Our wonderful plans to increase our outdoor learning have hit a bit of a snag recently! Our preschool programs' rule is that the children are not to go outside at all if the temp. is below 18 degrees (including the wind chill). We have quite a few "below 18 degree" days during winter! We would love to bundle up and at least go outdoors for 5 min. during the day. We'd love to check on the bird feeders we made, have the children help replenish the bird feeders, have the children help take photos of the animals we see in the winter, examine how trees are different in the winter than spring...and more. We have extra warm winter clothes here at school for the children to wear if they have forgotten their own. We have boots, snow pants, coats, hats and mittens.
Well, instead we are reduced to having children run back and forth from the window to the carpet to keep minute by minute updates on how many squirrel and bird feeder bagels are left beneath the trees! Believe me, some children feel this must be a minute by minute update! We are looking for more ideas to bring us closer to the outdoors, while staying inside! We know, this is not ideal....but we work with what we have!
Here are a few of the things we have done so far: We have blown up the photos we took recently on our nature walk, and put them together on a ring for the children to view. As soon as it snows again here, we will bring snow inside to our sensory table to explore. We plan on putting our sensory table outdoors with water in it to find out what happens (we bet it will freeze by the afternoon!) We are looking for books about animals we might see in our area in the winter. I will be putting up my permanent bird feeder out our window for the children to see.
What other activities do you do that involve nature and the outdoors, without actually being outside?
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| NOT taking right out our classroom window...but possible! |
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| We want the children to be able to experience these things first, before they view them on a photo! |
Here are a few of the things we have done so far: We have blown up the photos we took recently on our nature walk, and put them together on a ring for the children to view. As soon as it snows again here, we will bring snow inside to our sensory table to explore. We plan on putting our sensory table outdoors with water in it to find out what happens (we bet it will freeze by the afternoon!) We are looking for books about animals we might see in our area in the winter. I will be putting up my permanent bird feeder out our window for the children to see.
What other activities do you do that involve nature and the outdoors, without actually being outside?
Hi Pam
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering how and why the decision was made to restrict children's outdoor access on the basis of temperature and why that particular temperature was decided upon.
Here in Scotland 18 degrees is a heatwave. This is when the shorts are worn and we think it's hot enough to go sunbathing.
In Swedish outdoor nurseries, if the temperature is below minus 10 degrees Celsius then the nursery is only outside for 3 hours that day.
It is interesting to see the cultural differences on weather!
Well, I should have clarified 18 degrees Fahrenheit- (-7 degrees Celsius)
ReplyDeleteBut still, -10 degrees Celsius would be 14 degrees Farenheit...we wouldn't go out at all, compared to 3 hours a day!
There are many days that we have a very cold wind and it is well below 0 Farenheit (below -17 Celsius) THIS I do understand the caution behind.
But there is that grey area- where it is cold- but a short period of time outdoors (with appropriate winter clothing) will not be a problem!
I have no idea how or why the random temperature decision was made- we're looking at our options! I agree- it is interesting to see the differences, as children are children all over the world!
We used to have a 16 degree cutoff, but I quickly discovered that we were never getting outside in the winter. I have now modified that so as long as the windchill is above zero, we go out. It may only be 20-30 minutes, but it makes such a difference in our week!
ReplyDeleteThe regular temps this coming week are all forecasted for below zero...I don't expect we will see much outside time except for drop-offs and pick-ups!
@Bev- I wish I had the ability (authority) to modify this a bit. I do agree that as long as the temp. (with windchill) is above zero, we should at least go out for a short time! We have weeks at a time where we are staying indoors and going to the gym...NOT the same as being outside, that's for sure! (and our temps this week are very low as well- I'm pretty sure we will be cooped up inside again :(
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