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With the children at home, make the best you can with the cold weather. We have put together some tips and ideas of how to protect your children in cold weather and how to entertain them. Don’t fear the cold, just be prepared for it.

Don’t stare yourself blind at the thermometer, severe minus degrees are bearable on a still day with sunshine.

Being outdoors, even for a short outing in the cold, are beneficial for children as they need an outlet for their energy.

Warmth in the cold

The main concern for most parents in the winter months is making sure their children are warm. The simple solution is layers. Unless you have ski gear tucked away, which is ideal for cold weather, make sure your child has plenty of thin layers on. Keep the layers reasonable as you don’t want your child to sweat, as this can make him colder when the sweat cools down. The layer closest to the body should be of a breathable material that moves sweat away from the body, not necessarily a natural material like cotton, as it contains the sweat and keeps it by the body.

Try avoiding sitting on cold surfaces for long, as this also cools down the body. It is better to be continuously moving and active when you are in the cold.

The three most important items are caps, gloves and proper shoes. It is preferable to take off a layer than the cap, as a warm head keeps the body temperature more stable. Don’t rely on hoodies, as these easily fall off when your child is active.

If you don’t have winter shoes, make sure to check your child’s shoes and socks, so that they never are wet or humid. If it fits add an insole, which will protect your child from the cold ground with another layer.

While the it is easy to protect your child in a crispy cold day the main thing to consider is the wind as it penetrates most layers and causes the most damage to your child’s sensitive skin.

Dehydration and skin

It’s easy to forget to drink plenty of liquids in the cold, but it is as important as in heat. Avoid cracked lips and keep your child’s skin protected by making sure he gets plenty of liquids.

If you are going to be out and about, protect your child’s cheeks by applying a protective or rehydrating cream. Vaseline based creams protect the skin, but lanolin base creams also penetrate the skin and protects from the inside. Don't forget the lips.

A favourite of ours, Calendula Weather Protection Cream from Weleda, with beeswax and lanolin.

 

Winter health and safety

Once you get indoors, take off layers to make sure that there are no damp layers and to let your child’s body warm up. As well as keeping cold out, layers can keep heat at bay.

Avoid eating snow, particularly if you live in a town or city. Even the most white and cleanest looking snow can be quite dirty. Show the kids by getting them go gather clean snow and melting it indoors in a glass.

Many winter games can be hazardous and it’s important to discuss safety with your child. For activities such as ice-skating and toboggan, a bicycle helmet with protect your child from head injuries.

Games in the snow

Snow lanterns – which look beautiful in the long evenings. If you have a little bit of snow, make little hollow mounds with your hands and insert small candles metal cups. Make sure to make a little hole in the top of the cave to let smoke and heat out, like little igloos. If you have more snow make a hollow pyramid with snow balls and you could put larger candles into it.

Toboggan – you don’t need to shop for a toboggan to have fun sliding down a hill. Cardboard and strong refuse sacks are widely used in snowy countries and would actually be safer for smaller children to use. Bend the front backwards, hold on to it and slide down any hill.

Picnic in the snow – it might sound crazy, but a short outing with hot chocolate and sandwiches can be lovely in the snow, at a park or even in the back garden. Keep it short, bring warm liquids in a thermos and enjoy the sunshine. Plenty of layers and something to sit on.

Ice-skating – Make your own ice skating rink by pouring some water on a small surface in your garden and letting it freeze. Not for the faint hearted parents, as your child will fall, hard and often. But a small ice rink can be lots of fun, letting him get a hang of walking on ice and just sliding