Safe Winter Playtime
Submitted by: Kenda

Howdy from the South!  Right now it is COLD with Ice and Snow covering everything.  Our area of the nation has been blessed with a white Christmas and a new winter storm has covered the ground again.

So.....with the spirit and zest for life that embodies our children....WE PLAY!!

As with any outdoor pastimes, remember the safety precautions indicated by your surronding circumstances.  For winter outdoor play, proper gear is a must!  But when living in areas of the country or world that are not accustomed to the winter bliss, it can be difficult to provide proper gear to protect our kiddos (and ourselves) as we have fun.

Here are a few suggestions that some in my area use to keep everyone warm and dry:

In the absence of a snowsuit and the proper accesories (boots, gloves, etc) remember to LAYER!

Put on long underwear or a leggings of some sort underneath a good pair of jeans, however if you have rain pants, that would be the best solution due to the fact that they are water proof. You would want the leggings and jeans to help them keep warm. Also know that they can be one heck of a sled too, but better if they are sitting on something other than their bottoms . 

If you do not have winter boots (weatherized against water), use a plastic bag over your socks to keep the wetness off of your feet and your feet will be dry and warmer.  To protect your hands use the same principal as your feet.  Rubber gloves work great. Make sure to put on the thickest pair of winter wear that you have for your hands and then the rubber gloves.  Wear two shirts, a shirt and sweatshirt or a sweater underneath a coat or even that rain coat.  A moderate amount of layering will usually work just fine.  Try not to over due it and cause your kiddos or yourself to sweat underneath the layers.

Remember that a large amount of rain gear (for children) is plastic or rubber, so they will sweat due to the fact that it is not as "breathable"  Sweating and then cooling off too quickly or still being wet, can be a large factor in hypothermia. This cooling off or being damp can cause your body to shut down quickly in order to conserve heat to vital organs, and this could lead to death if not addressed quickly.

Head gear.....any type of head apparel will do.  Reinforce what you have with a scarf if you have one.  I have even been witness to a T-shirt being wrapped around a little ones head and neck and then a hat put on top to secure it in place.  It worked great. Even an adult sock that is cut just below the elastic can be streatched out and pulled over the little ones head and then put on a hat, even if it is a baseball cap. 70 percent of all body heat is lost via the head in the usual conditions. Add wind,water or lower temperatures and it will happen faster.

Make sure that you are checking on them. Feel the cheeks, look at the ears, hold the hands. if any are looking red or feel cold, then the child is cold. Get them out of the cold for a bit. Once inside, check their feet. They may groan a bit, but have some hot chocolate ready and tell them to warm up and then they can go back out! If they have wet socks, change them. If the sweatshirt is wet from sweat change it. Let them "air dry" for a minute while you find something else for them, or put a blancket on them. This will allow the dampness to go away off the body.

Also, never, did I say never yet, rub the skin. You could rupture the corpusels and cause damage the skin. If they are really cold, place your hands in the areas. The skin will draw your heat and warm theirs. If they are shivering, that is a sign that the body is trying to create heat. Do not place them in hot water, it could put them into shock. Better ideas are to warm the inside, ie hot chocolate and steam from the shower will warm them as well. Turn on the shower and have them sit outside the shower/tub while the room warms up and gives them a chance to drink something warm and yummy!

Always think LAYERS.  But not too many and everyone will be warm and dry.  Have a blast out there.  Whether you are sledding down a hill with the lid to a plastic container or inflatables that you use in the pool, or even a plastic garbage bag, just be safe and have a wonderfuly memorable moment with those that you love.

I know that there are families out there without proper gear and I know that there are other suggestions for winter protection for the outdoors.  Please feel free to add to this story and lets give as much information to our readers as possible.

So....whether you and your loved ones are building snowmen, or having a snowball fight or sledding or sightseeing, remember that God has decorated our little spot of the world.  Admire it.  Take it all in.  Let the sparkle of his creation live in your eyes and the hearts and memories of our children.  Dance and play in the snow and live as children do....simply live.