Preparing Kids to Play in the Snow
Preparation is the key to playing outside in the snow. If you are prepared, your family can have a great time playing, even in the winter weather. If you’re not prepared, snow play can be a miserable experience for everyone. Try using these tips and enjoy your time outside longer!
You don’t need snow suits or snow boots to have fun in the snow (although boots are nice if the snow is deep). For the most comfortable experience outside in the snow, layer clothes.
Wear sweats or long underwear under jeans (or wear two pairs of jeans). They’ll stay warmer and when they get snow on the outer pair of pants, it doesn’t melt and make them wet, cold and miserable.
A turtleneck or t-shirt under a sweater with a coat on top will keep everyone warm even if they crash their sleds in the snow.
Put double socks on everyone and double mittens and gloves if needed. Again, this is not just for warmth. Double gloves will make it less likely that the snow will melt through them, keeping the kids (or mom and dad) more comfortable.
Keep everyone’s feet dry. Put plastic bags over socks. Use a rubber band to hold them up or tie the handles of the bags around their legs. Then put their shoes on. Pull their pants down over the tops of the plastic bags. Wet feet will cause everyone to feel colder, but keeping their feet dry will enable them to stay out and have fun longer.
For children, purchase many identical pairs of gloves. Santa brought our three older kids ten pairs of black gloves. That way, when one pair gets wet we can just trade it for a dry one. Each kid can soak two or three pairs of gloves in one day’s sledding. By the way, Santa only paid $5 for all them on sale after Thanksgiving.
When you don’t have a hat, wrap a scarf over your head to cover your ears.
Quick Hand Warmers – Microwave potatoes for 2-3 minutes until very hot. After you remove from the microwave, wrap in foil, then wrap in a towel and put inside a cooler. When you need to thaw your hands, pull one out and wrap your hands around it for a quick warm up. When you’re done, dinner is ready. – Just add sour cream and butter 😉
Make hot cocoa and some cookies as a snack to warm everyone up. Warming them up on the inside allows them to stay outside longer. Once everyone is back inside, put wet mittens and shoes over heating vents or near a fireplace or wood stove to dry.
-Tawra
P.S. Please don’t post all your safety concerns about drying near a fireplace. We assume most of our readers have good old fashioned common sense in this area.
For more money saving ideas with kids check out our Saving with Kids E-book set.
Valentine’s Treasure Hunt
Leave a Reply