Winter Outdoor Education: Seven Tips for Teaching in the Cold

Outdoor learning isn’t just something that happens when it is sunny and warm. In fact, outdoor learning is something that can happen all year round, even once the temperatures start to drop. There are so many amazing things that students can learn and experience while outdoors in the winter, it’s a shame that we keep our students indoors once the snow falls. However, it’s often our own discomfort or lack of confidence as teachers that keeps us indoors and keeps our students from experiencing the many benefits of outdoor learning. These seven tips for winter outdoor education will help you get outside with your students, and experience the beauty and magic of winter. 

Winter Outdoor Education Tips

1. Safety First

No matter what season you take your students outdoors, keeping your students safe should be your priority. This doesn’t mean you head inside as soon as the first snowflake falls. It just means that you take into account some of the additional risks involved in cold weather outdoor learning and take steps to mitigate those risks. 

Safety starts with a thorough site assessment. Some additional hazards that you might encounter during winter or cold weather include:

• Icey sections
• Snow covering ground hazards
• Snow that could fall from overhangs (like a roof)
• Students not dressed for the weather

Additionally, you will need to identify what your safe wind and temperature limits will be for your students. Often schools have these limits in place, so it is best to check with your school administration before setting these limits. 

2. Teach Your Students How to Dress for the Weather

I think we have probably all heard the saying, “There is No Such Thing as Bad Weather, Just Bad Clothing.” This is especially true in the colder months. We can’t just assume that our students or their families know how (or have all of the proper gear) to dress for outdoor learning. For example, I teach a lot of newcomer families who have never experienced cold or snow before. Many of these families don’t have any idea even where to start in dressing for winter. They are very appreciative of tips, photographs, and examples of how to dress and where to find appropriate winter clothing.

Additionally, we can’t assume that all of our families can afford proper winter clothing. Winter gear is expensive, especially well-made clothing. I try to provide families with local stores where they can find good quality second-hand clothing. Our school also has a huge stash of clothing for students to borrow on a short or long-term basis as needed. I also let families know that if they are unable to find or provide proper clothing for their student to let the school know and we can help source gear in a respectful and dignified way.

Some of the tips for teaching kids how to dress for winter outdoor education:

• Start early…don’t wait until it snows or it’s the first cold day of the year. Teach your students and families what proper clothing looks like ahead of time so they can prepare
• Use pictures and real-life examples. I like to share photos of what my daughter wears for outdoor play.
• You will probably need to go over proper clothing many times a season…even with older students. (Or maybe especially with older students who tend to “forget!”
• If it is safe to do so, allow students to experience minor natural consequences. Let the kids that only ever wear a hoody (even though their family has sent a beautiful winter jacket to school) be cold
• Send families a checklist of what to wear to school
• Share where to find inexpensive, good-quality clothing in your community (example kids or outdoor gear consignment stores)
• Have a stash of extras ready for your students. (Be ready for them not to come back.) There have been so many times when kids have left their mittens on the bus and just need to borrow a pair for the day. I find dollar store mitts and unclaimed lost and found items are great for this stash.

There are great posters and checklists available in the “Get Outside Tool Kit.

3. Winter Outdoor Education Means Keeping Things Active

During the colder months, students are not going to want to sit around listening to a lecture or writing on a worksheet. Sitting around only makes students feel chilled and then not want to stay outside. During winter lessons I like to keep things active and keep students moving.

You might have to stretch your creative muscles a bit, but there are so many great ways that you can keep your kids moving and warm. One of my favorite units is studying motion and forces using sleds. Through using sleds and discussing observations of how the sleds move students are able to gain first-hand knowledge of concepts such as gravity, forces, and friction. 

Some great ways to stay active are:

• Play content-related games (I often make up simple games)
• Going for walks
• Snow and ice-building activities
• Active, authentic  ways to explore concepts, such as building shelters to explore heat loss

4. Use the Snow as a Teaching Tool

Rather than having your students write or draw, which will only make their fingers cold, why not have them sculpt what they know in the snow? Wet sticky snow is a great way to get students to work together and show their knowledge in 3D. Cycles, such as the water cycle or the rock cycle, can be easily recreated in the snow. Students can also build habits or communities in the snow and using found materials. I find that students love the opportunity to be creative and to move their whole bodies.

5. Provide Some Comfort

Small gestures can go a long way in helping students feel a little bit warmer. Providing stumps, stools, or foam sitting pads can help get students off the cold ground and help keep them warmer as they work or play outdoors (and sometimes they use them to make forts which is also cool.) Blankets can also provide some warmth for students. Tarp shelters can help to break the wind. You can have them already set up for your students, or teach your students how to build them. I find that it is fun to allow the students to try and design their own shelters and see what they come up with.

If you are able to build a fire, this is another great way to help students warm up. If you are planning on incorporating fires into your lessons/activities you will need to ensure you have the correct permits and safety procedures in place. During “Forest School” my daughter’s teachers also provide the students with hot chocolate to help them warm up. 

Additionally, choosing outdoor learning spaces that provide some shelter from the wind can be very helpful in keeping your students outside for longer.

6. Build Up Your Student’s Outdoor Stamina

Outdoor learning might be something that is brand new to your students. Even though you may have started your outdoor learning during the warmer months when school started, it doesn’t mean that your students have acclimatized to the winter weather. Take it slow and allow your students to build up their cold-weather stamina. Celebrate each time you reach a new milestone (even if it is just an extra ten minutes outside.)

Try to keep things fun and engaging too. This way students are focused less on how cold they are and more on enjoying their time outside. However, always keep an eye on your students and look for signs of frostbite and hypothermia. When it’s time to come in, then it’s time to come in. 

7. Keep a Positive Attitude

In all of my years of teaching and dealing with elements, I have noticed that kids pick up on our attitude toward the weather. I was once on an outdoor field trip and it started to rain. The kids were having a great time until the parent chaperones started to complain. Once they heard the adults complaining, they all started to move towards the shelter and their fun was over. 

If we maintain a positive attitude about the weather (after all whining won’t change the weather) our students will start to do the same. They will start to realize that they are tough and resilient and can have fun outside, even when the weather isn’t perfect. By accepting the weather as it is, our students will start to see that they can enjoy nature all the time, not just in the spring and summer.

However, this doesn’t mean being reckless and going outside when it is dangerous. It simply means accepting things as they are and working with the elements. For example, if it is windy (but not dangerously so) you can find a sheltered space to learn in. If it is snowing, celebrate and study the snowflakes. If there was a huge dump of sticky wet snow, go and build! Enjoy what nature has to offer and delight in the changes. 

Now Get Outside This Winter…

Don’t let a little snow stop you from getting outdoors with your students. The benefits of outdoor learning can be experienced even in the winter. There are so many fun and exciting ways that you can get outside and explore the magic of winter. Even if you don’t consider yourself to be outdoorsy, you can still make it a goal to get outside with your students and thrive during the colder months.

Here are some ideas to help you get started with winter outdoor education:

• A Sledding Curriculum: Using Sleds for Outdoor Learning
• Snow Fort Ideas For Your Curriculum
• The Magical World of Snowflakes: Snowflake Science for Elementary Students
• Get Outside and Create: 7 Fantastic Outdoor Winter Art Projects
• Your Guide to Winter Outdoor STEM Activities

How do you get outside with your students in the winter? Let us know in the comments!