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The benefits of outdoor play for children during the winter are significant in any season. Even winter. Even in Nebraska! Unfortunately, the average child spends fewer than 15 minutes each day in outdoor activity and that number drops even lower in the winter.

Outdoor Play for Children During the Winter

An article from Business Insider, Why Our Kids are Going to Play Outside This Winter, and Yours Should Too, According to Science, talks about the importance of outdoor play for children during the winter and all year. While it’s true that it takes more effort to get outside in winter, it’s just as Important. It also offers many benefits.

Experts agree that unless there are howling winds, driving snow or subzero temperatures, children benefit from playing outdoors in winter. That’s because they get the opportunity to explore, create and meet new challenges.

At Premier Academy we find ways to keep your child engaged in learning, all year. We offer affordable childcare in the Omaha/Elkhorn area, visit us at premieracademyinc.com. 

While cold, snowy winter weather may seem like the end of outdoor learning and exploration, that is not the case. Winter weather can help children appreciate nature in new and different ways and the change of scenery offers a new perspective on the world around them. While this type of weather may require a little more effort, it is well worth it!

Bundle Up and Get Outside: Why Kids Should Play Outdoors in the Winter

https://www.fix.com/blog/keep-kids-playing-outdoors-in-winter/

It is up to adults to focus on the importance of children’s play, regardless of the season. After all, play should not be restricted to warm weather.

Why Our Kids Are Going to Play Outside This Winter, and Yours Should Too, According to Science

https://www.businessinsider.com/why-kids-should-play-outside-winter-science-2018-11

You can’t just push your kids out the door when it’s freezing cold or snowing. But with a bit of extra effort, the outdoors in winter can be as enjoyable and beneficial for kids as the warmer seasons.

Why It’s Important for Children to Play Outside in Winter

https://www.ontarioparks.com/parksblog/children-play-outside-winter/

It may be tempting to hide inside until the weather warms up, but outdoor play is essential for your children’s well-being all year long.

At Premier Academy we find ways to keep your child engaged in learning, all year around. We offer affordable childcare in the Omaha/Elkhorn area, visit us at premieracademyinc.com. 

Temperatures are dropping faster than many of us would like and weather experts are forecasting a colder-than-normal winter. This would appear to bad news for parents who like to get outside with their children and explore nature and all that it has to offer.

outdoor learning for kids

While a particularly harsh Nebraska winter may seem like the end to playing in the great outdoors, this doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, there are several fun and educational ways to engage children outside, even when the weather is frightful!

Helping children to appreciate nature can go a long way toward widening their world and, most importantly, engaging their senses. And while going out in the snow with kids may not seem like it is worth the effort, the truth is that wintery weather provides a plethora of learning opportunities. Everything from animal hibernation to icicles to the shapes of snowflakes allows you to open up their world by simply opening up the front door.

If you are drawing a blank when trying to come up with ideas to entertain and educate children outdoors in the winter, here are just of few of the endless options to implement outdoor learning for kids:

  1. Identify animals by tracking their footprints in the snow. Even if you live in the city, dog, cat and squirrel prints will be visible.
  2. Go on a winter scavenger hunt.
  3. Study the night sky. There are specific constellations that can only be seen in the winter.
  4. Study how and why icicles form. How do they change over time?
  5. Draw on the snow with fallen branches.
  6. Hang edible ornaments on a tree for the animals to come and eat. Ornaments can include dehydrated fruit, popcorn and peanut butter covered pine cones.
  7. Design an obstacle course.
  8. Build a snow fort. Measure how big you want it to be. Build bricks out of snow and flatten the walls. You can even draw up a design plan before you begin. The older the child, the more sophisticated the structure can be.

Bundling up For Outdoor Learning in Winter

A lot of parents will tell you that the biggest barrier to playing outdoors in the winter is that it takes too long to get kids dressed or that kids want to come in right away because they are too cold. The key is to make sure that children are dressed appropriately for their environment. Doing so will keep them warm and comfortable and better able to enjoy what they are doing.

The key to keeping kids warm is proper layering. A base layer wicks moisture away from the skin. Avoid cotton because it sticks to the skin and absorbs swat. Use synthetic fibers instead. Make sure the layers aren’t too tight so as not to inhibit circulation. The next layer should insulate. Fleece, wool and down are good choices. The top layer protects again wind, rain and snow. Nylon pants and jackets are the best options. A good hat also is critical as are weatherproof, insulated mittens or gloves. Finally, socks made out of wool or other synthetics work better than cotton. Boots should be insulated, weatherproof and have rubberized soles.

Winter weather doesn’t have to mean an end to outdoor learning for kids. It just requires doing things a little differently!

At Premier Academy we find ways to keep your child engaged in learning, all year around. We offer affordable childcare in the Omaha/Elkhorn area, visit us at premieracademyinc.com. 

Loose parts play was a term coined in the 1970s by architect Simon Nicholson. Nicholson believed that open-ended materials in a child’s environment could be linked to creativity and critical thinking later on in life. Today, childhood experts believe this form of play is a critical concept in educating children. Even more important, it’s something children love to do.

What Are the Children Learning?

Experts tell us that children learn from this method of play. But what exactly is it that they are learning?

LPP In & Out of the Classroom

Teachers who implement loose parts play love how it transforms a classroom. That’s why so many teachers are taking the concept outdoors, as well.

All the Benefits None of the Mess

Thought about experimenting with loose parts play at home but don’t want to deal with the mess? Relax, it doesn’t have to mean a bunch of small pieces all over your house!

Premier Academy offers affordable childcare in the Omaha/Elkhorn area. To learn more, visit us at premieracademyinc.com.