Temperature outside may be hot or cold. But, question is, whether the weather is great to play outdoors for kids. The summer and winter equally provide a lot of fun loving activities like building snowmen and sledding to water sports.
But to know that whether kids should play outdoors in the weather is a big issue. Which temperature outside is to be considered safe and unsafe? What do you understand by the terms like wind chill, heat index, and relative humidity?
It’s actually quite simple to understand and use. A basic knowledge about the weather and its practical usage will help you. Just follow the guidelines to make a decision.
Steps to Check Temperature Outside
- Reading Forecasts
- Calculating Wind Chill and Heat Index
- Keeping a Comfortable Temperature
Reading Forecasts
- Check weather forecast for locals. Start with your local weather. To turn on the local forecast, go online and check the day’s temperature. Be aware of weather fluctuations, especially for heat or cold warnings.
- Take note of the temperature outside with an outdoor thermometer. To get an idea of the conditions outside, thermometers are the best as they record the air temperature. But keep in mind it the whole story: Thermometers do not consider wind chill or heat index, which make actually affects the feel of the weather as colder or warmer.
- Please do keep children indoors during extreme cold conditions. It can lead to hypothermia, a medical situation when body’s natural temperature gets too low or you get a frostbite. Children must play indoors during temperatures under -25ºC/-13ºF as this is the absolute limit in which the skin freezes in just a few minutes.
- Children should play indoors while wind chills fall below 10ºF. Although kids must come inside for small breaks from chills every 20 to 30 minutes even when it is below 32ºF.
- It is advisable to issue a wind chill advisory/warning to let people get aware of such situation which is low enough to become threat to human life. You must check the warning and work accordingly to keep the kids safe.
- You must keep children indoors in very hot temperature too. Very hot conditions poses health risks like heatstroke, heat exhaustion, burns from hot object like sunburn, play equipment. It may lead to excessive thirst during active play. It is good to stay indoors while the temperatures are above 35ºC – 40ºC/95ºF – 100ºF and let it cool down.
- It is advisable to play or exercise during cooler periods in the morning or evening. Playing in hot periods of the day must be avoided.
- Excessive heat warning/advisories must be adhered to as the hotness of such a great extent is hazardous to human health. You should remain inside if the area, you reside, is under warning.
- Follow school’s guidelines on what temperatures are suitable for outdoor activities. The school teachers must hold indoor recess if it becomes extremely hot or cold.
- It is advisable to play or exercise during cooler periods in the morning or evening. Playing in hot periods of the day must be avoided.
- Excessive heat warning/advisories must be adhered to as the hotness of such a great extent is hazardous to human health. You should remain inside if the area, you reside, is under warning.
- Follow school’s guidelines on what temperatures are suitable for outdoor activities. The school teachers must hold indoor recess if it becomes extremely hot or cold.
Calculating Wind Chill and Heat Index
- Check for the “apparent temperature.” Knowing when to remain inside is harder to access when you know that the air temperature does not reflect how hot/cold it is outdoors. The factors affecting heat and cold are wind chill and humidity. “Apparent temperature” is the number to know. Hot/cold is actually is the exact feel of the temperature outdoors after estimating it in accordance with the wind and the humidity.
- Wind chill is the temperature outside in cold weather. It is the perceived due to the decrease in air temperature felt on exposed skin. Meteorologists calculate it through advanced formulas. All you require is the air temperature and wind speed, to be put into a online site related to weather. The chart is available online to give the wind chill factor for the day.
- Heat index is the apparent temperature of the hotness in the weather. The heat index is the temperature that feels like to the human body accounted with the humidity present in the air. This is also calculated using complex formulas. But the charts available online can do the trick for you. Air temperature and the relative humidity for the day will help you get through the mathematical chart.
- Understand the danger zones for wind chill like frost bite can happen within minutes once wind chills dips below -18ºF.
- Get knowledgeable about the danger zones for heat index like wind chill. Beware of levels of apparent safe hot temperatures. Try to differentiate between safe and unsafe clearly.
- Keeping in mind the level of sunlight and the full exposure to it can enhance heat index factors by up to 15ºF.
Keeping a Comfortable Temperature
- Dressing appropriately is key to temperature variance and comfort. Plan accordingly whenever it is extremely cold or hot. Dress kids according to their activities. For example – light clothing for a hot day , layered clothing for intermediate temperatures, and a coat or snowsuit, mittens, scarf, caps, and boots for snow play.
- The key to dressing for extreme cold weather is layering. Active kids will become hot, even though it’s cold outside. The problem arises when they will sweat to dampen them uncomfortable and thereby, making make them lose body heat more quickly. It is a risky situation leading to hypothermia. Dress them in layers so as to remove heavy coat if they get overheated during their activities.
- Try to wear three layers.
- Inner level to keep dabbing moisture and keeping it away from the body. Polyester and modern materials are good. Cotton is not considered good.
- Middle layer keeps you insulated. This may be of wool or fleece and in several layers.
- Finally, the outer layer which is there to shield the usual wind, water, and snow – which may include coat with hood, hat, snow pants, etc.
- Do check for signs of excessive cold/heat, recognize these common warning signs, take steps to either cool the kid’s temperature down or warm him up, according to the situation. If the symptoms still persist, then call child’s doctor. Call emergency services, if the situation is worsening.
- Exposure to excessive heat can lead to muscle cramps and fainting. It is a sign of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Dizziness, weakness, nausea, or lack of coordination indicate seriously wrong situation. Dark colored urine, If observed, tells that the child is dehydrated.
- Child who is too cold will not be able to say anything. Believe children if they say it is too cold. Shivering is the first symptom of hypothermia with more serious signs involving fatigue, rapid breathing, and lack of coordination.
- Try to keep children well hydrated. To avoid heat-related problems in kids ensure that they intake fluids to. Proper clothing will definitely control over-heating to lessen sweating and loss of body fluids. Ensure to wear clothing in accordance to the environment.
- Apply sunscreen and do avoid direct sunlight. Avoiding the sun will just not only keep kids cool but also keep their skin safe from sunburn caused by harmful UV rays.
- Apply sunscreen all year round, even in winters to protect them from the sun which must have SPF of at least 30.
- Avoid the strongest rays by avoiding daytime peak temperatures between 10 am and 3 pm. Utilize natural shade of trees or an umbrella.
Now after going through the above article, the temperature outside can be easily understood and the kids will be safe to play, accordingly.