I often think that attitudes towards playing outside depends entirely on your own experiences and cultural norms.
I grew up in the UK with predictable changes in season. Snow was rare enough to be a novelty and rain was frequent enough to require an umbrella at all times during Spring (especially when I lived in Swansea, a city which held the dubious accolade of Britain’s wettest city for a number of years).
When I moved to Canberra, Australia 5 years ago, I became so accustomed to the warmer climate that I started to think of 25c (77f) as cold. In the UK, that is barbecue weather!
Now that I live in Austria, I’ve gotten used to kitting the children out in coveralls and snow boots during the winter months so they can still play outside.
I’m sure that I’m showing my Britishness by talking about the weather so much. My point is, I’ve found that my attitudes towards weather have adapted each time we’ve moved countries.
Right now, I’m listening to ‘There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom's Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids’ by Linda Åkeson McGurk via Audible and I’m fascinated by the differences between US and Scandinavian countries when it comes to spending time outdoors.
In newsletter 3 of the Outdoor Play Masterclass, we are going to be talking about attitudes towards weather and how we can adapt our outdoor play approach to the seasons.
What You’ll Learn in this article:
5 reasons why outdoor play is important, a reminder
How long your child should spend outside each day
6 ways to make outdoor play easier, no matter the weather
Adjusting your family rhythm for the season
How to reframe your attitude towards outdoor play
Dressing your child for the weather
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