Outdoor Recess in Winter

Last week, I received a letter from my son’s teacher asking parents to dress children in full winter gear because she sends the kids outside for recess, even on very cold days when there is some snow on the ground.   She said in her letter that she believes strongly that it is very important to get kids outside everyday.

My husband, who is originally from Canada, says that when he was growing up it was mandatory to go outside for recess every day, regardless of the sub-zero temperature.

Many educational experts consider outdoor recess an important part of the school day, especially for younger children.   They say that outdoor recess can cut down on childhood obesity, help children learn through play, and improve student behavior and concentration. (Check out this article in The New York Times:  "The 3 Rs: A Fourth is Crucial, Too: Recess")

However, in the winter, schools must consider safety concerns about icy play areas. Some children don’t wear sufficiently warm clothing and parents worry that playing outside in the cold will make their children sick.

Parents have long been discussing this issue across the country.  In an Op-Ed in the New York Times in 2003, a Yonkers teacher complained about “a new layer of fat” parents might find hanging off their children each spring due to skipped winter recesses.

During this year's long and frigid winter, many of the city's public elementary schools canceled outdoor recess, instead keeping students inside where they watched videos (and snacked). At my son's school in Manhattan, children stayed indoors -- where they killed time in the gymnasium -- through much of April, too, because of rain. Wouldn't these children have been better off playing outside?

In Norwalk,  the decision to outside for recess seems to be left up to the principals and teachers.   On cold snowy days, many teachers and schools offer an indoor alternative to outdoor play, which includes unstructured activities like gym time, Legos or drawing. 

Mark Gorian, Director of NPS Facilities, said that the responsibility for clearing snow around schools is divided among the three city departments.  The Department of Public Works is responsible for clearing off parking lots and driveways.  Norwalk's Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for sidewalks in front of schools and pathways on fields. The NPS Facilities Dept. is in charge of a school's entrance area and asphalt play area.  The actual play structures (swings, slides, etc) are not cleared off.

Mr. Gorian, whose department has two trucks with plows,  usually waits for a call from a school prinicipal to come and clear off the asphalt areas (including basketball and tennis courts).  He said that not all of the schools use his plowing services; some schools use part of the parking lot or receiving areas (which are plowed by DPW) for outdoor time.

"We usually wait a day or two after a storm to clear off the playgrounds," said Mr. Gorian.  "Our priority is the entrance areas."

What do you think about outdoor recess in the winter?  Would you prefer your children to go outside or stay indoors?  If you are a teacher, what do you do for recess when it is very cold or snowy?

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FYI:  The newly formed Communications Committee did not officially meet on Monday because Committee Chair Erin Halsey (and newly elected board member) was not fully aware of the procedure of scheduling a meeting.  The Committee will convene on Feb 8th at 6pm and the second Monday of every month thereafter.