Nursery Don’t Let Kids Outside Because it’s Cold

Making memories?! And you can keep them.cool as opposed to being in a classroom
Life is hard, just stay out of it and let people have a bit of fun/family time

This sounds like my child's outdoor nursery in Scotland. They are outdoors 80% of the time every day and from 3 its 100% outdoor. Even napping outside in sleeping bags and lighting fires. All kids wear winter gear or the nursery has spares. There's an abundance of winter and ski wear on vinted. There's no excuse not to be taking children outside - there are so many health benefits as well as fun. I wouldnt send my child to a nursery that kept kids cooped up

If at all possible I would change nurseries, OP, you won’t get them to change. From previous comments it’s clear there are some parents who think this approach is fine- so let them use a nursery like this one. Our nursery was on a farm and they had the kids out in almost all weathers. They would always go for a walk/go to the woods for a good chunk of the morning (the rain never stopped them). The afternoon would be free flow, so kids could go outside and play on the climbing frames etc or they could be indoors at that point- of my 3 kids, 2 would be outside almost all the time by choice, my youngest stayed inside when she had the choice (but would always have had a few hours at least outside in the morning). They were VERY specific about the clothes you needed to send in- lots of layers, thick waterproofs, wellies, gloves, hats etc- there were constant reminders about these.

We had to move nurseries when my youngest was little, and she moved to one that was a lot smaller, and was free flow all day (which meant she rarely chose to go out unless it was summer! But at least the kids who loved being outside could be).

There are a huge range of different types of nursery out there, and all parents have different priorities- I had a friend who thought the farm nursery set up was awful, and her kids would have hated being outside so much, which is fine! But I’m with you, especially if your DS loves being outside, I’d move him if you can.

Except it gets cold for much more than 3-4 days a year and you can buy all the items you listed quite easily and cheaply in a supermarket.

I'm generalising of course, but people in the UK seem to have absolutely no idea how to dress for any kind of weather - then they wonder why in summer they overheat and get burnt, and come home in winter soaking wet and freezing. It's a bit ridiculous, really.

This. I dreaded this time of year (more) when DS was smaller as it was asthma season and you got all the "well'ard" outdoors types trilling about puddle suits and building resistance. Not much good when you're in hospital hooked up to an oxygen mask. Luckily he outgrew it as he got older and although he still has an emergency inhaler it's been ages since he was last bad with it. I think keeping children and staff warm and dry is the sensible option in this weather and I say this as someone who mourns the end of "park after school" season.

Ours are out all the time. It's currently around -7, but nice and sunny.
DD is 16 months old and she's wearing a snow suit and some winter boots and a hat. She's also got gloves but I'm not sure whether they are using those.
I teach at secondary and have to remind my "big children" that going out in just a t-shirt is probably not the best idea right now. Some will take a coat, dump it on the side...and then proceed to play basketball in a t-shirt. I'm just wrapped up warm when on duty.

You cannot compare the UK with Scandinavia or central Europe because the children are equipped for the cold. Nurseries require thermal outdoor pants, waterproof boots, hats, scarves, gloves etc. Children are taught from young age how to dress themselves in all the outdoor layers.

The problem with the UK is that majority of families have not prepared below-freezing clothing, which is a huge expenditure for just 3-4 days of the year. It's almost certainly a liability issue as well because the nursery knows that some kids will go out ill-dressed, get cold and get sick. Then the parents will blame it on the nursery.

I don't particularly care - it's not my child or my life - but if you post your opinions and views on a public forum, people are going to respond, especially when those views are rather extreme or unusual.

What a limited life you're setting your child up for.

We had our 3-5 year olds out in free flow this week, sent some in after a while if we felt they’d been out a long time but just made sure they had coats on, gloves etc.

They are right that some dc may have inappropriate clothing but I don’t think other dc should be penalised! Up in the Nordic countries they go out in thick snow daily at school and nursery but everyone has appropriate gear

If you continually failed to provide weather appropriate clothing for nursery where I am then staff would have to make a child protection report because that would be, by definition, neglect.

Why on earth does anyone care so much about someone else's autistic child not liking to be cold 😂

Why would I be investigated for neglect?

I think id be more likely to be investigated if I dragged my son outside retching and crying in clothes he found intolerable because I insist he gets used to being outside in cold weather.

Everything has a balance. Everyone has their own unique equilibrium. His is in clothes he finds tolerable and in temperatures that those clothes can withstand. That's how he lives his best life.

The social worker wouldn't change that, you'd have to. I'm sure you'd find a way to help your child adjust to the cold if you were under investigation for neglect. Or would you just carry on as you are and risk the consequences?

Yes it's called Inner London 2025. As long as you check beforehand, you can be sure of the weather and leave in time to get an alternative route if needs be. We live a short walk from two tube stations, one with national rail service and all the buses and Uber drivers that you could imagine. That's why I/we will likely never leave.

So you live somewhere where cars never break down? Where public transport always runs on time? Where weather is always 100% predictable and you and your son can always guarantee you'll get from A to B on time, no matter what?

I don't think so, somehow 😂

Would be where we live.

Which isn't always possible.

You cant always avoid it but you can definitely minimise it with door to door transport.

I'm sure some of them have similar issues but remember it isn't like every single autistic person has the same sensory issues to the same degree. There are likely autistic children in his class who don't have this issue at all. My son doesn't have food aversions. Many other autistic children do. It would like me saying those kids just have to eat what everyone else eats with no adjustments made for their disability. It won't kill them, they might just be upset.

So what about autistic people in Scandinavia then where cold lot of the year

No, they're just talking about regular daily life in a country where you can't control the weather and where you can't always avoid getting cold or wet or uncomfortable.

Everyone who insists he must learn to spend time outside in layers and layers of clothes