Outside Recess
I've been doing alot of subbing at the elementary school and have spent quite a few days working as an aide in the kindergarten classes, and let me tell you that there is nothing quite as exhausting as helping eighteen 5 and 6 year old get ready to play outside for thirty minutes in freezing weather. Snow pants, boots, coats, hats, and mittens for everyone can take 10 mintues to get on. Because of this the kids only go out once a day. It truly takes such a long time to get dressed and undressed for recess that if they did it more than once a day there would be no time for learning.
Cooper LOVES outside recess. No matter the weather he still plays hard and knows not to stick his tongue out near metal! The play structures are fun to jump off of when the snow has piled up and the swings are looped over the top bar in order to make them higher off the snow. Like recess' in the lower 48, there is basketballs and footballs to play with, but our kids' playground toys also includes shovels to push the snow around when it's fresh.
But not today. There will likely not be outside recess today.
It's cold. -5 for a high, with a 'severe windchill warning' in effect until late morning. Predicted windchills of -30 to -40. By recess time at 11:00 it might warm up a little, but they keep the kids inside when it colder than -20 (that's negative folks!!).
Brrrrrr......
11 comments:
What an awesome experience for your boys! As much of a pain as it can be, I bet it's just plain good fun to be out in the snow!
They build 'em tough up there! We have indoor recess at 10 or below. And no school at -20. Do they cancel school there at all?
And I whine when it is in the 30's here! I would seriously have trouble being around kids all day, much less have to dress that many of them!
I remember the first winter we were back down here. I sent you off to school (walking) and you were all back within 1/2 hour telling me the school was closed. I did not believe you and had to call to be sure. Yes the school was closed for the day. There was about 1 inch of snow on the ground and the buses could not run to pick up the kids who lived out of town. Because of the 1 to 2 inches we had on Sunday, the whole area almost closed down on Monday.
Minus forty right now here! :) I guess that's inside recess for our kids, since they stay in at, minus 19 or below. :)
sounds like fun.
NOT!!!!!
I soooooo cannot imagine! They cancel school here at even the possibility of snow. And there is no outside play if it gets remotely near 40. Our blood is thin here :-)
I was thinking of you when our temperatures dipped down into the 20's a couple weeks ago. Brrrr! Don't think I could could live in the land of cold. Gotta hand it to you--you're a real trooper, but then I guess you did grow up in Alaska, so you're probably having the time of your life!
And Anna's K teacher thinks she has it hard just trying to get gloves on! And then what a mess that must be....all those dripping clothes! But.....it sure looks like fun! Can you send a little snow our way?
We always had a bin of "borrow" skates for our playground. Remember? You were lucky if you had your own.
Lee Ann, the clothes don't get wet because the snow is so dry that it ust blows right off of you by the time you get inside.
I can tell you that the kids around here don't go out for recess when it is 32 degrees!!!. Mostly because the teachers don't want to sit out in the cold. I cannot imagine that scene you just described happening at our school!
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