At what Temp. does your childs school stay inside for recess?

[golfgal]

At our Primary school, we've recently had a change. It used to be below 32 degrees the kids stay inside, it is now below 20 degrees they stay inside. This was put into effect without any notice at all, and now some parents are upset. Some background info ... the primary grades used to be at a different building and are now in a new school. The new school uses the gym to double as a cafeteria at lunch time and therefore, they have no place to put the kids when they stay inside, except to keep them in the classroom. Then they have issues with supervision due to the fact that they only have a few recess supervisors for 8-10 classes.

So, what does your school do?

Another MN'n here, 0° for us.

Are all pp from the Deep South? I guess I'm thinking like a hearty Minnesotan but I couldn't believe the temps pp have posted about the kids staying indoors at recess. I'm a former second grade teacher and all of our K-4 students went outdoors to play for 10-20 minutes unless there was a severe windchill of -10 F. or colder. Most of our parents were very good about bundling their kids up with winter jackets, snow pants, mittens, scarves, boots, etc. but we had a few that must have thought they lived in Orlando. We kept a supply of winter clothing in the nurse's office that these children frequently used. I'm interested to hear what others post as their cut off for outdoor recess.

This just made me laugh because when I picked up DS3 from school yesterday he was very upset that the teacher kept the preschool class inside during playtime (recess) because it was too cold . I believe the temp was in the upper 50's yeterday. BTW The older classes were allowed to play outside during recess, older DS loved sharing this info with DS3 . We live just west of New Orleans!

When our kids were in preschool they didn't go outside if the kids had to put on more then a light jacket because it just took too much time getting winter gear on all those kids and they were only there for 2 1/2 hours.

 

[torinsmom]

Because I wasn't notified in the change in policy, it was a big deal. She was really cold on that playground for 30 minutes, 3 times that day. Still no notification went out on Monday, only some parents were notified yesterday. Keep in mind that if you don't normally send your kid out in cold weather and you are used to the school policy of 32 degrees (including windchill), you may not even have a true heavy coat for your child. My kid does have a heavy coat, but I know of others who don't.

Are you saying that your child's class went out for 30 minutes three times?! I would get yelled at by the principal if I spent 1 hr 30 minutes outside in one day!

To answer your question, I am in NC, and I don't think we have a guideline for cold weather. For my classroom, it is when I am my TA are too cold outside, LOL. I imagine that is at about 30 degrees.

Marsha

 

[~Brandy~]

I grew up in far northeastern Minnesota and I can only recall being closed for cold once and it was something crazy, like -70 windchill. No matter how bad it got, we still bundled up and went to school. If it got REALLY cold, my mom would drive me to school instead of making me wait for the bus.

To this day, I hate the cold.

 

[themarquis]

Anyting under 40 degrees, they have recess in their classroom. We live in Mi.

huh ... I'm in southeastern michigan and it has been under 40 degrees every single day for the last month (+) .... and probably will be for another three months or so. It's hard to imagine they keep them in for temperatures that low, because they would literally never get to go outside for four to five months of the year.

 

[stsomewhere]

Wow, is this a private school? I believe ours is anything below 0 including wind chill.

Ignore my question as I see your answer. Even when I worked at a charter it was the same temps, though.

What school do you work at?
My kids attend Trillium academy for performing arts in Taylor.

 

[stsomewhere]

huh ... I'm in southeastern michigan and it has been under 40 degrees every single day for the last month (+) .... and probably will be for another three months or so. It's hard to imagine they keep them in for temperatures that low, because they would literally never get to go outside for four to five months of the year.

I verified it in their school handbook.
It says " In the event of rain or temps below 40, recess is held in the student's classroom."

Also, my kids told me if it is muddy or snow on the ground, they stay inside.

 

[koolaidmoms]

Our teachers determine what is best for their class when the temperature is 32 or below. Almost all classes go out unless it is 10 or less. The parents do have the option of opting out of outside recess when the temperature goes below 32.

However they used to have an unwritten policy to cancel school if it was -25 degrees or more below 0 (with or without windchill). They don't do that anymore. Of course I went to college in Northern NY where the windchill hit -50 below for 2 days and nothing moved - not even cars!

These children today are wimps I say, wimps.

 

[twinmomplus2new]

Our threshhold is below 22 degrees they are suppossed to take into consideration the wind chill factor. Sometimes they do sometimes they don't.

The kids are outside for 20 minutes and approximately another 5 minutes for the transfer in and out.
We do not go out if its raining, if there is snow noone is allowed on it or to touch it. We have to stay on the shoveled balcktop portion.
We also have heat index warnings ...I think we had 2 last year? If the new says air quality is at a danger level. the kids stay in. NO AC so so thats pretty stupid. the kids had to sit quietly in the gym. again no ac no fans. Foolish foolish, made me want to quit my job!
This is in on Cape Cod (MA.)

 

[allison443]

I found the above post quite amusing. I can understand a jacket, mittens, scarves, etc. but the part I found really amusing was the "snow pants and boots". By the time you get your second graders into their snowpants, boots, hats, gloves, scarves and coats, how much time do they really have to play? You must be exhausted helping all those little kids because at that age I'm sure they still need help. I think they probably get more exercise from trying to get dressed and undressed than from actually being outside.

I was thinking the same thing! Our school's recess is right after lunch, and they only have about 20 minutes for recess. I can't imagine the teacher dealing with second graders' snowpants and boots!

 

[sacall]

Anyting under 40 degrees, they have recess in their classroom. We live in Mi.

Wow, I live in Michigan too and our Elementary school it is anything thing below 10 degrees. We have to send them in with snowboots, snowpants, hats and gloves.

