“There’s no bad weather, only bad clothing.”
This statement has been spoken countless times throughout the past 9 years here at our house. Currently, it’s -17 degrees Celsius and my boys have played outside for hours. Today they’re building snow forts and snow tunnels. Focused, determined, and using great ingenuity.
Not only do they get the chance to absorb some (albeit a minuscule amount) of Vit D from the bright sun, they get to breath fresh air, they get to work on their communication skills, they get to practice compromising and strategizing. They build their gross motor skills as they use shovels and ice picks, and other tools.
It is said that school-aged children need 5-6 hours of outdoor and free play a day to develop appropriately. One of the reasons I choose to homeschool the boys is because of this. It’s nearly impossible, in a public school setting, to meet these needs of ideal development. Policies that don’t allow children outside during their finite free time (recess and lunch hour) because the weather is too bad, is doing a huge disservice to the students and teachers they are created to serve.
So, we choose to do things a little differently. We choose to make sacrifices, to allow for a life that gives my boys the opportunity to play outside creatively, freely, and unashamedly.
Rosy cheeks, hungry bellies, and proudly, excited story tellers come tumbling in my door at the end of a good outdoor play time. It a childhood that I know they’ll look back on with gratitude and appreciation some day.
Be sure to check out my recommended links for quality outdoor gear for your little adventurers.