School recess in the winter

[KrisM]

Do your kids go outside? Is there a temperature limit?

I'm asking because on our local FB moms group, someone new to our area asked about sending snow pants, boots, etc to school today. We have a foot or so of snow on the ground from Saturday. Everyone answered yes and I put something about recess not being fun in you are limited to the blacktop, which is what happens if you don't have boots, etc. She asked if kids play in snow during recess. I answered that they do because shoveling a playground would be difficult. Her response was that in NY they stay inside in the gym all winter and don't go out for recess. I was surprised!

So, now I'm curious. I assume she doesn't mean the entire state of NY, but where ever she is from. I would have thought all of NY would be prepared for snow, but I guess not.

Here kids go out if the temperature including wind chill is 10 deg or above. They also stay inside in rain, etc. But, they try hard to get them out as much as possible. If the rain stops, the later recesses go out. Indoor recess is in their classroom playing games.

[georgiegirl]

I'm in Iowa. Outdoor recess if temp is above zero (including wind chill). We have the same rules. If you don't have snow boots, snow pants, etc., you are limited to the black tip.

Mommy fail here: first big snow this weekend (6") and we discovered DD's snow boots and snow pants are too small. We got back from Florida yesterday and Costco was out of snowpants and I didn't have time to run to target.

[KrisM]

I'm in Iowa. Outdoor recess if temp is above zero (including wind chill). We have the same rules. If you don't have snow boots, snow pants, etc., you are limited to the black tip.

Mommy fail here: first big snow this weekend (6") and we discovered DD's snow boots and snow pants are too small. We got back from Florida yesterday and Costco was out of snowpants and I didn't have time to run to target.

We weren't as ready as we should have been. Kids wore shorts last Monday as it was 65 deg! And it's 22 now. Blah! DD's boots are snug, but okay until we get her new ones. I swear I told DS1 to try on his coat, but he says he didn't. It's on, but a little short. We were good on snowpants and they got a lot of use yesterday!

[acmom]

I'm in Iowa. Outdoor recess if temp is above zero (including wind chill). We have the same rules. If you don't have snow boots, snow pants, etc., you are limited to the black tip.

I'm in NY, a suburban district and our rules are the same as above. They do everything they can to get them outside! Kids can sled at recess too once they have enough snow and provided they are dressed appropriately. However I know in one of the lower income city schools I volunteer in, they don't go out in the winter bc the majority of their students do not have appropriate winter clothing.😢

[SnuggleBuggles]

I think if the "feels like" temp (air temp plus windchill) is less than 20 or 25, they stay in. The kids are either in their classroom for free play or in the gym. Not enough space in our little gym for everyone so they alternate who gets it.
ETA- our school collects winter gear so kids who don't have any or forgot can grab some.

[jgenie]

We're in NY. Kids go outside in the snow at recess. I'm not sure the temp cutoff though. They also go out to play if it's raining but no lightning.

[khalloc]

I'm in Burlington Vermont and the cutoff for outdoor recess here is 0 degrees. You have to have snowpants and boots in order to play outside off the blacktop i think. If you dont have those you are stuck on the blacktop (there really isnt much of it if I remember correctly).

Here's my thinking on NY. I could be totally off-base, but I could see them keeping the kids indoors if most of them are low-income and dont have snowpants/boots. Maybe parents cant afford to purchase?

[ett]

I don't know the exact temperature cutoff here but kids do have outdoor recess all winter. Snowpants and snowboots are required to play in the snow, otherwise they have to stay on the blacktop. Indoor recess is in the classroom. The gym is used for PE so it's not an option for indoor recess here.

[carolinacool]

I'm in N.C., so likely different rules. At day care, they usually didn't go outside if it was in the 30s or below. That's pretty dang cold here. We don't get much snow here, although the last couple of years, we've had two or three days of six or seven inches of snow, maybe a little more in some areas. In that case, school is closed. lol DS has a snow bib and a pair of snow boots, but he'll probably wear them all of once or twice. The people I know who keep them regularly tend to go to the mountains and ski pretty often.

DS is in K now, so I'm not sure if they have a temperature cutoff. I know they don't go out in the rain. DS hasn't owned a raincoat since he was 3.

[KrisM]

I'm in Burlington Vermont and the cutoff for outdoor recess here is 0 degrees. You have to have snowpants and boots in order to play outside off the blacktop i think. If you dont have those you are stuck on the blacktop (there really isnt much of it if I remember correctly).

Here's my thinking on NY. I could be totally off-base, but I could see them keeping the kids indoors if most of them are low-income and dont have snowpants/boots. Maybe parents cant afford to purchase?

I had not thought of that, but it does make sense. She was on Long Island. Maybe she was in a lower income area. Here we do have kids without the gear, but not so many that coat drives don't cover them, fortunately.