Why your kids are not playing outside in winter and how you can fix it.

Last updated on January 27, 2019

‘’Mom, where are all the kids?’’ My then 2 ½ year old son asked me as we did our usual playground outing near our house. 

Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have given it a conscious thought if he hadn’t pointed this fact with concern and a little disappointment.  ‘’I don’t know’’ was the only and real answer I could tell him.  

I could have made up some excuses ‘’it’s nap time, it’s lunch time, the kids are at school, the kids are on vacation or even maybe they went to another park…’’ But what was the point.

It seems that kids and parents (who need to accompany their kids) are not that interested or too lazy to go outside. 

So that is when I started documenting every time we went to a playground last Fall up until recently this Winter.

I used to sigh when my parents told us to go play outside.  ‘’Mom do I really need to?, but it’s cold!’’  I didn’t jump with joy, unless it was recess at school, however, having a sister and brother whom thoroughly enjoyed being outside would encourage me to go play with them.  ‘’Come on, let’s build a tunnel in the snow!’’

Oh the joys of the simple life before smartphones and Ipads and satellite tv and Netflix subscriptions.

I realized that kids (mainly due to the parents or adult that is supervising) are not going outside that much except when it’s a sunny but not too hot or windy or humid summer day. If it’s raining, too windy, cloudy, icy or cold , then you can forget about it!…you get the picture.

But why?

Maybe we just need someone to give us a kick in the pants, not literally, but you know what I mean.

We all know the benefits of being outside just like eating garlic or parsley on a first date is a bad idea or crossing the street without looking both ways or drinking redbull for breakfast but hey, some people still do it.

What would happen if ….

More active and medicated kids could play outside. What if school recess was extended instead of getting cut. What if kids decided to meet outside inside of at the shopping mall or at the arcade (is that still a thing?). What if the bad weather was not an issue to going outside to play?

Outdoor play should be fun for kids. Choose your words wisely when referring to outdoor play. I personally don’t love to play outside but I still do it, I don’t enjoy cleaning dishes, but I still do it… because it feels great afterwards. Think, how you feel after exercizing, good right? So all that fresh air, the energy it awakens in you and it’s sugar-free, no calories, the cheapest caffeine fix you’ll get. So bite your tongue and stop yourself before saying comments like ”ughh, we have to go outside now” or ”I know, I don’t feel like it too but we need to go play outside”, this subconsciously associates to your child that playing outside is a chore, pure and simple. You get the picture…

Karma happened while I was browsing at my local Indigo Book store, a book caught my eye in the childrens aisle ‘’There’s No Such Thing As Bad Weather’’ by Linda Akeson McGurk

I could not believe it, lordy lord, someone had beat me to the punch and published a book about it! I immediately jotted down the title and downloaded it on my Audible App. A few days later, I had listened through the book.

While the book is the story of a Scandinavian mother that moved to the United States with her young daughter and was dumbfounded as to why kids, parents and schools did not encourage them to go outside more often.  The main reason was the bad weather and fearing for their security.

“There is no bad weather, only bad clothing’’. Linda Akeson McGurk

Here are a few short passages from the book.

1. ”Prioritize daily outdoor time from when your child is a baby to make it a natural part of your routine from the get-go”
2. Children take longer naps when they are outside. A Finnish study also shows that the perfect napping temperature is -6 degrees celcius.
3. Outdoor kids generally have fewer sick days.
4. ”Outside, children are constantly moving, they are active. Active children learn better”
5. Nature activates all the senses without being overwhelming. When children play in nature, they tend to be calm yet alert.
6. “We want our daughters to learn to climb trees because if you learn then you don’t fall. It is when you’re scared that you fall.
7. ‘If the kids smell bad and come home dirty then you know they had fun”

My son goes at daycare 3 times a week, I always ask him is he has gone outside to play.  What I love about his daycare is that they go outside twice a day (morning and late afternoon).

One day we received an email from the daycare indicating that it’s Winter and parents need to dress their child accordingly to the current weater conditiond following a list of necessary outerwear items that are obviously needed each day such as a tuque, mittens, scarf, insulated winter coat, winter boots, snow pants). Even his other daycares would also send ”kind reminders” to the parents every year.

The reality is that… and I know a handful of teacher friends as well my mom, a retired elementary school teacher, have said that some kids go to school without proper winter clothing.  Some teachers are smart enough to keep a box of emergency winter gear for the ones without, thank you. Yet, this might seem smart or sad or terrible.

Are we THAT busy to forget buying our kids the right outerwear? Let’s not blame finances because we can find almost anything for a dollar nowadays…hey I see you second hand stores, friendly clothing swaps, garage sales and facebook mom groups.

According to Canada’s Paediatricians guidelines for Winter Safety for kids, the main concern is that they stay inside when the weather is below -27 degrees ( – 16 Farenheit) or any extreme weather conditions. Does that mean tornados, sandstorms, hurricanes, earthquakes…extreme weather?

