EYFS practitioners, do you use your outdoor area in torrential rain?

[ScarlettDarling]

We had a LA EYFS advisor in school yesterday, just popping in to quickly drop off some resources which we're trialling. It was absolutely pouring down when she arrived. The whole of our outdoor area was covered in surface water, the climbing equipment was soaked and slippery and the wind was blowing the rain in sheets. Now we have free flow access to our outdoor area in almost all weathers but closed it during that rain. The advisor, who we all really like and respect, said we need to offer outdoor provision in all weathers and that we should never close it just because of rain. But yesterday wasn't just normal rain, it was horrendous!

Does anyone really use their outdoor area in torrential rain like that? We have ponchos and wellies for the kids and happily take them out in rain, snow, wind and most other weathers but yesterday was awful! Going to get myself a wetsuit and waders I think!

[absopugginglutely]

Our outside are has a cover so yes!

[absopugginglutely]

I would quote Maslow’s heirarchy of needs at anyone telling me to take four year olds out in horrible weather.
What is anyone learning when they’re freezing and wet really!?
Where’s the common sense gone these days ffs!

[absopugginglutely]

I’d take ours out if it’s was warm and rainy but if it was uncomfortably cold or raining sideways/ things were being blown around in a dangerous way, I’d shut the outside area.
Sorry for ranting, I just can’t stand these advisors putting fear into people and not trusting professional judgement of the teacher.

[missyB1]

No because as you point out it can become unsafe. Safety absolutely has to be the priority. And actually the kids probably prefer not to be out in that.

[PickAChew]

Some of that rain yesterday was absolutely horrendous. I wouldn't have taken a smelly bag out to the bin 3' away from the door in it, let alone allowed a child out to play, unless they were waterproofed from head to toe and trusted not to climb!

[sixtimes]

Ridiculous idea. People like that are great at giving ideas knowing that they will never have to put it into practice.

[ScarlettDarling]

Glad we aren't alone in thinking that outside in any and all weathers is ridiculous. We didn't open up, it wouldn't have been safe and it wouldn't have been a nice experience for anyone!

[PeterRouseTheFleshofMankind]

The idea of having the outdoor area open during CIL when it is absolutely pissing down with rain is one of those things that advisors love because it looks great on paper, but in practice is horrendous. All those wellies, all in one suits etc for the kids to go outside for 10 seconds, decide outdoors is not nearly as fun when it's raining like that and come back in absolutely soaked and muddy. Nope.

Plus a lot of covered parts of outdoor areas are really quite small, and the only activities you can do under there you may as well just do inside.

You can bet your bottom dollar that if that 'advisor' was still actually teaching, yesterday they would have been like 'fuck that, we're staying inside today'.

[OrchidInTheSun]

How stupid.

[Mysterian]

I'm an outdoor person. Camped nearly wild and in 50 mph winds. I walk up mountains and in rain get fully Gore-texed up and ignore it. I'm also a nursery worker.

Not free-flow. Might take them out for 10 minutes to experience that level of rain if there's enough time to dry off afterwards. And it would be a 'reduced service' with climbing frame and other dangerous areas shut.

It's amazing how quickly advisors and managers forget the practical side of working in a setting.

[Mysterian]

And if the wind is blowing heavy stuff about I would stay in too.

[happycamper11]

I have V outdoorsy kids but even they'd have been happier with an inside activity in that. Even if they had gone out briefly and got soaked then they'd have regretted it after. There's very little that's truly waterproof in that sort of weather and it costs a lot of it is

[june2007]

Toddlers out yesterday in their rain suits and wellies loving the puddles.

[PeterRouseTheFleshofMankind]

Not free-flow. Might take them out for 10 minutes to experience that level of rain if there's enough time to dry off afterwards. And it would be a 'reduced service' with climbing frame and other dangerous areas shut.

Yes exactly. Possibly take them out as an actual 'experience' all together. But just open as part of free flow? Nah.