So here we are in the heat of Summer…
We have little ones who want to go outside and play, and who can blame them. Our playground is full of exciting child Discovery zones. We’ve equipped the playground with water play toys, a bubble Play-Doh station, a chalkboard, and a car wash. Everything someone would need to play outside and stay cool.
Our playground also has an all year round 50% shaded area. That has been one of the greatest things about choosing this building. As long as the temperature is workable we can go outside and stretch our legs, breathe fresh air, and still remain dry even if it’s raining.
Center Stage preschool also strictly enforces a 50 SPF sunscreen for the children. I will admit to you that getting sunscreen on 60 little squirmy bodies who want to go play can be difficult. And yes, it takes more time but our students are absolutely worth it.
Heat Index
So let’s say that it’s beautiful outside everybody has sunscreen on and there’s no reason why we can’t go stretch our legs. There is one other safety measure that we always have to look at and that is the Heat Index. So not only am I looking at temperatures and keeping the children hydrated but I’m also looking at the level of humidity. I have this wonderful chart that shows me temperatures outside compared to humidity levels. These two readings can show me at a glance whether the air quality is good for our little ones to be playing outside.
Needless to say, I have a whole file of a plan B exercises for when the weather decides that it’s beautiful and sunny but not safe to play outside. I’ve also created a schedule that has the children inside resting in the heat of the day.
My advice, parents, is downloading an air and humidity index and printing it out to put on your refrigerator. It is crazy helpful for us and it will be for you when choosing whether playing outside is truly safe today.
Stay Cool.
Ms. Heather