Wind speed and outdoor time ....

Something happened in my home town today that made me wonder .... does anyone have a 'wind speed' at which they would not take the children outside?

Currently in centre care for our area the standard practice for outside practice is if the temperature is

• Up to -9 you 'gauge outside time' based on how children are coping with weather
• Colder than -10 or a 'cold weather alert' in affect due to wind chills you do not go outside with children
• In the summer if there is a 'heat / smog / UV' advisory you limit outside time to before 10 am and after 3pm if you go out at all
• If an 'extreme weather warning' is in affect from Environment Canada for your area ... thunderstorm warning, tornado warning, extreme snowstorm warning

Today it was sunny and warm but WINDY ... however there were not 'warnings' in affect...I know I took my crew outside, the school kids were outside for recess cause I heard them and so forth.

Apparently at a centre in town the grapevine has shared that a tree was uprooted from the wind and 5 toddlers were injured including needing stitches ... parents are obviously upset that this has happened and wondering what could have been done to 'prevent' it as we usually are when incidents occur and someone is 'hurt' :(

Made me wonder ... at what 'wind speed' should we be concerned about taking our children outside or would you chalk something like this as a FLUKE of nature and not let it impact your choice to go outside with children unless there is an actually 'weather warning' out there?

I am in Brampton and we had wind warnings this afternoon so I didn't go out this afternoon.

We had to go do the bus stop walk to pick up my own kids and there was a wind warning in effect across a lot of Ontario.

Initially, I wasn't worried about the excessive wind but it actually was pretty bad at times because all the sand from the gravel trucks (sanders from the winter)left a lot of sand on the roads and it was blowing the dust and sand around and into the kids eyes. I had to stop them twice and tell the kids to close their eyes until the wind died down again.

I don't have an actual policy because the kids find it fun most of the time to feel the gusts but I can see where it definitely wouldn't have been a good time for me to take them to the park or spend hours outside playing like usual

Wow! We were outside in my yard all afternoon today with the wind, but I was keepign an eye on it and watching for signs that anything might be flying around or anything...it wasn't that bad. I was more concerned about the thunderstorm warning, but it never happened, so we stayed out. i wouldn't have taken them on an outing though as I wouldn't want to risk getting stuck in a storm. I would like to think that if a tree or something were about to be uprooted, I would see/hear some signs...but I could be wrong. In my neighbourhood it wasn't so bad...even my garbage cans did not get blown from the curb.

We also had wind warnings almost all day today so no outside time for us...

I find the little ones have difficulty breathing in the wind and if it is bad enough for that then I don't take them out. My backyard is sheltered somewhat so while it blows around the street - the fenced in yard isn't as bad.

The sky was ominous, just weird looking as if it could downpour any second and that is no fun with a group of toddlers outside who don't move very fast nor help put much away.

I think they may find there were issues with the tree anyways since again assuming the play yard is semi sheltered. But at the same time we did have a wind warning all day and some areas saw severe wind bursts so yes one tree is uprooted but nothing else touched is entirely a possibility in weather like that.

This is a case for common sense. I went out yesterday....I have only preschoolers no wee ones.....the wind was gusty in Ottawa not dangerous. If the sky looks like a storm is coming or wind is too high we go in... In winter though in Ottawa we go out up until -20 including windchill og course ( we would never go out if temps were lower) of course if you have younger ones you shorten your time outside.... Sometimes I find we have too many policies and not enough common sense! Why didn't the daycare staff go inside ? Is my question ........

No policy, but I am thinking about it now. We went outside yesterday afternoon, but only last about half an hour, as it was so windy, the little ones were struggling to catch their breath with every gust. When my outdoor play mats are flying into the neighbour's yard, I'd say that's a clue for me to stay inside with the babies!

No policy, just common sense! I have asthma, and if I can't be outside because I can't breathe, then we don't go outside (minus to go to the bus stop in the mornings).

