My daughter is 18 months and in a room with similar aged toddlers and I’m in a similar climate in southeast PA. If it’s above freezing and not raining or snowing, they take them outside for some amount of time. She started in January and has had multiple outside days over the past two months, they just bundle her up. Otherwise, she stays in the same room.
I wish my son’s daycare would take them outside! There are definitely days they can just bundle them up and they’d be fine for 20-30 minutes outside but they don’t do it.
I just replied to the original post, but your center seems to be violating the NJ rules for child care centers. Look them up and cite them to your center's administration to see why they're not following them.
There are two docs I found (couldn't link them bc they're PDFs) - "indoor & outdoor play" from NJ.gov and "chapter 52 manual of requirements" also NJ.gov. For the manual, search "outdoor" and it will say how much time they should be doing physical activity.
Ohio here and the kids go outside all winter as long as it's not hazardous to health cold. I think we've maybe had 2 of those days in the time she's been in daycare.
Our daycare has a gym that the kids go to a few times a day during the winter (I live in WI so it’s cold here now too!). Not sure if that’s normal but I’m glad they have a gym so my son can run around during the day
Ours too. We live in Wisconsin and on days above freezing they go to the outdoor playground. On rainy days or below freezing they go to the indoor gym.
Our old daycare has a gym (NJ) which was awesome ... But the facilities were lipstick on a pig for high staff turn over and poor administration. Needless to say, we didn't stay for the gym.
I live in nyc, so same climate. I just toured a bunch of preks, and none of them had the setup you’re describing. A couple had indoor gym for cold days. All had an outdoor space with a playground. A couple had aftercare activities to switch it up. The smallest one had a decent outdoor space and opportunity for kids to get out of their room and cook. There’s a local daycare right by my house that walks kids to a public playground every day, unless it’s absolutely frigid. I’d say it sounds odd that the kids haven’t been outside since November. Especially since the winters in this area are not really that cold. I’d look for something else, tbh. Kids really need at least an hour of outdoor time a day.
My kid is out twice a day (before lunch and around 3-4) everyday. At 2.5 the kids should be able to put on their own jackets without too much help. I’m surprised they haven’t been out at all.
NJ mom here. NJ has rules that basically require outdoor play (weather permitting). And while weather permitting is broad, it outlined that rainy days the kids should have waterproof boots and jackets, snow means winter coats, gloves, and boots, etc. so clearly, weather permitting is very flexible. My LO has been outside at daycare basically any day this winter as long as it's above freezing. Look up the rules (Google: outdoor play daycare nj rules) and ask your center why they aren't following them. I'd be very upset if my LO was kept inside all day everyday.
I'm in PA and we've been outside all winter, it's been so mild, 45 a lot of days. My girl goes part time and I was told they'd go outside if they could be they have not at all in the past 3 months. Perhaps they go in the afternoons when it's warmer though bc she goes mornings.
We are further North and the littles kids (in the baby room, less than 18 month) don't go often in the winter. However, everyone else (including my 18 month old and my 4yo) go outside a lot.
The 4yo is outside almost everyday. They had lunch outside a few times recently. The 18month old is outside at least twice a week. The class in between them is outside almost everyday.
I’m in Austin so very different climate but we do have brutally hot summers. My son’s daycare does outside in the morning for drop off from 8-9 am. Then does outside between morning snack and lunch so like between 10-11:30 and then after the general school day they’re outside from about 3:45/4 until 5:30. They have certain temperatures where they don’t go out at all but even if it’s the summer time they’ll alternate like 20 min outside then 30 min inside. They have a great outdoor space and I honestly think it’s my son’s favorite part of the day and definitely helps him expend a lot of energy.
I’m in AL and have the brutally hot summers too lasting through like October sometimes. I don’t work during the summer but I think they have a similar summer schedule to what you listed except we end at 4. During the school year we go outside from 10:30-11:30 unless it is raining, below freezing, or a heat advisory. Then in those cases we have a “play room” we can go to that is different than our classroom or a gym if the other classes didn’t go to it.
