Respecting the in-between seasons
This post originally appeared in Dr. Rachel A. Larimore’s weekly Samara newsletter on November 17, 2020. If you’re interested in receiving these emails, scroll to the bottom of this page to subscribe.
Winter gets a lot of worry-filled attention when it comes to nature-based education. But, the recent cold, wet weather has made me think Spring and Fall are under-respected when it comes to being weather-ready. It’s these transitional seasons that often make me the most nervous about children's preparedness for outdoor activities.
When it comes to our physical safety the most dangerous weather combination is cold and wet. Generally speaking, Fall and Spring is when we see these two things together in the most challenging ways. (I realize some reading this have slightly different climates, so please focus on the principles rather than the specific seasons.) Partly this is do to the weather itself, but it's also because at the start of in-between seasons families seem to be lulled into thinking “it’s not too cold out” so they don’t send their child to school with warmer layers.
There are a few ways we can prevent the challenges of these transitional seasons. First, watch the forecast and warn families that the forecast is prime for miserable children and teachers (i.e., cold and wet). These reminders can be in newsletters, emails, texts, social media, signs on the front door, etc. Another way to combat the challenges of cold and wet seasons is to have LOTS of extra outdoor gear on hand. Inevitably someone will forget an important piece of clothing (or stick their bare hand in a puddle and suddenly need a mitten). Outdoor shelters from the wind and rain, hand warmers, fires to warm up by, and warm drinks and food are other ways to have successful Fall and Spring seasons.
All this is to say, yes winter is cold, but so are Fall and Spring! We have to support families in ensuring these seasons are safe, meaningful times for children as well.
Keep changing lives,
Rachel
Rachel A. Larimore, Ph.D., Chief Visionary of Samara Learning
About Rachel
Dr. Rachel A. Larimore is an educator, speaker, consultant, author, and former nature-based preschool director. As the founder and Chief Visionary of Samara Early Learning her work focuses on helping early childhood educators start nature-based schools or add nature-based approaches into their existing program. Learn more about Rachel here.