Yesterday we went outside as it was gorgeous, and the kids were loving it outside, despite the high winds which went up to 50 km/h here.

Today we were outside in the morning for the bus, but I decided then it wasn't a nice wind (like yesterday - warm). I also have 3 toddlers and a preschooler (2 toddlers who aren't steady on their feet).

I am also wondering why the Educators didn't go inside - do they not have any common sense anymore?! If the sky looks sketchy, I'm going in! F that!

Agree with the others that its a common sense thing for me too. If the little ones are blowing over or having a hard time catching their breath, in we come. We went out yesterday, but only for about half an hour too. The sky looked sketchy (to quote my teenage daughter lol) and I don't want to get caught in some freak storm with 5 little ones!

I think the educators were probably only doing what they were expected do to. In center care, you go outside regardless of weather (at least the center my daughter went to when she was little). They were outside 2 hours a day and even with hatts and mitts and proper winter attire she was always frozen when I picked her up :( One of the reasons I love home care. I answer to myself and if I think its too nasty out, we don't go out, plain and simple!

If it's not enjoyable to be outside, then we don't go. That's my standard, lol.
I get the kids out at least once a day, but if we walk out the door and the wind takes our breath away, then we play on the deck for a couple minutes and then head back in!

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Originally Posted by michellesmunchkins

In center care, you go outside regardless of weather (at least the center my daughter went to when she was little). They were outside 2 hours a day and even with hatts and mitts and proper winter attire she was always frozen when I picked her up :(

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Not the case when I worked in centers. We used common sense and the weather 'rules'.

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Originally Posted by Play and Learn

Not the case when I worked in centers. We used common sense and the weather 'rules'.

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Oh I wish my daughter's center had been like that. They were outside no matter what. She would be literally frozen when I picked her up. It was so cold that all the kids would be standing around crying...it was awful! Needless to say she didn't stay in that daycare long.

I have 3 grilfriends who have their little ones in center care, one of who is a center 'worker' herself in the West end (Mississauga/Bramptn) and they also follow the 2hrs outside no matter what. I know this, because she b!tches about being cold/wet/hot all the time as she hates the outdoors :laugh: and the other two mom's have made comments about their kids being sweaty or frozen....

And like MM's said 2/3 are looking for home care because of all the "rules" that are just SILLY

I may be old fashioned but I completely believe more people should use their common sense so you girls make me proud!

I don't have a # for too hot or too cold, but rather my contract asks that parents respect my judgement to know when it is unsuitable for their children to go outside. So I'm not worried about adding anything to my contract.

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Originally Posted by ECE53

.....Why didn't the daycare staff go inside ? Is my question ........

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Because like the rest of us .... it was warm and sunny plus 14 yesterday in the fenced yard the wind did not seem 'too bad' due to the shelter the wooden fencing provided - the kids are short and near the ground and not affected by the wind down there ... however obviously the TOP of the tree not so protected from the wind resulting in the bottom protected from the wind still being uprooted ... I have not heard anymore about the details about how the investigation into this is going but curiousity is killing me!

I am thinking more 'liability' as usual verses personal preference cause when it comes to due diligence and liability your preference or common sense is mute it is than 'what would a reasonable person have concluded' - and it seems we are 'mixed' on reasonable as some of us went outside yesterday and some did not.

I LOVE to be outside and am likely to be found outside whenever possible when left to my own judgement including yesterday because it did not seem BAD here despite the fact some areas had 'warnings' it was sunny, warm with no clouds and just windy ... same with in the summer when it is hot - just make sure we are all drinking lots, have access to shade and sunscreen and keep cool with water play and in the winter I would so be out colder than -10 however I follow that rule here because that is the 'common cut off' in centres in this area for my age group ... -20 for schoolagers but toddlers / preschoolers are the -10.

Just wondering what the 'fall out' from this incident will be in regards to regulations ... cause sadly common sense never seems to be 'agreed upon' in society which is why centres are regulated out the wazoo!