4 Reasons to Bring Your Kids Outside in the Winter

Winter in Canada can be long. Frequent snowfalls and temperatures falling below zero can make it difficult to imagine getting the kids outside daily. Especially with toddlers and preschoolers, going outside can seem longer than the precious outdoor time. After eight attempts to secure the blasted mittens, we sometimes throw our hands up and turn back towards the playroom. While it seems more tempting to burrow with the kids beneath a cozy blanket while reading their favourite story, or spend extra hours with markers and colouring books, outdoor time is important. Really important. A research team at outsideplay.org suggest that only 37% of children play outside each day. Of the preschooler category, the statistics drop significantly to 12%. (1)

The kids stay active

I’ll rather shyly admit that infrequently my littles are allowed an episode of “Bluey” or “Paw Patrol” during a rainstorm, but it’s all too easy for the excuses to build for screen time during a string of cold days (or should I say months). Canada’s 2024 report card mark for physical activity among children and youth received a whopping D+ overall - a sorry mark for the remarkable amount of playground land-mass in which we pride ourselves. (2)

In the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years, it recommends that toddlers (ages 1-2) and preschoolers (ages 3-5) should be getting a minimum of 3 hours of physical exercise a day, with 60 additional minutes for older kids. (3). Nothing builds these hours like the effort taken for little boots to romp through freshly fallen snow, marking the yard with snow-angels, and discovering icicle swords from the edges of balconies, playhouses, and low-hanging branches. Winter opens a beautiful array of creative outdoor play options, and physical activity has a host of benefits for children involving behaviour, learning (attention and memory), fitness, bone strength, and overall emotional wellbeing. (4).

An Immune System Boost

Germs. Germs. And more germs. It seems like everyone is trying to get the intel on family members’ health, especially around the holidays, making fairly large efforts to avoid the seasonal flu. But being in the cold doesn’t cause sickness, germs cause sickness. And as our founding mother Nightingale so blatantly pointed out in her 1859 book “Notes on Hospitals”, ventilation and air-flow are a major antagonist to any disease. (5). We know this now…but so easily forget when our barefoot touch floor in the morning and we turn up the thermostat, almost preferring to battle the build up of germs and bacteria in our tightly-shut homes.

Encouraging the kids to play outside in the small sunny-windows of the day, gets them away from the germs and bacterias of an enclosed space, and enhances their system with some much needed Vitamin D. Moreover, children can come in contact with natural bacteria in the environment, potentially boosting their immune system, and leaving them less likely develop allergies or auto-immune issues down the road. (6).

Inhibitory Control

There’s a growing area of research in play involving executive functions (EFs), which include the cognitive functions of inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility - all which are associated with positive social and academic outcomes. A 2022 study on the comparison of the effects of Outdoor Physical activity and indoor Classroom-based activities, written by the International Journal of Early Childhood, demonstrated significantly greater inhibitory control among preschoolers in outdoor activity as opposed to indoor. (7). In other words, that ability to pause and use attention and reasoning towards a situation, rather than hit the floor on all fours and start yelling…was greatly improved.

As a baby, toddler and preschooler mom, I couldn’t think of a better win. There’s something about children being outside in the fresh air, with a snow-laden playground, and endless creative possibilities of play, that help children grow in their ability to pause and reflect, before acting impulsively towards given situations. In connection with this, the Play&Grow early education program showed a reduction in anger from time spent outdoors. (8). Too many tantrums and fights breaking out in the winter shelter? Grab the winter gear and get those kids in the snow!

Improved Sleep

Finally, after a long winter’s day, the kids are finally getting ready for bed. With increasing efforts to wind down their energy, we try the lavender bubble baths and extended story-times, turning the sound machine up, and attempting to sneak away for a couple precious hours on our own. It seems like you just sat down to relax when the “Mooooommmmm” begins.