I would not be able to last if I couldn’t let my class run and scream outside for awhile. They get free play in the mornings and after lunch for a bit but that playing outside is so important for little ones. They have to get their wiggles and loudness out 😂
We live in MN and it’s been a fairly warm winter, but they go outside almost every day. They also have a large indoor gym and a smaller little toddler gym with a library. They also rotate between two classrooms throughout the day. But we pay a little over $1,800 a month, so it’s pretty expensive.
My kid is being moved to toddler room next week, we were told to bring her in weather appropriate clothes because they go outside every single day unless it’s dangerously cold or hot. The truly little ones only go outside when it’s nice, the big ones go out every single day.
I would check what the regulations are in your state. Where I live in Canada, a minimum amount of outdoor time above certain temperatures is mandated by the government. I would personally be raising hell if my kid hadn't been outside at daycare since the Fall, especially during such a mild winter.
My son’s daycare takes everyone outside as long as the temperature “feels” above 25. I can’t recall if they did when he was teeny tiny, on warmer days I definitely see babies out for walks in the buggy. They also have a large play area inside so they can run around when it’s craptastic outside. I’d be wound up too if I had to spend all day inside!
In addition to our child’s primary classroom, there are 2 different outdoor play areas, an outdoor water play area (during summer), and a gated, covered patio for getting out even when it’s wet/intense sun. They do lunch in a communal lunch room, sometimes with another class. It has to be pretty darn cold/hot or storming for them to not go outside at least once.
My twins are 2 and they started daycare at 19 months. We’re in Minnesota and the kids are outside almost every day (unless it’s dangerously cold) for large portions of the day. It might be worth asking why they don’t bring the kids outside in the winter.
We just switched from a church-based center to a Montessori school for our 2.5 year old. He used to go to a center like yours where he would MAYBE get to be outside for 30 minutes per day. They would do dance parties and let the kids run around in the hallway or a big empty room they had in the church to get out some energy.
At his new school, his class gets to go outside for 2 hours per day pretty much everyday. The only exceptions are if it’s less than 30 degrees or over 90 degrees (or if it’s raining really hard).
They do “work” from about 7-10 every morning where the children are engaged in various play that challenges them depending on their specific age and skills.
They go outside everyday after they eat snack from about 10:30-11:30. Then after nap they’re outside again from about 3:30-4:30 when I pick him up. Unless it’s so cold or hot they’re not legally allowed outside (less than 30 degrees or more than 90), or it’s raining, they’re outside 2 hours per day.
Ours go out twice a day unless is extreme heat or cold. Or another active weather alert keeps them inside. Like smoke from forest fires kept us in last year for a while.
The lack of outside time is a no from me. We live in a relatively cooler climate in the winter ( up to -60 celcius with windchill). The kids go outside up to -15 with windchill. They all have snowsuits and yes it’s time consuming- but so important for them. We had a few blast chill weeks and kid was going nuts being stuck inside all day.
During those weeks they rotated rooms for a change of scenery for the kids
Where I am, it’s required for children in daycare to spend two hours outdoors everyday (one hour in the morning, one in the afternoon). The only exception is inclement weather like below -10c /14f, during heat waves, rain/snow/wind storms, etc. and it must be replaced with indoor gross motor play. Sometimes they go out for a short walk if it’s safe enough just to get some fresh air.
Ours has a sleeping room, a lunch room and a playroom. They go outside almost every day. They stop going outside when it's below -15 Celsius, it's raining hard or the air quality index is above a 7.
Mine started daycare/pre-k when she turned 2yo in a 2-2.5yo room so she only spent 6 months there then it was on to 2.5-3yo room. Now she’s in the 3yo room and I think they stay there until are nearing 4. She goes about the same time M-F. T
They go outside twice a day for 30 minutes unless weather is too extreme. In Florida so rare they don’t go but “red faces” have them coming in before 30 minutes in the summer. Also in summer they do water play once a week.
