Get Kids Outside: Outdoor Adventures with Kids

Is it ever too hot?

July 19, 2011 at 12:59 am Leave a comment

I wrote this piece during the last heat wave. Now that we’re deep into our second heat wave of the summer, it’s a good time to post.

I didn’t want to, but I cancelled Bike for Life on Friday afternoon (July 1) because the temperatures were 90 degrees with a heat index of 97.

Wisconsin licensing rules forbid children from engaging in outdoor activity when it’s above 90 degrees (except swimming of course). The rule is designed to keep kids safe, but it is also restrictive.

Yes, it was hot, but it wasn’t too hot for a healthy kid to bike less than a mile to Olbrich Park, go swimming, and then bike back. Imagine what kids do in the south?  They would never go outside in the summer with a rule like that.

I believe that rules like this teach kids to fear the outdoors. For example, we went skiing in sub zero temperatures and the kids were fine. They learned what to do to stay warm. The same is true of heat. The kids lost a valuable opportunity.

Next year, I’ll plan bike club in the mornings to avoid cancellations. I can’t change the rules, but I can change the times that we ride.

And, if it’s hot on Friday, I’ll be planning to do something else.

What do you do when the weather’s hot? 

Entry filed under: Bicycling, Classroom Management, Summer Activities. Tags: biking, Goodman Community Center, heat index, K-6, outdoors, when is it too hot, Working with Low Income Children.