I say….Bad Weather makes for resilient children.

To learn other ways to have resilient kids then read my previous posts here or here.

I can’t stand a child that wines.  It drains the energy out of me.  But, I have one, a now 3 year old son.  Although I keep telling him ‘’please use your normal voice’’ whenever he wines like a cat, some days a more challenging then others.

One of the best remedies for this is because they need some fresh air.  Not the commercially sold smells like trees candles or scenteners but the real thing.

I promised myself to encourage and share my love of being outdoors with my children, for better or worse, sun, snow, rain or wind.

A child will learn by imitating you. So give them something to imitate.

This is what your kids should wear (and you too) when playing outside in Winter (and cold).

• Don’t forget the extremities are the first ones to freeze…feet, head and hands. Buying wool or lined mittens is important. Fall outerwear does not translate to proper Winter wear.
• Furry lining in boots doesn’t necessarily translate to warmth.
• Beware of second hand boots, if there is one item I would suggest buying new if possible are shoes and boots. These get worn out fairly quickly and take the imprint of the person’s feet. While the outside of the boots might look okay, the lining can easily be flattened and worn out from previous wears. Always touch your kids feet as soon as they come inside to confirm if they are either damp, cold or warm. This is an easy sign that the boot is not right for them. Warm and dry feet are crucial to staying warm outside.
• Warmest fabrics…wool, down (I here you Canada Goose wannabes) and fleece are safe bets.
• Layers, layers, layers is key, think in threes. Base, Middle and Outer layer.

This is how to layer clothing in Winter.

First layer or base layer – is important to regulate the childs temperature and keeps them dry. This layer must be snuggly or what my parents call ”wear your long johns” in fabrics such as merino wool or some synthetic fibers (polyester) are best. Avoid cotton clothing since it absorbs moisture so tick tock until you and your child start to feel the cold air. This Canadian company makes some great colorful ones and this one too (also has some great sales!).

Second layer or middle layer – insulates the body by keeping the body heat trapped, think a hot thermos or the walls of your house which has insulation in between both walls to keep the cold away. The same idea applies to how to wear clothing when it’s cold outside. Wear natural (wool, down) or synthetic fiber such as fleece jacket or sweatshirt and comfortable pants such as sweatpants. Best if fitted close to the skin.

The last layer or Outerlayer – this layer should be waterproof and windproof, like snow suits in Winter (or splash pants for those rainy days every other season) and for babies then those adorable one piece snowsuits are usually the best and warmest options. Fabrics such as nylon or polyamide are good water repellent fabrics. Best in a larger fit for the 2 other layers.

Let’s take a moment here.

Congratulations mom, dad, grandma, babysitter, or uncle R! You have made it through the marathon of dressing your child, are you sweating yet? Before crossing the finish line….

Don’t forget these oh so critically important winter accessories

• Lined (wool or fleece) waterproof snowboots…..sooooooo important! Cold, damp feet are the worst! I buy this one for my son.
• Waterproof mittens with long cuffs…remember all those times that snow would get on your skin and melt in between your mittens and coat? Didn’t you just hate it when that happened, brrrrr! Well, now you can easily find long cuff mittens for kids which are honestly a little hard to put on but so much warmer for them. Like this or this.
• Lined Hats\Tuques are best. Just don’t expect a $7 tuque (regular priced) will be warm enough for winter play. I bought one for my hubby once and he came back and said….”I can’t wear that, my head is freezing in it”, it was a polyester thinly knitted tuque. So remember that if it’s cold for you, then your child will definitely freeze in it. Lined in fleece is good, wool or fur hats as well for warmth. Knitted can be okay but only if the weave is tight and has some wool threads.
• Scarf or Infinity scarf (which some daycares require for safety reasons), an infinity scarf is a loop that prevents getting the scarf caught or trailing in the snow. I prefer this for the youngers kids. One exception for me is that I do use a thick cotton scarf only because acrylic ones keeps me sweaty in the face since it has a low absorbency and for kids all that saliva can easily irritate their skin. So yes, the cotton scarf will absorb it and keep their face dry. However, I would recommend scarves in wool or polyester blends for warmth and comfort.
• Wool or polyester blends, Non-cotton socks for optimal warmth. If your boots are not super warm them please oh please invest in a 2 good pairs of warm socks for them for winter play. I love the merino wool like thisor this.

I usually finish with a little hydrating face lotion on their cheeks, chin and the tip of their nose if the weather is particularly dry, cold and windy, such as here, in Montreal most winters. If not, make sure to apply after playtime since my kids cheeks, especially gets really dry and itchy.

Don’t fear the cold…

I hope these tips helps you on your next winter playtime outside.

Have fun!

Color your style, color your food, color your life!

Christiane xxx