Recess at School

When we were growing up my Mom sent us out to play in all kinds of weather - hot, cold, snowy, fog, rain - as long as it wasn't thundering/lighting or night time.
I use to walk to/from school in all kinds of weather.
Recess is so short (maybe 20 min) I wouldn't worry about it.

We actually lived somewhere that they only had indoor recess if the temp dropped below 25 degrees which I thought was batcrap crazy.

If it's below freezing, they just need to stay indoors IMO, and wet weather is definitely a no go. Cold and rain don't generally make a person sick, but it does make them miserable and with they blood going to all the vital organs to keep them warm, it can make them more succeptable to viruses going around the campus.

We live in MN, if the kids stayed inside whenever it was cold, they'd never go out. They go out as long as it's above 15 degrees (that includes windchill). Parents are supposed to provide appropriate clothing for the weather.

If it's raining they stay in. But, it has to be raining. Mist or light rain might not keep them in, especially if it's a shorter recess.

I suspect they caught bugs at the doctor's office.

Make sure that your kids have hats, gloves, and winter wear, because they'll probably be going out.

J.

I would think if it was raining or wet from raining they would stay inside. As for the temp I don't think 43 is too cold, but if the wind chill made it feel like 32 then they should have stayed inside.
I agree with Lisa C that when your body is trying to stay warm it can lower your immune system.

Our school does recess until 32 degrees. They do rain...although usually they go to the gym.

I would not be concerned about the temperature but about the wetness. The reason for indoor recess when it's wet is not just so that kids don't get wet and stay wet (though that's a great reason). It's also because the playground equipment and even the "blacktop" asphalt play surfaces are wet, and kids could slip and fall easily. Even the grass gets really slick and super-muddy around here, very quickly. If the kids were running on a playing field I guess it's less of an issue but if they were using playground equipment and climbing, etc., in rain or drizzle, there are real risks of falls. I'd definitely ask about the policy and what the teachers consider "too much" rain to go outside. Many schools do have outdoor recess no matter what the temperature, if it's dry out. I can see that, but not letting kids onto wet equipment.

As for coughs and earaches -- the weather may make those feel worse if they're already getting started but cold and damp can't actually cause a cold or ear infection or cough, so the school isn't going to listen to that as an argument against it.

In child care all kids are required to go outside every day. Regardless. It may be that the director decides they don't go out but the regulations state that each child must go outside. The infant regulations do state that if there is a "significant" health risk to the child by being outside that the teacher may decide to not take the babies outside...talk about silly rules. My licensing worker told me, when I asked about cold temps, stormy weather, snow, heat, etc...that kids need to go outside for at least a few minutes each day regardless. I asked her what the word "significant" meant for the babies and she said they felt it meant hail, strong winds that could blow debris into them, lightening, etc...I asked why that didn't apply to the older kids and she said it just didn't...of all the silly things the state decides about care...that a silly one.

Maybe they just felt the kids would enjoy the outside and just went out for a few minutes, I would certainly ask the teacher about why they went out.

My son's school is 90% Special Needs so, our kids do not go outside once it's cold in general... they only have a few weeks of outside play left here. Our kids DO NOT go out when it's wet, too windy or snow is on the ground. Heck, if it's thinking about raining most of our kids do not go out, but we do have a Motor Room (basically the BEST ROOM EVER!) for them to play in as well as gym class.

I would find out the recess policies in writing first...ask for a copy, I would assume most districts or schools have one (ours did). Any form of rain they stayed in. Then there were temp regulations, wind chill, etc.

I always sent my child over prepared. She had to walk to the bus, and stand out there in sometimes severe rain (altho one nice neighbor mom right at the stop would let kids stand in her garage in downpours with our permission..even when her kids were off to Middle school), so mine always had rainboots, thermal rain coat (and a thinner one for warm days)...boots, coats, snowpants, hats gloves, etc...all decked out for the days anticipated weather. Nothing like NOT being prepared.

Sadly, she was one of few dressed that prepared if memory serves....

Our school does recess until it is 14 degrees out, which I think is REDICULOUS! *I* won't even go out to check the mail once it's under 20, why would a five year old want to be out in it for 20 minutes??
That said, if it's raining, the school does indoor recess no matter the temperature.
Also, it's likely that they got their illnesses from being in the germy Dr office, not from getting wet. An illness doesn't show symptoms overnight, although being wet and cold *can* increase their chances of the germs effectively attacking because their bodies are working harder to warm up and not focusing on fighting illness.
In this case, I think it was a bad combination of timing at the Dr office and being sent out in the rain. But I am wondering, if it was that cold and raining, didn't they have water/cold resistant jackets and hoods on that would have kept their underclothes dry? I always just make sure my son is prepared to go outside in any weather - even if that means packing a rain slicker and umbrella, gloves and hat, snow boots and pants depending on the weather. And he has a stash of dry socks and Tshirt in his backpack every day, I just feel that I know the school can't keep track of every kid's clothing situation every day, it's my job to make sure he is prepared and comfortable for the day.

WEre they soaked right through their jackets?? that seems too wet.
BUT, as a teacher I'd like to ask that all kids come to school with jackets unless you're 100% sure the weather will be hot and sunny. We have fire drills, evacuation drills and other emergency drills, we have false alarms that are not planned or sometimes even small fires that make us evacuate. We tell the kids to grab their sweaters of jackets and put them on on the way out. And you should see the kids shivering in their Tshirts, tank tops, etc I dont know I guess their parents thought they would probably just run from the car to the school and never go outside? How can you know at 7:30 am whether the kids will have indoor recess? Our principal doesn't decide until the last minute cuz kids NEED fresh air and exercise whenever possible.

I think maybe you should ask the teacher(s) their view of the day first. I understand your upset, but it could be that it rained before they went out and only the bottoms of the clothing were wet from the puddles.

I know our school makes sure the kids put on hats and gloves...is this something they do there as well?