It’s reached temperatures that are too cold to go outside in Calgary!
Living in a cold-weather climate requires many layers of clothing, and even then, it may be unsafe for children to spend long periods of time in this weather (it’s -21°C). Even a 5- to 10-minute visit outdoors can seem like too much when it takes double that amount of time for 3- to 5-year-olds to get dressed in all their winter clothes.
As Early Childhood Educators (ECEs), what are some ways to bring the outdoors inside for children?
After nannying and teaching on the west coast of Canada for over a decade in Vancouver and Richmond, where we could go outside in almost any weather, it’s an adjustment for me to have to stay indoors all day.
Some ways we can prevent restlessness and keep kids active and engaged in the classroom during these wintery reprieves from the outdoors include:
- Colouring sheets
- Exercise videos and movement games
- Reading books
- Free play indoors
- Play-dough and clay activities
What are your favourite things to do inside on super cold days with the children you teach and care for?
For more on getting outside in every kind of weather, have a look at Get the Kids Outside.