Now my oldest dd, who is in Middle School, they stop letting them go outside during lunch around October since most middler schoolers wouldn't be caught dead with a coat, boots, hat or snowpants

Stacy

 

[bgirl29]

I was thinking the same thing! Our school's recess is right after lunch, and they only have about 20 minutes for recess. I can't imagine the teacher dealing with second graders' snowpants and boots!

No by second grade those kids have it down. I being in the classroom helping one day when my now 2nd grader was in kinder, I was surprised how little the teacher helped any of the kids get ready to go outside. My daughter wears or takes her snowpants, hat, gloves and boots all winter long. They go outside unless the wind chill or temp is below zero. They also have sleds that the classes take turns using to slide down a small hill by the school.

I live in MI too.

 

[Tricia1972]

Our elementary school stays in if it's below 0. Anything above and we're outside.

I'm in central WI, and the other elementary schools generally abide by 10 degrees, but I guess my son's school is hardcore!

We also don't go out if it's raining - but if it's snowing it's still outdoor recess.

 

[DisneyKT]

I live in MA. My DD school is 29 or below they have to stay in.

 

[thewesterberg]

I grew up in far northeastern Minnesota and I can only recall being closed for cold once and it was something crazy, like -70 windchill. No matter how bad it got, we still bundled up and went to school. If it got REALLY cold, my mom would drive me to school instead of making me wait for the bus.

To this day, I hate the cold.

Another one from Northeastern MN here! I remember very, very clearly the day that it got that cold! Brrrrrrrrrr!

My son's school goes out for recess unless it's below zero or the windchill is a concern. We just got the reminder that warm coat, hat, scarf, and mittens/gloves are to worn. And once the snow hits the ground, boots and snowpants are necessary.

It is interesting to read different parts of the country's definition of "cold."

 

[tzolkin]

I found the above post quite amusing. I can understand a jacket, mittens, scarves, etc. but the part I found really amusing was the "snow pants and boots". By the time you get your second graders into their snowpants, boots, hats, gloves, scarves and coats, how much time do they really have to play? You must be exhausted helping all those little kids because at that age I'm sure they still need help. I think they probably get more exercise from trying to get dressed and undressed than from actually being outside.

Well, where I live we get at least 10 feet of snow each winter. So if the kids are going to be going out for recess they definitely need to wear snowpants and boots. They go out for recess every day (unless it's raining). Their recess is immediately after lunch, so they change into their boots and snowpants before going to lunch and then just put on their jackets and gloves right before going outside. The time for getting dressed is not taken out of the amount of time they have for recess. I think in kindergarten they had some extra time to get dressed, but even with that the kids helped each other (I volunteered in DDs class and saw them get ready a few times. It was much easier than I would have imagined.)

Every child must have snowpants, gloves, boots, and a heavy coat or they cannot play at recess. They will certainly not send a child out into 10degrees if they're not appropriately dressed. Someone mentioned a poorer school... over 80% of the kids in my DD's school qualify for free/reduced lunch and breakfast, but they all have winter clothing. There are coat drives several times a year. If a teacher sees that a child has to sit out of recess a few times because they are not appropriately dressed, they will ask the child if they have the clothes at home. If they don't show up with anything, they will contact a local non-profit agency to find coats/boots/etc in the child's size.

 

[Tricia1972]

Well, where I live we get at least 10 feet of snow each winter. So if the kids are going to be going out for recess they definitely need to wear snowpants and boots. They go out for recess every day (unless it's raining). Their recess is immediately after lunch, so they change into their boots and snowpants before going to lunch and then just put on their jackets and gloves right before going outside. The time for getting dressed is not taken out of the amount of time they have for recess. I think in kindergarten they had some extra time to get dressed, but even with that the kids helped each other (I volunteered in DDs class and saw them get ready a few times. It was much easier than I would have imagined.)

Every child must have snowpants, gloves, boots, and a heavy coat or they cannot play at recess. They will certainly not send a child out into 10degrees if they're not appropriately dressed. Someone mentioned a poorer school... over 80% of the kids in my DD's school qualify for free/reduced lunch and breakfast, but they all have winter clothing. There are coat drives several times a year. If a teacher sees that a child has to sit out of recess a few times because they are not appropriately dressed, they will ask the child if they have the clothes at home. If they don't show up with anything, they will contact a local non-profit agency to find coats/boots/etc in the child's size.

Here too you have to be dressed properly for school. Hat, Mittens, Coat, Snowpants and Boots. My son is in kindergarten and he goes outside for recess every day - dressed in all his gear.

Not sure how they make it work, but they do. I think it's great for the kids to be outside as much as possible, and I know he LOVES playing outside in the snow. (lol - we'll see how he feels in March when there's still snow and he's still bundling up every day)

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I guess a lot of this depends on where you live. We're in NJ, so we don't usually get sub-zero temps or 10 feet of snow Also our recess is the last 15 minutes or so of lunch, so I can't see how they'd have enough time to get everyone dressed in their gear, let them play, then get them back inside, undressed and to their next class in time. (And definitely no sleigh riding as a PP mentioned!) I think it's great for the kids to burn off a little energy during their day but I'm not sure I'd be happy with my child being out when it's zero degrees outside, although if you live in the north, I'm guessing that's a rather common occurrence.

We met people on our honeymoom many years ago who were from Canada and we kept in touch for a few years. The year my DD was born we got about 25 feet of snow or so that winter and we were at a standstill. They had a big laugh over that! I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

 

[Family Fun Mom]

Ours is 11 degrees. I guess they figure Michiganders can handle colder temps than the rest of you.

 

[schmitty]

High 50's or low 60's.

 

[Trish Bessette]

Below zero. Were tough in Vermont