Violette Gauvin, 10, slides down a hill in Montreal on Dec. 13.Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press
It’s not schoolchildren who declare it’s too cold to go outside. It’s the school administrators who decide when recess has to be kept indoors. That’s a shame, because many children are happy playing outside even on officially too-cold days.
In fact, there is no agreement on when cold is too cold. School boards across the country have very different thresholds. So, it is refreshing that some schools have worked out a system that allows parents to make the decision. Even when the school’s default is to keep kids inside, they have given permission for their own children to have outdoor recess.
This is a great tradition other schools should adopt. While no student should be forced out into the cold – indoor recess must be an option when the mercury plummets – those children whose parents want them to play in the snow should be allowed to do so.
It’s not too much of a stretch to say that playing outside in winter is part of the birthright of Canadian children. This is a country of pond hockey. A realm of snow forts and snowball fights. A land where kids foolishly dare each other to lick the metal pole.
These are not always positive memories. Wet mitts or a boot full of slush and snow – the dreaded soaker, which is also known as a booter on the Prairies – are never fun. But even then, that tingling sensation as feeling returns to fingers and toes is pain mixed with pleasure.
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Being just a bit too cold is part of what makes us truly appreciate getting warm again. And it’s the reality of growing up in this northern country.
However, this is a reality coming increasingly under threat. The Arctic just recorded its warmest year since reliable data-keeping began in 1900. Seven of the warmest 10 years on record in Canada happened in the last two decades.
One day Canadians may marvel at the idea that extreme cold once disrupted school days. Now is the time to let children enjoy it.
In that spirit, we applaud the schools that run what are called polar bear clubs, groups of children that have secured parental permission allowing them to do outdoor recess on days when the rest of the students are kept inside. These clubs tend to be organized locally; there is no central database. But they have deep roots in Western Canada, with a tradition of them in Saskatoon that goes back to the early 1960s.
For those who participate, the rewards are substantial. Running in a gym can burn energy. But running around outside offers an unmatched dose of refreshment. Breathing chilly air is a tonic, the dose of sunlight is welcome in winter and the extra work done by the heart and metabolism in the cold spurs the release of additional endorphins. All of which sets up students to feel good and re-engage in the classroom.
We applaud also the teachers and staff who make this possible. It can be no picnic to wrestle a bunch of young students into and out of their winter gear. And because the children need supervision, the adults must go out into the cold as well – no small ask for people without the energy of youth to help keep them warm.
When considering what weather is suitable for outdoor play, it’s worth remembering that schools don’t agree on how much cold is too much for children.
In Calgary, the board’s policy recommendation is to cancel outdoor activities when the temperature reaches -20 C, while Edmonton schools allow students to play outside until the temperature drops to -23 C.
Regina schools require indoor recess once the mercury hits -27 C. The same threshold is used in Saskatoon, though principals there can allow students to go outside, with parental permission, until it gets to -35 C. The Toronto public school board specifies -28 C as the temperature to keep kids inside.
In Yellowknife, where children are evidently some of the toughest in the county, indoor recess doesn’t begin at public schools until it is -30 C. And even below that, individual principals have the authority to allow outdoor play for properly dressed students.
The wide range suggests that these thresholds are somewhat arbitrary. So schools should be more willing to leave the decision to the parents. For children who love to play in the snow, a polar bear club offers them a way to have some fun.
Running around outside and then in coming in rosy-cheeked, even wet-footed, to thaw out is a key part of school life in the Canadian winter.