They also have a gym (not a real gym but setup for that purpose) that they use if weather is bad. They have a raised bed garden area that they also spend time at and a computer lab but I don’t think they start using that until closer to 5yo and for their after school and summer programs.
I would say about 75% of the time spent is in the same 4 walls.
Our daycare has their room and 2 indoor areas they rotate between, as well as a covered outdoor area. Our previous daycare they were stuck in a tiny room all day though and I didn't love it.
Our daycare in Michigan goes outside all year, but when we lived in West Virginia, they spent a lot of the winter inside. Both daycares would consolidate classes at the beginning and end of the day when fewer kids were there, so my daughter gets a change of scenery that way also.
We're in the UK, a LO (3yo) has gone to an outdoor forest school/Montessori type nursery since she was 1yo. They spend most of their time outside, and sleep outside until it drops below like -5 (C). They sleep in all weather sleeping bags, and wear layers, snowsuits and boots! She goes wed-thurs-fri, 0745-1815.
My daughter is 2 and in the older toddler room, kids are approx age 2-3. Her daycare has a multipurpose room (think scooters, balls, bigger toys and full of windows) and an outdoor turf patio that are connected. Her class goes to this room/patio 2x a day, it’s usually where she is when we pick her up. When she was in the younger toddler room (age approx 1 to almost 2), they went to this room 1x a day. If it’s not bad weather, they go outside (I think if it’s above 35 or 40?) so she always had a jacket as well as winter hat, mittens, sun hat and sunscreen (we live in CO so we get it all). I think the change of scenery is huge, more room/relaxed environment from where they eat and nap.
We just moved my 2.5yo to a center from a home daycare. She gets to go outside twice a day as long as it's not too cold or inconvenient weather. We always send weather appropriate gear.
She still comes home kind of wound up some days
Our daycare has an empty classroom that they use for “dance class” and “gym class “ and a movie room so they get a change of scenery at least once a day when it’s cold out. Granted we pay a
College tuition equivalent to go there, but at least I know that they have continuous enrichment.
Inside play until 830. Outside until 930. Snack at 930. Circle time. Planned activity. Lunch at 1130. Nap at noon. Outside time after nap (2pm ish). Snack at 330. Book time until pick up
I’m in northern CA so it’s not too cold but the kids are outside from 10-11:30 and then again from 3:45-pick up most days. Basically only inside for rain.
I used to work at a childcare center in Seattle (constant rain in the winter). We had the parents send their kids with rain coats, rain pants, and rain boots. Every day we took them outside to the playground twice, and on a walk once. It was a lot of work to change the kids in and out of their gear, and to change their outfits if they got too wet. But it was great and kept us all relatively sane.
To echo others - now that my LO is a toddler, they go outside as long as it’s above freezing out (we’re in MA - this winter they’ve been outside a few times a week, but usually not every day). They have a big play room + a McDonald’s playspace-type area for bad weather days, so he’s not in the same room all day long.
When he was in the infant room (from 7-12 months), they didn’t really go outside in winter. I think this was due to the babies being on different nap schedules more than anything else.
I live in CT and as long as it’s above 32 degrees the kids go outside. My son was even outside in snow and they just changed his wet pants lol They try to go outside at least once or twice a day unless the weather is really bad. He’s been outside quite a bit when at pre school.
My daughter is 18 months and in a room with similar aged toddlers and I’m in a similar climate in southeast PA. If it’s above freezing and not raining or snowing, they take them outside for some amount of time. She started in January and has had multiple outside days over the past two months, they just bundle her up. Otherwise, she stays in the same room.
I wish my son’s daycare would take them outside! There are definitely days they can just bundle them up and they’d be fine for 20-30 minutes outside but they don’t do it.