For our circadian rhythms to function properly, daily exposure to natural light is the best thing to regulate our sleep/wake cycle. The morning and afternoon sun help our bodies remain alert during the day, and promote sleepiness at night, improving both the quality and quantity of sleep. (9). Michael Breus, a Los Angeles-based sleep medicine specialist, states “Every single human, just as soon as possible after waking up, should go outside and get at least 15 minutes of direct natural light. Period.” In agreement with him, Nathaniel Watson, MD, a sleep specialist and professor of neurology at the University of Washington, states “Light is the single most important element for setting our circadian clock, or internal 24-hour rhythm, and morning light is key.” Getting those kids outside and squinting at the beautiful sunshine will both improve their daytime energy, and make their bodies ready for sleep when night comes. You can finally sit down and relax. (10).

Overcoming Barriers

While you might be nodding in agreement for each reason to battle kids into the snow, there still might be a host of factors working against this outcome. From the kids’ resistance, to cold weather blues, to a little baby in the home.

I’ve found the more we create a routine of being outside every day, the less difficult the preparation becomes as each child settles into a consistent expectation. When winter first arrives, all the gear is intimidating even for your preschooler, causing a fair amount of coaxing to get the thumb in its proper place. They’ll learn. Don’t give up.

For a newborn or baby under one, we try to time our snowy backyard adventure with baby’s first nap, bringing the baby monitor with us. If I’m feeling brave and energetic, baby gets bundled in a carrier and joins us for some bright sun and fresh air.

Lastly, layer the kids in warm clothes and remember the neck-warmers! The more comfortable the little ones, the more positive the experience. And with the promise of a mini hot-cocoa or some frothed milk post the snow-adventure, it didn’t take long before my preschoolers were searching out their own gear to be outside.

References

1. PHE Journal. (December 9, 2023). The Benefits of Outdoor, Risky Play and Why Children Should Play Outside More! https://phecanada.ca/professional-learning/journal/benefits-outdoor-risky-play-and-why-children-should-play-outside-more

2. ParticipACTION. (2024). Rallying for Resilience: Keeping Children and Youth Active in a Changing Climate. https://www.participaction.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-Children-and-Youth-Report-Card-Highlight-Report-1.pdf

3. ParticipACTION. (2024). CANADIAN 24-HOUR MOVEMENT GUIDELINES FOR THE EARLY YEARS (0-4 YEARS): An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep. https://www.participaction.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/participaction-24hour-guidelines-early-years-0-4_en.pdf

4. CDC. (April 3, 2024). Health Benefits of Physical Activity for Children. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/health-benefits/children.html

5. Nightingale, F. (1859) Notes on Nursing: What It Is and What It Is Not. Harrison and Sons, London. (Commemorative Addition, 1992, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia).

6. Andersen L, Corazon SSS, Stigsdotter UKK. Nature Exposure and Its Effects on Immune System Functioning: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Feb 3;18(4):1416. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18041416. PMID: 33546397; PMCID: PMC7913501.

7. Rosiek, M. A., Etnier, J. L., & Willoughby, M. T. (2022). A comparison of the effects of outdoor physical activity and indoor classroom-based activities on measures of executive function in preschoolers. International Journal of Early Childhood, 54(2), 203-215. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-022-00318-x

8. Sobko T, Liang S, Cheng WHG, Tun HM. Impact of outdoor nature-related activities on gut microbiota, fecal serotonin, and perceived stress in preschool children: the Play&Grow randomized controlled trial. Sci Rep. 2020 Dec 15;10(1):21993. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-78642-2. PMID: 33319792; PMCID: PMC7738543.

9. Standford. Lifestyle Medecine. (August 17, 2023). More Sunlight Exposure May Improve Sleep. https://longevity.stanford.edu/lifestyle/2023/08/17/more-sunlight-exposure-may-improve-sleep/#:~:text=Light%20is%20considered%20the%20major,on%20our%20sleep%2Dwake%20pattern.

10. WebMD. (March 23, 2022). Get Morning Light, Sleep Better at Night. https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/morning-light-better-sleep