to think it's ridiculous that the new nursery curriclum says kids must

[furrycat]

...play outside whatever the weather?

I don't go out when it's chucking it down, so why should my kids?

My two ds play outside in tne nursery's garden twice a day. It's a mudbath so they need TWO changes of clothing a day which means the washing machine is on constantly.

I've also searched high and low for wellies but all the shops are still full of back to school shoes and the only ones I can find are £17.

Yes these kids were WELL wrapped Anna I noticed the school was more set up for real 'weather' as well; proper mats to wipe muddy feet on etc....at ds' school the carpet is posher than ours at home and there is a gorgeous, deep pile huge rug in the middle of the classroom. It's all lovely but all very ruin-able with wet or muddy clothes....it can't make the teachers very inclined to let the kids out in all weathers, even if they were 'allowed' to

Well, there weren't so many life threatening allergies for a start or the hospital superbugs which are immune to many of the usual cures. Yes, improved hygiene etc has helped but it is taken too far. Most children won't be damaged by being outside in inclement weather.

Actually fewer children die now than in the past due to vast improvements in housing, education (parental education as well as standard schooling), poverty and medical science - not just central heating.

I think it is a good thing as an adult to get out whatever the weather! I always feel better once I have made the effort.

I think advances in medical care has more to do with people living longer, meself.

I think children should be chucked out in the snow rain and sleet, but enforcing rules for the sake of it is twuntery.

lol almostblue

No such thing as bad weather just inappropriate clothing!! Send them out I say, my 2 love the rain, snow etc

People who work outdoors in all weathers always seem pretty healthy.

Interesting. Someone (VS, I think) posts references to show that being out in cold weather does not cause, or increase the risk of, catching a cold.

Other people insist it does, but when asked to supply their references to back up this view, decide to leave the thread, having (presumably) taken offence at being asked.

Interesting, or just a bit silly and pathetic?

You decide

I think that the problem lies in modern houses and central heating. People don't dress according to the weather.
On the very odd occasions that it has snowed and the whole school has been out having fun some children have been miserable because they have arrived at school in inappropriate footwear and without hats, or more importantly gloves. Those properly dressed have had a wonderful time and those without warm clothing have cried from the cold.

You know, I did think that having 'rules' about outdoor play was over the top. I thought it could safely be left to common sense - make sure there is a safe outdoor area, and leave it to the good sense of teachers and nursery nurses to ensure the kids made the most of it.

Now I am not so sure. If the parents of the other kids are wittering on about catching a cold in the rain (instead of supplying effective outdoor clothing and being delighted that outdoor play is encouraged) then maybe rules are necessary!

I do think it's unreasonable. I also believe it depends how long children spend outside and their clothing.

I visited the toilets on a well known cycle track last weekend. I walked into a pityful sight: there was a 3 year old or 4 year old (she was 1m tall) standing under the hand dryer shivering trying to warm herself up. She was soaked through and her lips were purple. I made a comment along the lines of "you look a little wet" to which an adult replied, "the label does say waterproof but she still got soaked through."

As I went to wash my hands, the adult said to the child, "OK, lets go". The little girl burst into tears, pleading to the adult to let "dad pick me up and go home." As the adult pulled her out of the block, I could hear the little girl pleading with the adult, saying that she was so cold and didn't want to go back on her bike.

I think people forget that pre-schoolers feel the cold much more than adults. Being wet in itself may not make you cold, but cold winds do, and people often underestimate the windchill effect.

There's nothing more uncomforting than a wet face and a cold wind blowing on it! I would not wish it on anyone.

Anyone experienced running and sliping on wet leaves in the rain? It's not funny and I was badly hurt. My colleagues at the time said I should have attempted to claim compensation off the company for time off work but I didn't.

The EYFS has many 'interesting' comments. It will be equally 'interesting' to see how things pan out. I'm just glad that my child is not going to be in the guinea pig year of the EYFS.

AbbeyA - I agree that the English are not good at all at dressing according to the weather. Lots of English people seem to have one set of clothes that they wear all year round, with a jumper/raincoat/wellies on top for the winter.

Have come back. I cannot supply references to you Tik tok as I don't have any. I am talking about my own experience and my body as I previously stated to you.

Sorry but you are being a bit like a dog with a bone.

I am not coming back next time, so continue to slate me as silly and pathetic all you want.

I don't think that you need hard and fast rules about it, it should just be up to the staff. Parents should be told to send them in clothes appropriate for the weather each day and then they are always ready if they go out.

Thinking about it, school uniform is quite a barrier to having lots of good all-weather clothing. By virtue of the fact that parents have to fork out for a double wardrobe for their children, they are much less likely to buy their children more and varied clothing to suit all weathers.

I think the reason we English are so pants about dressing for the weather is that it's so interchanging. We can wake up to bright blue skies and blazing sun to pop out to the shops and get soaked in a downpour and struck by lightening on the way home to wake up in the morning snowed in, which will be melted by 11am.

Fimbo, your experience may be that after being in the cold/wet you have caught colds, but this would be physiologically impossible without being around someone who had the infection already.

Anna, how does it?
School uniform is mainly layers so layers can be added in the cold, and removed with the heat

secondhand shops for wellies

friend who lives in Bergen, Norway, says that the locals believe there's no such thing as Bad Weather, just Bad Clothes..

I have always had a problem with my DCs because of central heating. They won't be told that it is cold outside. When I was a DC you knew it was cold because you didn't want to get out of bed!! I didn't need anyone to persuade me that I needed warm clothing!

I actually liked the fact that ds's school sent them out with any kind of weather when we were in the UK. As it always felt too cool and damp to do it myself

Well, in an ideal world to go outside properly covered in all weathers and to all activities, children need a thin mac with a a hood, a thick mac with a hood, a proper smart winter coat and a light jacket. Do you buy all those for school and again for home? Eight coats?

Fimbo just out of interest I've just googled this question of cold making a difference or not making a difference to getting a cold, and info from a welsh uni can't remember which one, Cardiff I think, which has a common cold research unit, in fact does show that if you have a dormant cold virus in your system, getting cold/damp will actually make you ill because apparently the nasal blood vessels constrict due to the cold, thus meaning that not so much blood carrying antibodies get through.....

so that would certainly back up your experience of getting ill after getting cold; if it was dormant in your system the getting cold/wet was the trigger.

Apparently.

DD had a thin waterproof coat which is left at school and a thick winter coat she wears to/from school.
If it is chilly she wears tights and a vest, under her t-shirt and sweater.
She has a scarf/gloves/hat that she wears to school or takes off and puts in her bag if it's warm.
Why on earth would you need eight coats?!

Anna, even supposing that your child couldn't cope without 'a proper smart winter coat' and 'a thick mac with a hood'... why on earth would you need to buy one of each for home and another for school??

I think it is an excellent idea to send children outside everyday. Ds is always asking to go outside at home but I often don't let him because I have dogs so the garden is extra muddy and dirty. Having this chance at nursery is great for him because he loves it so much.

Catching a cold (whether more likely or not I dont know) is not going to cause him a great deal of distress and I would rarther that then a wound up toddler who has had no outlet for his energy who would then become destructive and get told off making it a miserable time for all of us.

I have not been to a nursery that has enough indoor space for them to run around in the same way thay can outside. I send him to get rid of his energy! I also think if left to the staff to decide whether or not to let them outside they would not let them out because they do not want to go out. The child would then suffer by not being allowed out when they would be perfectly happy.

Dirt is part of having children. If you dont want to have to wash clothes constanly then maybe you should have thought about that before having them.