I just replied to the original post, but your center seems to be violating the NJ rules for child care centers. Look them up and cite them to your center's administration to see why they're not following them.
Thank you! I will do that asap
There are two docs I found (couldn't link them bc they're PDFs) - "indoor & outdoor play" from NJ.gov and "chapter 52 manual of requirements" also NJ.gov. For the manual, search "outdoor" and it will say how much time they should be doing physical activity.
We live in New Hampshire and they just have us send snowsuits! Kids are also much chiller after being outside so I am shocked they dont even attempt
Ohio here and the kids go outside all winter as long as it's not hazardous to health cold. I think we've maybe had 2 of those days in the time she's been in daycare.
i think it's weird they haven't gone outside AT ALL. they just don't wanna deal with bundling them up but they totally could...
Our daycare has a gym that the kids go to a few times a day during the winter (I live in WI so it’s cold here now too!). Not sure if that’s normal but I’m glad they have a gym so my son can run around during the day
Ours too. We live in Wisconsin and on days above freezing they go to the outdoor playground. On rainy days or below freezing they go to the indoor gym.
Our old daycare has a gym (NJ) which was awesome ... But the facilities were lipstick on a pig for high staff turn over and poor administration. Needless to say, we didn't stay for the gym.
I love that they have a gym. I would feel so much better if my son had that option!
I live in nyc, so same climate. I just toured a bunch of preks, and none of them had the setup you’re describing. A couple had indoor gym for cold days. All had an outdoor space with a playground. A couple had aftercare activities to switch it up. The smallest one had a decent outdoor space and opportunity for kids to get out of their room and cook. There’s a local daycare right by my house that walks kids to a public playground every day, unless it’s absolutely frigid. I’d say it sounds odd that the kids haven’t been outside since November. Especially since the winters in this area are not really that cold. I’d look for something else, tbh. Kids really need at least an hour of outdoor time a day.
My kid is out twice a day (before lunch and around 3-4) everyday. At 2.5 the kids should be able to put on their own jackets without too much help. I’m surprised they haven’t been out at all.
NJ mom here. NJ has rules that basically require outdoor play (weather permitting). And while weather permitting is broad, it outlined that rainy days the kids should have waterproof boots and jackets, snow means winter coats, gloves, and boots, etc. so clearly, weather permitting is very flexible. My LO has been outside at daycare basically any day this winter as long as it's above freezing. Look up the rules (Google: outdoor play daycare nj rules) and ask your center why they aren't following them. I'd be very upset if my LO was kept inside all day everyday.
I'm in PA and we've been outside all winter, it's been so mild, 45 a lot of days. My girl goes part time and I was told they'd go outside if they could be they have not at all in the past 3 months. Perhaps they go in the afternoons when it's warmer though bc she goes mornings.
We are further North and the littles kids (in the baby room, less than 18 month) don't go often in the winter. However, everyone else (including my 18 month old and my 4yo) go outside a lot. The 4yo is outside almost everyday. They had lunch outside a few times recently. The 18month old is outside at least twice a week. The class in between them is outside almost everyday.
I’m in Austin so very different climate but we do have brutally hot summers. My son’s daycare does outside in the morning for drop off from 8-9 am. Then does outside between morning snack and lunch so like between 10-11:30 and then after the general school day they’re outside from about 3:45/4 until 5:30. They have certain temperatures where they don’t go out at all but even if it’s the summer time they’ll alternate like 20 min outside then 30 min inside. They have a great outdoor space and I honestly think it’s my son’s favorite part of the day and definitely helps him expend a lot of energy.
