outdoor breaks in freezing weather

[cutelybananas]

hi,im new to mums net,i was just wondering if i cud get some feedback on a problem i am having with my daughters school.my daughter has been off school with a chest infection for 2 wks!on her return,which was the coldest day this year,they were made to go outside for 45mins at lunchtime.now im all for fresh air,but seriously think 45mins is to long when its sooo cold,especially as she had just been off school so long with chest infection.when i challenged the school,i was informed that they only allow indoor breaks if it is raining or extremly hot,but not cold!am i in the wrong?personally i cant stand being outside in this weather for 10mins,let alone 45mins,n for the record,the teachers take it in turns of 15mins to supervise AS ITS SO COLD!all thoughts welcome.just to add,in response to this,i sent her in with a blanket for break time and they took it off her!

[oldbeforetime]

My son's school has same approach - he now has thermal underwear, thick goosedown jacket, hat, scarf, gloves. Now he loves being outside.

Think you'll just have to provide the relevant clothing.

[scurryfunge]

If you child is appropriately dressed and is well enough to be in school, then it shouldn't be a problem.

[hillyhilly]

I'm glad that my DD's school has them out in all weathers, she runs and plays and has never complained of the cold - what was the blanket for? I have a vision of a row of 5 yr olds sat with blankets on their knees like pensioners!!
Having said all that, the school certainly do allow a boy with mobility problems to play inside with friends and I guess if you were still concerned about your daughters chest then maybe you they should have let her stay in but generally, that outdoor time is critical to their wellbing IMO

[compo]

Yes she needs appropriate clothing and to be running around in the playground
if she's not up for that she should be at home still tbh
my ds walks to school in all weathers

[TheVisitor]

She won't freeze as she'll be running round. Tbh, by the time they've eaten their lunch, reception children aren't out that long anyway. Don't you remember playing out in the ice and snow when you were a kid?

[PatriciaHolm]

I would make sure she has a vest/hat/scarf tomorrow - she can't play running around in a blanket!. Outside playtime through all weathers is normal - the children will be running around, unlike the teachers, so don't get that cold. It wasn't that cold today anyway - about 7-8 degrees? (we're in Surrey, your profile says you in in West Sussex - not that far away) Certainly wasn't the coldest day of the year!

[mrz]

Our children go outside in all but the most extreme weather (including rain and snow) and we are much further north.

[NotRocketSurgery]

Ironically part of the problem if it is anything like DS's school is that the indoors are massively over heated - so when they go out it is a shock to the system. If you put a vest on, they will boil in school - so it has to be extra layers for when they go outside

[jicky]

Ours go out unless it's raining, but if it is very cold sometimes a story is read indoors for 10 mins at lunchtime. When ds1 had been off with a chest infection and then went back to school running in the cold made him cough and wheeze, so I asked if he could read indoors - he just sat in the office with a book or a lap top. He had missed lots of school this year due to illness and he will just sit quietly and get on with reading so they school were fine about it. Once he started wheezing they always ended up sending him home. He also did no outdoor PE.

[walesblackbird]

My kids would go stir crazy if they had to stay instead of playing out. I make sure they're kitted out - thermals (or base layers for my eldest), coats, hats, gloves etc and they're fine. I don't think children feel the cold the same we adults do anyway.

[Littlefish]

I teach in Reception and our children can chose to be out at anytime during the day. However, we ensure that they all have appropriate clothing on.

In fact, I've just written again to all parents to ask them to make sure their children all have gloves, hat, scarves, warm coat etc.

I'm a little perplexed at the blanket too OP. Did you expect her to sit outside with it on her knees? She needs to be moving around to keep warm.

In really cold weather my dd wears long johns under her trousers and takes snow boots in to change into for playtimes.

[Greeninkmama]

OP, I disagree with most of the comments in relation to your child. When a child has a chest infection/cough, cold air worsens their condition - so they can be well enough to sit in a warm classroom but adversely affected by going outside.

My DD - also chesty - had a horrible virus that lasted two weeks (mostly after half term, so she didn't have too long off school). When she went back, I sent in a note asking that she be allowed to stay in at break-time and not do PE. At the end of the day, a supply teacher told me that wasn't acceptable and that if she was well enough to go to school she was well enough to run around in freezing temperatures for an hour, and to do PE.

I disagreed so I kept her off the next day and rang the head to tell her why. The head asked me to write another note explaining what I wanted - as a face-saving exercise, I think - and said DD could stay in and be excused PE for as long as we felt it was necessary. That was about a week - and we drove her to and from school rather than walk for the same period because the cold air and exertion really did make her ill.

