Recess Temperatures

[Melalvai]

According to this chart, frostbite isn't a concern until it is 10 degrees, and then only if the wind is 55 mph.
wikihow recommends keeping children in if the temperature drops to -13F!

Good luck getting them out of doors!

Maybe some kids, especially these days, don't really know what to do when they get outside. Perhaps you could organize some games & fun races?

[Grog]

It's all relative.

Being from Quebec, I spent my childhood recess times outdoors at temperatures down to -15 or -20 Celcius (sub-zero F). However, we were all little Quebecers with lots of appropriate winter gear such as boots, coats, snow pants, mittens, etc. (It probably took about 10 minutes to get us dressed for recess.) Here in Vancouver I wouldn't send the kids out if the temperatures were below 0 Celcius (32F) since most people don't have appropriate winter clothing, and would indeed endanger themselves. I'm not that old (32) but maybe the rules have changed. I sort of doubt it.

If you're in Missouri, I'd sort of expect people to have what it takes to survive the around freezing point.

[Biciclista]

can any of you remember being out for recess and being HURT by 40 degree weather?
I can remember when it was freezing and playing with the ice in the puddles. That's a very sad commentary; what are we raising, hot house flowers? My mother made us go out no matter what the weather (thunderstorms excluded) and we went out and played. We got wet sometimes too, and we survived. I hope you can just talk plain old common sense to that principal. Humans survived millions of years without forced air heat and fleece lined gloves!!!

[jobob]

I can remember when it was freezing and playing with the ice in the puddles.

... aaaannnd we liked it !!

[jobob]

When I was a kid in western MA, elementary school was fairly close to home, but both jr high and high school were about a mile away -- I lived a few blocks shy of the school bus-eligible boundary in both instances.

I remember in particular walking with a neighbor to high school during the winter over snow so cold it squeaked, and be chanting in our newly-learned Spanish "¡Muy frio! ¡Es muy frio!"

Oh, and in elementary school, we had one of those tongue-frozen-on-cold-metal incidents during recess. I kid you not.

[Irulan]

Oh good Lord. Let's bubble wrap kids some more.

[zoom-zoom]

10ºF is the limit that my son's school has in place, which seems reasonable to me. I think when I was growing up the limit was 0.

Seriously, I am starting to think people south of the Mason-Dixon are kinda wussy. I have friends in TX and Alabama and they whine when it gets below 50 that it is too cold to go outside (most runners will agree that 50 is ideal for running). Then all Summer long they whine that it's too hot. These are people who use treadmills more than 6 months of the year and think I'm nuts when I go running in below-freezing or even sub-zero temps with ample snow on the ground. I think they are nuts for being willing to run or bike indoors when the roads are dry and temps are not dangerous in either extreme.

[MartianDestiny]

Seriously, I am starting to think people south of the Mason-Dixon are kinda wussy.

Not really. It's what you are used to and what you are prepared for; especially when it comes to cold (hot you can't really do much about). I lived in Ga most of my life, and indeed WAS miserable at ~40.

I now live in CO, and while I still prefer 75 and sunny, am happy down to the upper 20's. Why? I think some of it may be the different humidity and wind levels, so it does feel slightly different. But primarily? I'm prepared for it. I've spent a small fortune on GOOD cold weather gear that you can't even really FIND much less purchase or justify in Ga. That makes a WORLD of difference.

[uforgot]

When I was a kid in western MA, elementary school was fairly close to home, but both jr high and high school were about a mile away -- I lived a few blocks shy of the school bus-eligible boundary in both instances.

I remember in particular walking with a neighbor to high school during the winter over snow so cold it squeaked, and be chanting in our newly-learned Spanish "¡Muy frio! ¡Es muy frio!"

Oh, and in elementary school, we had one of those tongue-frozen-on-cold-metal incidents during recess. I kid you not.

When I ride my bike to school I see lots of parents, sitting with their kids in the car at the end of the DRIVEWAY! The weather doesn't matter, they are always there.

Oh, and did you catch the Mythbusters and the frozen metal/ tongue episode? It's true...

[lph]

I agree with Grog, and think you have to take into consideration what the normal temperature range is around there. Here in Oslo everyone is used to temps down to -10 to -15 C, but -15 to -20 is quite rare. It happens, but not every winter, and not for long. Last week we had a cold snap, and when it was colder than -15 C the kids were allowed to stay indoors for recess. I think it was a combination of a bit too much hassle to get dressed, and that some of them maybe didn't have warm enough clothes. Not everybody around here is born and raised in a cold climate.

[Zen]

Oh, and did you catch the Mythbusters and the frozen metal/ tongue episode? It's true...

I don't need Mythbusters to tell me what I learned in the fourth grade at Fort Richardson
ouch.

[Veronica]

Our kids go out if it's not raining. They run around and play in temperatures in the mid 40s to low 50s with no coats on, in short sleeves! They don't care; they're having fun. This is CA so a lot of them don't even have winter coats.

Sometimes I think having a child must turn off the logical part of the brain.

Veronica

[OakLeaf]

According to this chart, frostbite isn't a concern until it is 10 degrees, and then only if the wind is 55 mph.

Weeeeeellll, according to my ears, they've been frostbitten at 20° above with not too much wind. It's true it was considerably colder than that when my fingers and toes got frostbite, and ears aren't really that big of a concern.

But I agree that kids should be outside.