Looking for feedback and comments RE My winter clothing checklist...

[bright sparks]

Seems that as the colder weather is moving in that we as dcp's are once again faced with parent's not dressing their kiddies appropriatly making any kind of outdoor play difficult if not impossible.

I have written a letter home with my requirements in the form of a checklist so parents can check it off and hopefully this will help them to not miss anything. I was hoping to get peoples feedback on it and let me know if these are all acceptable requests and if you think I should add anything or change anything. Thanks in advance and I look forward to reading peoples responses

Brrrr its cold outside…

• Winter Jacket – As the temperature drops and wind chill becomes a daily occurrence, please be sure to keep the spring/fall jacket in the closet and bundle your little one up in a winter coat. Outdoor play will be reduced to shorter periods but I still want to get some “fresh” air with the kids when it’s safe to do so.
• Winter hat that covers ears – For little ones, please make sure it has a Velcro fastening that works or can be tied under the chin to keep secure and prevent from falling off.
• Balaclava (optional) – This isn’t a must but is such a terrific addition to outdoor winter attire for the children. Covers everything and doesn’t fall off.
• Snow pants – Even if it isn’t snowing I like to put these on the kids to keep them toasty warm. Awkward to walk in and bulky?? Yes but there’s no time like the present to learn. You don’t have to put them on the kids to travel to daycare but please make sure they come every day and I’ll hang them in the closet for outdoor playtime.
• Scarves (optional) – Again, this isn’t a must depending on how well your child is already dressed, but if you would like to then send one along.
• Gloves/Mittens – The trickiest item in the winter wardrobe I find. There’s lots out there on the market but less than a handful (no pun intended) that are functional. Mittens fall off, gloves are hard to put on tiny fingers, kids hate to keep them on, some are waterproof, some aren’t. The list is endless. Personally I find mittens are better than gloves at this young age, but if your older preschooler is comfortable in gloves then feel free. My only MUST is that mittens must be waterproof. If they aren’t I can guarantee that in less than 5 minutes of outdoor play, there will be tears and/or complaints about wet and cold hands which means everyone has to be dragged indoors. If you insist on sending non-waterproof mittens or gloves please make sure you leave me with at least 3 additional pairs so I can change them frequently and stretch our outdoor playtime as long as possible. The key feature here, regardless of your choice is functional. They must stay on and they must keep hands dry and warm. Please sew yarn on or provide clips to keep them attached to the coat at the wrists.
• Footwear – Please make sure each day you check the forecast before coming to daycare to make an appropriate choice of footwear for the day. Waterproof footwear at all times is a safe choice, but just because it’s not to cold this morning and the ground is dry, doesn’t mean that is what the afternoon will turn out to be.

When one child comes without appropriate clothing, it prevents all children from going outside. Please make sure you have met each requirement on this checklist for winter outdoor attire. I find Zellers and Wal-Mart are great places to get staples such as gloves, hats etc. for a low price. If it’s easier, please feel free to leave a “daycare set “with me if you are worried about not remembering every item each day. Rather this than the kids suffering cabin fever from not being able to play outside or go for a walk in the neighborhood in the stroller.

Thanks for your co-operation and don’t forget, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing 