To ask my children's pre-school not to let them play outside

Oddly, Aldi have their snow/cold weather stuff coming out today voila

"Snow suits, waterproofs and thermals are not going to pevent that.Water play outside in freezing conditions is wrong."

She should buy them diving gloves presumably, because being indoors makes toddlers die.

"your park have a micro climate that has different weather to your local nursery's outdoor area??"

Nope, but my home has this amazing technology called windows that allow me to use the power of sight to see that it is raining and decide not to go until it stops.

And if I'm in the park and it's a bit nippy, my toddler has developed an extraordinary facility whereby she tells me that she is cold and wants to go home.

I didn't say that nurseries should not ever let children outdoors in winter.

Just that there should be no requirement to send them in dressed for a hike in sleet.

That means that if the weather is especially unpleasant (which never lasts long in our changeable climate) the children can stay indoors rather than go out.

It won't do them any harm

Yabu op, but I think deep down you know that. Buy them some decent outdoor gear. athinginyourlife your posts don't make sense to me. We have hardy 2 pennies to rub together hence the kids have decent outdoor clothes. We can't afford soft play areas, sea zoos etc so we do lots of walking in the woods, trips to the beach, feeding the Ducks, going to the park etc.

have any of you read the OP? Her kids were doing water pla outside in very cold temperatures and their hands were red raw.
Snow suits, waterproofs and thermals are not going to pevent that.Water play outside in freezing conditions is wrong.

"That's my point. You don't need thermals and/or waterproofs to go to the park"

??
your park have a micro climate that has different weather to your local nursery's outdoor area??

"The vast majority get a bit of fresh air even if its just walking to the shops/park! I'm not talking about mountaineering, just going out for a toddle! that isn't an activity exclusively kept to spring and summer for most!"

That's my point. You don't need thermals and/or waterproofs to go to the park.

"It's all about priorities isn't it?"

Yes, it is.

And not all families want to prioritise outdoor gear in a climate where you don't need it day to day.

It's a perfectly valid choice.

I suppose baubles there are families (like ours) who do live without cars though. We do it for financial reasons, but I'd never compromise on clothing the children, I just resource wisely.

Spending £30 or £40 on outdoor clothes is nothing when comparing it to the amount that is spent in the first few years of a child's life. It's all about priorities isn't it?

you're contradicting yourself there, if people are in poverty then how are they never outdoors? everyone has cars huh? outdoor gear is considerably cheaper than cars

AThing no I don't believe that the "vast majority" of UK parents only do house-car-otherindoorvenue-car-house over the winter months. The vast majority get a bit of fresh air even if its just walking to the shops/park! I'm not talking about mountaineering, just going out for a toddle! that isn't an activity exclusively kept to spring and summer for most!

:o

Haha! Now it's just turned into outdoor boasty thread.

Wow, you're all so great.

Let's make all families share your priorities, regardless of their means.

There's no poverty in the UK, right?

"I don't, but I do expect people to take their kids out somewhere other than nursery over the winter months , so it's not "just" for nursery is it?"

There are plenty of "places other than nursery" in the UK that don't require dressing children in waterproofs, thermals and outdoor gear.

The vast majority of parents have no need if such clothes for their toddlers and small children.

Making expensive outdoor gear a requirement for attending nursery is a nonsense.

Kitting a family out in the way you describe, even from Aldi and Lidl, would be beyond many families.

Unless you are quite dedicated to outdoor pursuits there is no need for the clothes you are describing in a temperate climate such as ours.

That should say 2 in 1 fleece and waterproof

Ds has an all in one from next last winter - I did last winter and will do this (hopefully next to!) it cost about £20

He also has a 2 in one regatta fleece (again too big when I got it to get longer from it) I picked that up for £12

Hardly expensive for the amount of wear from them. Especially as they will be passed to my nephew when Ds is done with them!

Also if everyone wore better winter gear, there would soon be more to pass on to siblings/ get second hand etc so cheaper

We live in London. It's so wet they have been in waterproofs pretty much constantly since September. No doubt until April at this rate. That's half the year so they are definatly needed.

We spend a lot of time outside. Thermals on top and bottom, joggers/ fleeced lined jeans. Long sleeved tops, merino body warmers, thick jumpers, then a lined all in one waterproof. If is colder more layers. Also hat/ gloves/ scarf and snow boots. We spent all yesterday morning in Hyde park, played poo sticks, had hot milk from winter wonderland ( just ask, if they sell hot choc/ coffee etc they sell milk), watched squirrels, played in leaves, the walk there and back is 30 mins toddler walk each way. We also had lunch alongside the serpentine feeding ducks at the same time. When we arrived home they were perfectly toasty and dry ( adults also have thermals/ snowboots/ warm long coats)

After nap ( which was inside), they dressed again and spent the afternoon playing in the sand in the garden and sweeping leaves up with play brooms.

It's was between -1 and 4 yesterday, and they were fine and happy outside for 6 hours ( and they slept until 9.30am this morning! Perfect)

oh and I also buy summer gear in winter on ebay and winter gear on really hot days in summer and there's never any other bidders

Oh come on, children are expensive, the fact that Winter gear bought brand new CAN be expensive is a weak reason for rejecting buying it and keeping your children at home.

Decathlon prices, especially if you hit sales, are not expensive. You can buy Winter gear for little children on ebay, Facebook, NCT sales etc and yes nothing wrong with Aldi stuff either. It's really not hard to source cheaper clothing for children.

Rofl @ 'performance socks'

"You cannot expect people to buy that kind of gear for toddlers just so they can go to nursery"

I don't, but I do expect people to take their kids out somewhere other than nursery over the winter months , so it's not "just" for nursery is it?

Lidl/Aldi regularly do very very good cheap outdoor wear for kids (fleece lined waterproofs, fleece lined wellies, thermals etc

"If you invest in walking boots, performance socks, Gore-tex outers and so on, in other words miniature versions of what seriously outdoorsy adults wear, kids are capable of impressive feats of endurance in the cold and wet."

That stuff is very expensive.

You cannot expect people to buy that kind of gear for toddlers just so they can go to nursery.

If it's too cold or wet to be outdoors in regular seasonal clothes and a coat and hat, children should be kept indoors.

YABU children love playing out in all weather, they need to play out in all weather - its a great learning experience for them. I work with children and have done for 13+ years and have always taken children out in all weather. As a parent it is your responsibility to make sure your child has warm suitable clothing and also suitable spare clothes for the times they do get wet etc.

If you invest in walking boots, performance socks, Gore-tex outers and so on, in other words miniature versions of what seriously outdoorsy adults wear, kids are capable of impressive feats of endurance in the cold and wet.

agree with everyone who's said that with the right kit you can be outside twice a day whatever the weather. Even in torrential rain we go puddle jumping or just exploring. Today it was bitingly cold but we sorted the garden (well ds mainly 'unsorted' it as quickly as I soted it) and then went for a walk and inspected some pebbles. Ds would be climbing the walls if we didn't though!

We took DS to the alps last winter (aged 18 months) and although we were careful not to be outside for long at a time, he had great fun sledinging, jumping in the snow and watching people in the ski lifts. We did have him kitted out in proper scandinavian snow kit from head to toe though.