Baby, It's Cold Outside: Keeping Your Child Warm & Safe During Winter

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    Brrr…it’s getting cold outside. Although we are only in the middle of November, temperatures have already dropped quite a bit.  It’s easy to want to just stay inside curled up next to the fireplace when it is cold outside. This makes it difficult to keep kids active during the winter months, but don’t let the cold deter you.

    Kids can still go outside and play and have fun, but there are a few things to keep in mind to keep them warm and safe. As one of my sibling's Physical Education teacher always said, "there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing!"

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1) Dress in layers. Layers are great because they can be adjusted more easily as needed.  There are three types of layers to consider, as offered by Cheryl Butler. They include:

• Wicking: thermals, turtlenecks, long underwear 
• Insulating: sweatshirts, sweaters
• Weather protection: shells, snow pants

Don't forget hats, gloves, and boots as these tend to be places children can lose a lot of heat from. 

2) Wear sunscreen. Although it's easy to forget during the winter, sunburns can be just as likely during the winter (especially when there's snow, as it reflects the sun).  

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3) Drink plenty of liquids. Kids can easily get dehydrated as winter tends to be a lot drier and as they breathe, they lose more water.  Keeping them hydrated can also help to prevent those unwanted bloody noses.  Give them water, warm drinks, or even soup to do the trick.

4) Set time-limits: Children tend not to realize they are cold when they're out having fun, so it's important for parents to monitor this.  Depending on the age, keep children out for short periods of time and then have them come in to warm up and take off wet clothing. After they are warm, you can send them back out for more play time.  

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For more tips and information on keeping your child warm and safe during the winter, check out these websites!

• American Academy of Pediatrics: Winter Safety Tips
• Quick and Dirty Tips: Keeping Kids Warm and Safe During Winter
• iVillage: Cold Weather Alert! Learn How to Keep Kids Safe When It's Freezing Outside
• Mother Nature Network: Toasty tots: Keeping kids warm in winter

Sometimes it's just too cold to be outside, so here are 20 tips for indoor activities to do with your kids. 

What are some fun things you can do with your kids outside or inside during the winter?