Don’t you love all the inspiration online for things to do
with kids outside! Places to go, things to see and even information on how
important it is! Then it’s 30 degrees
(or less!) and all that great knowledge just doesn’t seem worth the effort to
get out the door. Although I wasn’t as
regular about it as I ought to have been, my cut-off for taking the little ones
outside was -20F (That’s about when it starts to hurt just to take a breath). We walked our mile in some pretty cold temps,
with the babies strapped onto me and so bundled they could hardly see! As they got older they were moving and having
so much fun, they become quite oblivious to the cold! Now that we’re in more of the southern
portion of the PNW, we’re dealing with the days on end of constant rain. No, it’s not as cold, but it is a challenge
of its own.
Another member of an online moms group that I’m part of
recently posed a question, and many more chimed in with similar issues. Their children had plenty of motivation to
get outside, but they were either too young or in an area where it was not safe
for them to be outside by themselves. The moms were asking each other how they
motivated themselves as parents to get out there!
I scrolled on at the time, but kept thinking about it through
the day. It can be hard sometimes, and often
I am the biggest deterrent for my kids getting outside! Just because I don't want to get cold or wet? I am so grateful that the place we are
renting has enough land around it that I am fairly comfortable letting them
play right outside the sliding doors where I can keep an eye on them. At least for a short amount of time. But inevitably they want to explore farther
and farther or go to parks or hiking.
All of which I’m so glad they enjoy, except now I have to go out, too!
=)
So I thought I’d share a couple things that get me going
when I really just want to stay in.
1.
Knowledge: being outside is good for all of us,
despite the weather. We will all be
happier if we do it.
2.
Proper attire: this doesn’t have to be expensive
clothing in most cases, although in the negative degrees Fahrenheit, I did have
a good winter jacket, long johns and boots.
But anywhere, the key to cold is layers.
Long johns or leggings under jeans, as many shirts as I can layer and
still be able to move, a couple socks and you can withstand a lot, especially
if you’re moving. Even a couple extra
layers under a rain coat and wellies (i.e. rain boots, splashing boots, mire
boots, galoshes) can make you feel cozy despite the damp. Just be sure to shed if you start getting too
warm. The survival mode in the back of
my mind kicks in and reminds me that sweating in cold is BAD because now your under layers are
wet. When you stop exerting yourself,
you’ll get REALLY cold!
3.
Ulterior Purpose: Get outdoor chores done while
the little ones get their wiggles out.
If they’re having fun on their own, there’s always something I can get
done while I’m out there, whether it’s just tidying up the yard or taking care
of critters. The ambitious side of me
feels so satisfied when I can check some of those things off the list! Or maybe this could mean making a phone call
while they’re on a playground or just focusing on something they’re learning
out on a hike. On our last hike, we had
just practiced writing the letter G, so while we were ascending, we set a goal
of finding 25 things that started with that letter! And we sort of count outside time as part of
school. They inevitably learn something every
time they step out the door, and they definitely exercise, so I count it a
win-win.
4.
An excuse to ignore chores for a few minutes:
this is such a horrible, procrastinator’s reason, but if I’m honest, the
thought has crossed my mind a time or two.
And usually after I’ve had a little fresh air myself and listened to the
little giggles and adventures, I’m in a much better mindset to get things done
than before!
5.
Recruit others: I’m much better at sticking with
a plan to get out somewhere if I know someone else is expecting to meet up with
us. And it sure helps to have another
grown-up to share (and commiserate) the experience with, plus the littles are
extra excited to see their friends!
6.
Go somewhere new: exploring a new trail or park
always sounds better to me than just hanging out in our yard. Although it is just that much extra effort
and time, so this one is a little situational. Or just go somewhere you already know you love!
7.
A piping hot mug of tea (or coffee if that’s
your cup of tea. Ha!) This is probably my biggest help! And now I’m going to spend too long
telling you of my favorite travel mug from Contigo (Note: I am not
being compensated at all for writing this, but I did obtain permission to use
their name here). I first realized what
great mugs they were on a -30F morning if Fairbanks. This is the type of temperature at which boiling water, if thrown into the air, will freeze before hitting the ground. We rushed out the door to an indoor
playground we were helping with, but not without my trusty cup of tea. It was still too hot to sip on the drive down,
and in the rush to get in, I left my mug in the car! I was a little out of sorts the whole morning
thinking about my lovely tea sitting out there in the cold, hoping that when it
froze it didn’t damage the mug. Three hours later I came out to find my tea not
frozen, but WARM still! Not piping hot,
granted, but still drinkably warm even after 3 hours in 30 below zero! I also just love that the lid has two locks
so I can let my little ones play with it and I don’t have to worry at all about
it spilling. A real life saver on some
Sunday mornings in church when that’s ALL they want to play with to be
semi-quiet. It’s the right shape to fit
in a cup holder, yet holds as much tea as my regular large mug.
Those are my biggest motivators, but I’m always up for more
ideas! I’d love to know what inspires
you to get out with your little ones in bad weather! Would you comment your
ideas below for others to share?
