Why We Still Go Outside in Winter (Yes, Even When It’s Cold!)
- Little Treehouse
- Jul 20
- 3 min read
As winter rolls around, so does the annual Great Jumper Debate.
You know the one.
A child arrives rugged up like they’re preparing to summit Mount Everest. Five minutes later, they’ve removed their jumper, their beanie, one sock, and are somehow sweating while running laps of the playground.
Meanwhile, educators are standing nearby holding seventeen unnamed jumpers and wondering how one child can possibly generate that much body heat.
Winter in early childhood settings is certainly an adventure, but despite the cooler weather, you’ll still find us outside every day. In fact, outdoor play during winter is one of the best things we can do to support children’s physical health, emotional wellbeing, and overall development.
Myth Busting: Does Cold Weather Actually Make Children Sick?
Let’s start with one of the biggest winter myths around.
Cold weather itself does not make children sick.
Viruses make children sick.
The reason illnesses seem to explode during winter is because we all spend more time indoors, sharing the same air, touching the same surfaces, and sitting closer together. One sneeze can quickly become a community event.
Think about it.
When it’s cold outside, people naturally gather indoors. Classrooms, shopping centres, waiting rooms, play centres, and homes become a little more crowded. Germs absolutely love this arrangement.
Outdoor environments generally provide better ventilation and more space for children to spread out, reducing opportunities for germs to circulate between everyone.
So while we can’t eliminate winter illnesses completely, fresh air and outdoor play are definitely not the enemy.
Winter Bodies Need to Move
Children were not designed to sit still.
We’ve all witnessed what happens when energetic children spend too long indoors.
The volume increases.
The running starts.
Someone inevitably turns a couch into a pirate ship.
And suddenly an innocent cushion becomes a projectile.
Outdoor play gives children the opportunity to move their bodies in ways that indoor environments simply can’t provide.
Running, climbing, balancing, jumping, lifting, digging, pushing, pulling and exploring all help children develop:
Gross motor skills
Coordination and balance
Strength and endurance
Spatial awareness
Confidence in their physical abilities
It also helps them burn off some of that seemingly endless energy reserve that adults spend years trying to rediscover.
Outdoor Play Supports Emotional Wellbeing Too
Winter can feel long.
Even adults can feel a little sluggish when the weather cools down and the days become shorter.
Children are no different.
Time outdoors has a powerful impact on emotional wellbeing. Fresh air, natural light and open spaces can help children:
Reduce stress
Regulate emotions
Improve concentration
Build resilience
Boost mood
Develop confidence and independence
Have you ever noticed how a child who was frustrated indoors suddenly becomes calm after ten minutes outside?
Nature has a funny way of helping children reset.
Sometimes the solution to a tricky morning isn’t another activity. Sometimes it’s simply a puddle.
Winter Offers Unique Learning Opportunities
If we only ventured outside on perfect sunny days, children would miss some incredible learning experiences.
Winter creates opportunities that simply don’t exist in other seasons.
Children become fascinated by:
Puddles and water flow
Rainfall and weather patterns
Cloud formations
Wind movement
Seasonal changes
Leaves, sticks and natural treasures
Mud (lots and lots of mud)
To adults, it might look like “just jumping in puddles.”
To children, it’s science.
It’s investigation.
It’s problem solving.
It’s sensory exploration.
It’s learning.
And let’s be honest, puddles have been making children happy for generations. We’re not about to stand in the way of that.
Building Resilience One Winter Day at a Time
One of the greatest gifts we can give children is the confidence to navigate different environments and conditions.
When children learn that they can still have fun when it’s cool, windy or drizzling, they develop resilience.
They learn that discomfort isn’t always something to avoid.
They learn to adapt.
They learn to problem solve.
They learn that weather doesn’t have to determine whether they have a good day.
Of course, this doesn’t mean we send children outside unprepared. Appropriate clothing, warm layers, sensible weather decisions and educator supervision are all important.
But experiencing a little cold air on their cheeks isn’t harmful.
In fact, it’s often beneficial.
Our Winter Philosophy
At our centre, we believe childhood happens in every season.
Winter isn’t something to endure while waiting for summer.
It’s a season full of opportunities for discovery, movement, wonder and learning.
So yes, you’ll still see us outside.
You’ll still find children collecting leaves, watching clouds, investigating puddles and running around like tiny weatherproof superheroes.
You’ll still hear laughter echoing across the playground.
And you’ll probably still see at least one educator carrying a mysterious collection of abandoned jumpers.
Because while winter may bring colder temperatures, it also brings countless opportunities for children to grow, learn and thrive.
And that’s something worth stepping outside for.
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