Once she was better, she went out as normal and did PE. Still don't see what the problem was.

[Hulababy]

I work in an infant school and our children go out in all weathes wherever possible. If it is very heavy rain we bring them in and if it is to icy we don;t go out. But on the whole they are poutside for 15 minutes break morning and afternoon and during an hour's lunch break.

The teachers supervise the 15 minute breaks. We have lunchtime supervisers who cover lunch break.

We encourage children to ahve the appropriate clothes with them and we ensure they wear what they bring.

However, if a child is recouperating and their parent says they have to stay in - we have this currently with one Y1 on his hospital's advice - they can stay indoors. they sit outside the main office and read books. If there is only one of them, they can have a friend stay in. However this is very unusual and generally only after a longer length off school - so I would count 2 weeks with a chest infection as maybe neded a week inside depending on GP advice.

FWIW teachers have the same issue. I really struggle in the cold air since having pneumonia last january and now have to have an inhaler when out int he cold. But I still have to do my playtime duty.

[ninani]

In our school they keep them inside when it is too cold. They also do PE indoors. Some schools don't have the space needed I think. So I find your DC's school always-outdoors policy extremely unreasonable. I remember myself at 13 y.o. in a warmer climate and I was freeezing at times as we didn't have indoors play area, apart from the gym :(

[EvilTwins]

Why are the teachers supervising at lunchtime? Odd.

[cutelybananas]

thanks for all ur feedback.nice to c the difference in opinion out there.to answer some of ur questions,obviously my daughter was kitted out with vest,uniform,tights and trousers,warm coat gloves,scarf,hat.but this was my point,that last thu n fri was extremely cold[not sure of actual temp],that she had all this on n was still shivering,so i sent in a note saying i didnt want her going out at breaks seen as she'd just had 2 weeks off with chest infection,failing that she would have this'blanket' with her to wrap round her as she already had enough clothes on.it is a large enough school to cope with indoor play,i just wondered if there were any policies in place for this situation or is it down to each individual school?i spent most of my childhood outside,then went on to working outside in all weathers,i now have rhuematism,arthritus n fibromyalgia,im not saying that this is solely the reason,but at only 36 i know it never helped me.also im sure mine isnt the only nine year old girl thats to cool for running around now?

[Littlefish]

"im sure mine isnt the only nine year old girl thats to cool for running around now?"

This is a very sad comment. Parents and schools should be encouraging children to take more exercise and play outside whenever possible. Also, I think your own experiences are tainting your views. It is normal to expect children to play outside. You need to be supporting the school with this, rather than seeking to give your child an opt-out clause.

That said, if your child has had a chest infection, then the school may be able to offer some indoor play times.

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

I too think that's a sad comment. My nearly 10 YO adores running around and doesn't think it's uncool at all.

[MumInBeds]

9 isn't too cool to keep moving, even if se doesn't want to run there are other things. The children in the local secondary choreograph dances in their lunch breaks.

[Michaelahpurple]

I am getting a bit fed up with the wet weather play that has dominated recently. My pair don't watch much telly at home (because I am mean control freak), and DS2 has watched more at school this term than in the previous year. Is now conversant with Dora et al, which means I now am too.. Yawn. Hey ho, roll on spring

[Elsjas]

My children 5 and 10 (boy and girl) love running around in the playground in all weathers. If they have wet play and are kept inside, they are unbearable when they get home as they have so much pent up energy. None of the children in the school are too cool to run around. If you are worried about her health, keep her at home - she should be able to participate in all aspects of school or be at home with you.

[Madsometimes]

I have some sympathy for this, because I have a medical condition which means that I have less fat cells than most, and feel the cold terribly. When I was at school I remember being rigid with the cold, and spent most of lunch play in the toilet running hot water over my hands. Some people born very prematurely also have problems with temperature regulation into adulthood.

When my dd, who has the same condition, started school I put in a letter explaining that she could not cope with cold conditions. To be fair to the school, they do bring her in when she goes blue, but she prefers to be outside with her friends.

However, if your dd is generally healthy she should be fine with being wrapped up well.

[cory]

I grew up in central Sweden where it was a good deal colder: temperature would have to drop down well below -15 C before we were allowed to stay in at breaktime, and we were told the school would not close until the temperature dropped to below -25 (we all walked to school). As far as I am aware none of my school friends ended up with arthritis or other problems.