Recess with very cold weather .

[Anonymous]

Hi, opinions on what schools should do during cold weather at recess time?

[Anonymous]

LOL, "very cold" weather in DC.

My advice is that you recognize that parent opinion and teacher opinion on this matter varies tremendously and therefore whatever you want, you mostly won't be getting it.

[Anonymous]

play.

We just spent 1.5 hours outside on a trail this morning.

Even a walk outdoors, scavenger hunt, hockey, soccer, etc.

[Anonymous]

Play outside wearing appropriate clothing!

[Anonymous]

DCPS teacher here. We always try and take the kids out. It is better than indoor recess. Persistent heavy rain is about the only reason we don't take kids out. Just need to send your kids appropriately dressed: gloves, hats, scarves, jackets etc.

[Anonymous]

I believe with cold temperatures some children are going to get sick. Why dont the schools make a plan to keep some of them indoors .I think that in this situation you can ask to stay indoors if wanted / needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, opinions on what schools should do during cold weather at recess time?

Uh, go outside? I think there are some temperatures where it is unsafe but that's generally not what we get in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe with cold temperatures some children are going to get sick. Why dont the schools make a plan to keep some of them indoors .I think that in this situation you can ask to stay indoors if wanted / needed.

How do kids get sick outside?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe with cold temperatures some children are going to get sick. Why dont the schools make a plan to keep some of them indoors .I think that in this situation you can ask to stay indoors if wanted / needed.

How do kids get sick outside?

So do you think that children in colder climates just don't go outside for recess, for months at a time? Come on. In colder climates they go outside MORE because nobody's believing this myth that it makes you sick.

[Anonymous]

I’d be upset at teacher if they weren’t taking the kids outside. I’d assume she just doesn’t want to be cold. Kids don’t mind the cold at all.

Rain might be different. My kids love rain but wear rain boots when it rains. And rainboots aren’t appropriate for school because they aren’t comfy and they need sneakers for PE. Also, pants sometimes get wet even with rain jackets and rain boots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe with cold temperatures some children are going to get sick. Why dont the schools make a plan to keep some of them indoors .I think that in this situation you can ask to stay indoors if wanted / needed.

How cold is too cold? Dress them for the weather.

[Anonymous]

It’s 40. My kids isn’t even wearing socks. He wears shorts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe with cold temperatures some children are going to get sick. Why dont the schools make a plan to keep some of them indoors .I think that in this situation you can ask to stay indoors if wanted / needed.

How do kids get sick outside?

So do you think that children in colder climates just don't go outside for recess, for months at a time? Come on. In colder climates they go outside MORE because nobody's believing this myth that it makes you sick.

Yep - this is the policy for my kids school in Ottawa, Canada.

"On days where schools receive the Ottawa Public Health Frostbite Alert (Wind chill of -25 or colder) or Frostbite Warning (Wind chill of -35 or colder), principals are encouraged to keep students indoors for recess, lunch or class-based activities"

That's -25 celsius - so -13 Farenheit.

When I was a kid it had to be -25 without windchill to stay in for recess. If kids do not have appropriate clothing, the school arranges for them to be given some or keeps them in, but parents are expected to send kids to school prepared.

Of course, our schools are back virtual but I follow the same policy at home for when to send them outside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe with cold temperatures some children are going to get sick. Why dont the schools make a plan to keep some of them indoors .I think that in this situation you can ask to stay indoors if wanted / needed.

I grew up in New England. We had snow on the ground typically from November to April. We would leave shoes at school and wear boots to and from school every day. We always had outdoor recess. I remember one year we got a January thaw and the soccer field flooded and then froze, we brought in skates and skated at recess. No one ever got sick from being in the cold.

We did do PE indoors for the second and third quarters of the year. But I also remember doing outdoor PE in October and the ground had already frozen, it was like playing on concrete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Play outside wearing appropriate clothing!

Which can be tough on the kids who don't have appropriate clothing.

But it doesn't get that cold in DC. Average temperature for January is 43F. If you're outside running around you can stand that for half an hour.

Soaking rain is different.