Kids who play outside in cold weather should take precautions to stay warm and safe particularly under snowy conditions. Providing your child with correct gear and safety instructions helps her stay safe. When the snow falls, advise children against snowball fighting and spending time inside snow forts.
Clothes
Dress your child in several layers of clothing when weather is cold. Remove one layer at a time if she gets too warm. Wearing a hat prevents significant loss of body heat through the head.
Prevent frostbite by furnishing mittens instead of gloves and providing cover for her ears, as recommended by the Canadian Paediatric Society in the January 2002 issue of the journal "Paediatric Child Health." Avoid strangulation by removing all drawstrings and using a neck warmer rather than a scarf.
Provide warm, waterproof boots with room enough for your daughter to wiggle her toes when she wears thick socks. When she arrives home, promptly remove wet clothing and shoes.
Out to Play
Children old enough to play outside unsupervised should go out with a buddy in cold weather so they can look out for one another. Limit their playing area to a space that is in close proximity to your house or a friend's house so warm shelter is close by. Check on the kids at least every hour and ensure their fingers are warm and their clothes are dry.
Invite your daughter and her friends inside for a warm drink to take a break from the cold. The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends keeping kids indoors when temperatures fall below -13° Fahrenheit or when the wind chill is -18° Fahrenheit. It is dangerous for kids to play with or near heavy shovels, outdoor heating equipment, snow plows and snow blowers.
Sports Safety
Winter sports can be fun for kids especially when they practice cold weather sports safety. No ice skating should take place on a pond that has ice less than four inches thick, according to information provided by the University of Virginia Children's Hospital. Children should not skate alone or play on ice formed on moving bodies of water like rivers and creeks.
Hills used for sledding should consist of packed snow, not ice. Instruct kids to sit up and sled feet first while holding on to hand-holds. Skiing is also a fun family sport. Provide kids with properly fitting equipment. They should be given lessons and supervision on ski lifts.
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