much. I suppose that's my fault as for not thinking of engaging winter activities, but honestly I'm not a cold weather person so my attitude greatly effects what we do. I told my husband I want to move to Phoenix. Sure it's ungodly hot 3 months out of the year, but I think I would rather be hot for 3 months then cold for 6 or more.

[ddnanny13]

I wish we could but it seems there is always at least one child without the proper attire. One girl had no boots for a week, other boy had no snow pants, then the next week had snow pants but no mittens! Mittens I have extras of but not boots or pants... plus we then had a few -30 days that I just couldn't stand to open the door and let the kids in let alone take them outside to play. Now I have 14 months old non walker who just started so I think we will be sticking indoors until it at least hits the 40's...Summer come quick!

[VTMom]

We usually go out twice a day as long as it's at least in the teens. We're out anywhere from half an hour to an hour at a time.

[Stacy214]

I seriously commend you if you do take the babies and toddlers out in the winter/snow...but may I ask how? We don't normally get snow here (but have this year) and I have no idea what i would do with the ones who don't walk...I know this sounds like a ridiculous question but I'm originally from Florida and now in NC. Even 50 degrees chills me to the bones (I guess the good thing is my parents are great about me not taking them out). Or how about the babies, do you just keep them in a bouncy...what is your strategy ?

[lil angels]

I am in Minnesota as well and we go out every day so long as it is not to windy and is above 20. I have a 8 month old that I bundle and them put her in her car seat and set in the stroller. The others that don't walk will crawl around on the sidewalks. I have extra clothes that I have marked so if someone forgets that is not a good reason to stay in. People do get good at bringing things and I also will let them leave a set of clothes here if they like. I think I normally enjoy it as much as they do I feel so much better at the end of the day. I normally have pickup outside then and it is so much more simple that way everyone is dressed and there is no complaining in the house that theydon't want to go home.

[WImom]

For those that say it's too cold for them...I HATE the cold but I live in WI so I have to deal with it. What I do that has helped is wear snowpants and it really keeps me alot warmer.

[Missani]

My rule book states that children must go outside daily, weather permitting. I asked my licensor what that meant and she said every day that the windchill is above 0. So, mostly, that's what we do (although I do need a day here and there to stay inside). I love taking the kids outside, but it takes the whole day so we really don't do anything else. Literally: breakfast, diapers, outside, diapers, lunch, nap, diapers, snack and it's 5:00 every day. So much for the preschool program I *used to* run. I actually am going to post this very question. BUT, to answer your question, I do take them out and I find at the beginning of winter they just stood there and the little ones cried. Now, however, they all play and have a lot of fun. I do have a 7 month old non-crawler that I bundle and put in a little toddler sled. It has a little seat with a back and a strap to buckle her in. She just sits there and watches the other kids, or I can pull her around by the attached string. The other little ones are all old enough to walk (17 months, 20 months, and 2) and they do pretty well. Sometimes they do just stand there, or cry, or busy themselves by taking off their boots, mittens, hats, or all of the above...LOL.

[ammama]

I live in Alberta, and we go out everyday, unless it is below -23 C with the wind chill. So far this winter, we have stayed inside about 14-15 days or so. My youngest is 2, so the older kids like getting out. The 2 year old sometimes complains, but on colder days, we go for walks instead of just playing outside. I have a dog too, but I know where she poops, and I go out and dig it up with the rake. I have a long wooden toboggan that we'll pull, and smaller plastic ones that the kids pull each other on. I'd go crazy if I had to stay indoors all the time!