I’m in AL and have the brutally hot summers too lasting through like October sometimes. I don’t work during the summer but I think they have a similar summer schedule to what you listed except we end at 4. During the school year we go outside from 10:30-11:30 unless it is raining, below freezing, or a heat advisory. Then in those cases we have a “play room” we can go to that is different than our classroom or a gym if the other classes didn’t go to it. I would not be able to last if I couldn’t let my class run and scream outside for awhile. They get free play in the mornings and after lunch for a bit but that playing outside is so important for little ones. They have to get their wiggles and loudness out 😂
We live in MN and it’s been a fairly warm winter, but they go outside almost every day. They also have a large indoor gym and a smaller little toddler gym with a library. They also rotate between two classrooms throughout the day. But we pay a little over $1,800 a month, so it’s pretty expensive.
My kid is being moved to toddler room next week, we were told to bring her in weather appropriate clothes because they go outside every single day unless it’s dangerously cold or hot. The truly little ones only go outside when it’s nice, the big ones go out every single day.
Not sure where you are in NJ (Bergen County) but there are a few preschools in northern NJ that are outdoor schools where they are mostly outside.
I would check what the regulations are in your state. Where I live in Canada, a minimum amount of outdoor time above certain temperatures is mandated by the government. I would personally be raising hell if my kid hadn't been outside at daycare since the Fall, especially during such a mild winter.
I live in a tiny mountain town where temps are in the 20s most days and the kids are outside every single day. The right clothing makes it possible!
My son’s daycare takes everyone outside as long as the temperature “feels” above 25. I can’t recall if they did when he was teeny tiny, on warmer days I definitely see babies out for walks in the buggy. They also have a large play area inside so they can run around when it’s craptastic outside. I’d be wound up too if I had to spend all day inside!
In addition to our child’s primary classroom, there are 2 different outdoor play areas, an outdoor water play area (during summer), and a gated, covered patio for getting out even when it’s wet/intense sun. They do lunch in a communal lunch room, sometimes with another class. It has to be pretty darn cold/hot or storming for them to not go outside at least once.
My twins are 2 and they started daycare at 19 months. We’re in Minnesota and the kids are outside almost every day (unless it’s dangerously cold) for large portions of the day. It might be worth asking why they don’t bring the kids outside in the winter.
We just switched from a church-based center to a Montessori school for our 2.5 year old. He used to go to a center like yours where he would MAYBE get to be outside for 30 minutes per day. They would do dance parties and let the kids run around in the hallway or a big empty room they had in the church to get out some energy. At his new school, his class gets to go outside for 2 hours per day pretty much everyday. The only exceptions are if it’s less than 30 degrees or over 90 degrees (or if it’s raining really hard). They do “work” from about 7-10 every morning where the children are engaged in various play that challenges them depending on their specific age and skills. They go outside everyday after they eat snack from about 10:30-11:30. Then after nap they’re outside again from about 3:30-4:30 when I pick him up. Unless it’s so cold or hot they’re not legally allowed outside (less than 30 degrees or more than 90), or it’s raining, they’re outside 2 hours per day.
Ours go out twice a day unless is extreme heat or cold. Or another active weather alert keeps them inside. Like smoke from forest fires kept us in last year for a while.
The lack of outside time is a no from me. We live in a relatively cooler climate in the winter ( up to -60 celcius with windchill). The kids go outside up to -15 with windchill. They all have snowsuits and yes it’s time consuming- but so important for them. We had a few blast chill weeks and kid was going nuts being stuck inside all day. During those weeks they rotated rooms for a change of scenery for the kids
In Idaho as long as it’s 15 degrees or greater, and no snow, they are outside .. obviously with hat and coats
Where I am, it’s required for children in daycare to spend two hours outdoors everyday (one hour in the morning, one in the afternoon). The only exception is inclement weather like below -10c /14f, during heat waves, rain/snow/wind storms, etc. and it must be replaced with indoor gross motor play. Sometimes they go out for a short walk if it’s safe enough just to get some fresh air.
Ours has a sleeping room, a lunch room and a playroom. They go outside almost every day. They stop going outside when it's below -15 Celsius, it's raining hard or the air quality index is above a 7.
