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Original poster

How cold is too cold for under 5s to play outside

141 replies

houches · 20/03/2012 21:44

Hi there, just a bit of debate which could help me decide if I think I am being unreasonable about something.....

How cold would it have to be for you to ask school / nursery to keep your 3 or 4 year old inside?

Would you be happy for your child to be playing outside for 2 hours in the afternoon when the temperature is 15 degrees C, with variable sunny / cloudy weather, no rain, no wind? The children would have their coats on and be appropriately. They would also be running around the whole of this time in a large garden. Or would you say this temperature is too cold to play out? Or if it is not too cold, at what point would you say it would get too cold?

OP posts:
BackforGood · 20/03/2012 23:09

I don't understand why the Nursery aren't pointing to the EYFS guidelines which positively encourage as much access to the outdoors as possible (I realise a lot of building means 'freeflow' doesn't work).

TiggyD · 20/03/2012 23:11

Nice and warm. Sun still quite weak. The weather is near perfect.

thisisyesterday · 20/03/2012 23:11

sorry, just read whole thread now

houches i would talk to other parents if i were you and then get together and complain back and say you would liek your children to be allowed out for longer than 30 minutes!

TiggyD · 20/03/2012 23:13

Oop. Posted too soon.

Was about to say that unfortunately, many nurseries are gutless when it comes to a few parents with funny ideas.

bobbledunk · 21/03/2012 00:24

No such thing as too cold (unless your moving to the Antarctic), only clothing that is not warm enough.

oikopolis · 21/03/2012 00:40

Canadian parents would larf very hard at this. i have rellies in Alberta and their 6-year-old (in daycare) plays outside, with all the other children, in -20C and below. albeit in a down coat, proper insulated boots and so on.

the childcare ladies even take the 18-month-olds out in prams for a stroll in -20C

startail · 21/03/2012 01:27

I wouldn't worry about cold, as everyone says as long as they have coats, hats and gloves and are running about they will be fine.

Ran or wet snow i would worry about since many school coats and school shoes are far from water proof. Spending the rest of the day slightly wet is not nice.

Also most primary cloak rooms are too small, tightly squashed wet coats do not dry in time to go home and damp steamy cloak rooms are horrid.

AvocadoAndFitch · 21/03/2012 03:40

My DDs are both at a nursery that has an open door policy to the garden. If a child wants to go out then they can.

My DDs are often collected when still outside (6pm) having spend the most of the day outside with a poor nursery nurse shivering away out there.

It's how children develop their immune systems and self control. The parent was stupid to complain and the nursery shouldn't punish the children. If my nursery stopped letting them out freely I wouldn't send them.

tadjennyp · 21/03/2012 04:03

I live in Oregon and our closest ski resort runs lessons for 4 years and up for 5 hours a day. This weekend it was -7C on the mountain and no, they didn't cancel the lessons. The pre-school only insists on indoor recess when it is -4 or colder, or raining. I haven't noticed my dcs getting any more colds than when they lived in England, in fact fewer. I would complain myself, as that is ridiculous and it shouldn't be run on the say-so of one parent.

DowagersHump · 21/03/2012 09:56

I think the rest of the parents need to kick up an almighty fuss and put the bonkers parent back in their box. And if they don't like it, they can choose another nursery or their pfb can stay indoors. 30 minutes is ridiculous. Hardly worth getting the children into their outside shoes and coats

redexpat · 21/03/2012 12:07

I live in Denmark. Babies sleep outside in the pram in temps down to -10. Children in daycare have to go outside for 2 hours a day, regardless of the weather.

TheCunningStunt · 21/03/2012 12:10

It's spring time!! Let them out! We are in Scotland and dd spent the morning in the garden with no coat on. She is two and was warm.

OhdearNigel · 21/03/2012 12:13

As long as they have appropriate clothing and are happy it wouldn't bother me if DD was out in Finnish winter weather (very cold !). We still go out if it's raining (unless it's torrential)
The scandinavians don't keep their kids in in the winter so if it's good enough for the Finns it's good enough for me !

OhdearNigel · 21/03/2012 12:15

I am confused - do you mean -15 ? Surely nobody could object to being out at +15 ? That's pretty warm

hardboiledpossum · 21/03/2012 12:15

I worked as a nanny in a ski resort and we would often play outside for over an hour in sub zero temps. I would be complaining if my child was only allowed outside for 30mins at a time! Children should be outside all day in this weather.

worldgonecrazy · 21/03/2012 12:16

DD hasn't started proper school yet, but the nursery and kindergarten attached to the school she is going to kick the children out in all weathers. The only time children are kept in are during dangerous weather such as high winds. Otherwise, rain, snow, ice or sunshine, they're out there playing, dressed appropriately of course.

WhatWouldFreddieDo · 21/03/2012 12:18

Tell the useless muppet who's made this decision that there are outdoor nurseries in this country where children are outside from 8.30 til 4.30 every day of the year.

Haven't lost any to hypothermia yet Grin

Pozzled · 21/03/2012 12:19

The temperature here is very similar and when I collected DD1 from nursery, the staff said that they'd been in the garden for most of the day. They also have a small outside decking area and I think they have free access to this for most of the day.

If I found out my DC was only allowed out for 30 minutes in gorgeous spring weather like this, I'd be making my own strongly worded complaint!

OhdearNigel · 21/03/2012 12:19

I would be very annoyed if my nursery stopped the children playing outside because one pathetic parent complained about it being too cold for their PFB to play outside. Surely the majority should have the say ? Why not send something home in the book bags to canvas what most parents are happy with ?

BigTeuchLittleTeuch · 21/03/2012 12:22

Well our preschool is all outdoors, so they spend every session (3 hours) outside, unless there is a joint activity in the school with the primary age kids. If it is so windy that there is a risk of things blowing into them, or them blowing away, then they have a small shed...

Bramshott · 21/03/2012 12:22

DD2 (4) gets cold pretty quickly if it's below zero.

Bramshott · 21/03/2012 12:23

Sorry - didn't read the thread Blush.

TheSurgeonsMate · 21/03/2012 12:24

I agree, I'm not the complaining sort, but that would really get my goat. I think (a) I would like more playing outside; and (b) the nursery should have the courage of its convictions.

sarahtigh · 21/03/2012 12:25

I think you have to complain about being kept in, its really really stupid maybe other parents PFB has to stay in and watch

too much worrying of schools i scandavia shut with snow they would be shut for 4 moths each year.

With right clothes kids should be out in all weathrs, more likely to get too cold when raining and do not have proper waterproofs so clothes get wet then that is miserable

15 degrees in scotland is the average temperature between april and october so on that basis our kids should never ever be oyt except for about 3 weeks a year when temp above average!!! Sad

Mishy1234 · 21/03/2012 12:29

I think they should go out whatever the weather as long as they are clothed properly.

Mine go out bundled up and are happy. However, I do think small children reach a point where they are just knackered and miserable and need to come in, but this would be over an hour at least and not by 30 minutes.