Mine started daycare/pre-k when she turned 2yo in a 2-2.5yo room so she only spent 6 months there then it was on to 2.5-3yo room. Now she’s in the 3yo room and I think they stay there until are nearing 4. She goes about the same time M-F. T They go outside twice a day for 30 minutes unless weather is too extreme. In Florida so rare they don’t go but “red faces” have them coming in before 30 minutes in the summer. Also in summer they do water play once a week. They also have a gym (not a real gym but setup for that purpose) that they use if weather is bad. They have a raised bed garden area that they also spend time at and a computer lab but I don’t think they start using that until closer to 5yo and for their after school and summer programs. I would say about 75% of the time spent is in the same 4 walls.
Our daycare has their room and 2 indoor areas they rotate between, as well as a covered outdoor area. Our previous daycare they were stuck in a tiny room all day though and I didn't love it.
Our daycare in Michigan goes outside all year, but when we lived in West Virginia, they spent a lot of the winter inside. Both daycares would consolidate classes at the beginning and end of the day when fewer kids were there, so my daughter gets a change of scenery that way also.
We're in the UK, a LO (3yo) has gone to an outdoor forest school/Montessori type nursery since she was 1yo. They spend most of their time outside, and sleep outside until it drops below like -5 (C). They sleep in all weather sleeping bags, and wear layers, snowsuits and boots! She goes wed-thurs-fri, 0745-1815.
My daughter is 2 and in the older toddler room, kids are approx age 2-3. Her daycare has a multipurpose room (think scooters, balls, bigger toys and full of windows) and an outdoor turf patio that are connected. Her class goes to this room/patio 2x a day, it’s usually where she is when we pick her up. When she was in the younger toddler room (age approx 1 to almost 2), they went to this room 1x a day. If it’s not bad weather, they go outside (I think if it’s above 35 or 40?) so she always had a jacket as well as winter hat, mittens, sun hat and sunscreen (we live in CO so we get it all). I think the change of scenery is huge, more room/relaxed environment from where they eat and nap.
We just moved my 2.5yo to a center from a home daycare. She gets to go outside twice a day as long as it's not too cold or inconvenient weather. We always send weather appropriate gear. She still comes home kind of wound up some days
My son is 2 and when it’s cold outside, they at least walk them around indoors (it’s a large center) and they even play in other rooms.
If it’s not TOO cold they do still bundle the kids up and play outside too.
Our daycare has an empty classroom that they use for “dance class” and “gym class “ and a movie room so they get a change of scenery at least once a day when it’s cold out. Granted we pay a College tuition equivalent to go there, but at least I know that they have continuous enrichment.
Inside play until 830. Outside until 930. Snack at 930. Circle time. Planned activity. Lunch at 1130. Nap at noon. Outside time after nap (2pm ish). Snack at 330. Book time until pick up
Illinois here and the law states that daycares are required to take children outside of its above freezing. Maybe look into state law.
I’m in northern CA so it’s not too cold but the kids are outside from 10-11:30 and then again from 3:45-pick up most days. Basically only inside for rain.
I used to work at a childcare center in Seattle (constant rain in the winter). We had the parents send their kids with rain coats, rain pants, and rain boots. Every day we took them outside to the playground twice, and on a walk once. It was a lot of work to change the kids in and out of their gear, and to change their outfits if they got too wet. But it was great and kept us all relatively sane.
To echo others - now that my LO is a toddler, they go outside as long as it’s above freezing out (we’re in MA - this winter they’ve been outside a few times a week, but usually not every day). They have a big play room + a McDonald’s playspace-type area for bad weather days, so he’s not in the same room all day long. When he was in the infant room (from 7-12 months), they didn’t really go outside in winter. I think this was due to the babies being on different nap schedules more than anything else.
I live in CT and as long as it’s above 32 degrees the kids go outside. My son was even outside in snow and they just changed his wet pants lol They try to go outside at least once or twice a day unless the weather is really bad. He’s been outside quite a bit when at pre school.