Heat and Children- Daycare Issue

Personally, with my daycare, if it is over 90 degrees outside, we stay inside. No one benefits from kids getting overheated, and quite honestly, my kids don't like to go out when it is that hot, nor do I.

Little kids overheat quickly. Why chance it?

If the kids are getting water regularly, and the people who are watching them don't have them out there for too long, it should be fine. I say don't make a big deal about it.

**Now, take my opinion with a grain of salt. We've been having 100+ degree heat here since March and all the mamas in south Texas know not to let the kids outside for too long.

*hugs*

I grew up in that kind of heat. We played for hours and hours outside. We just drank plenty of water and soda (to replace lost salts), although that's the kind of heat that gatorade is -literally- designed for. I would have no problem at all in my son being out in 110-120 weather, as long as the people caring for him knew how heat should be treated. If they didn't, I'd raise hell.

((sigh. 66 and raining here. I'm in underarmor, and long pants/sleeves curled up under a blanket on my couch. Miss the heat. You just have to treat it right))

When they say "young children" they actually mean infants and newborns. Children can go outside for short periods of time and are supposed to be encouraged to drink a lot of water and not over-exert themselves.

I would ask about their heat policies, first. Such as: How long do the children play outside? How often do they give water breaks? Can some go inside, should they get hot and tired?

It has been over 100 degrees here for some time. I know I can't keep my son in on 100 degree + days, or he would have to be inside for months. I am responsible about is exposure to heat, I'm sure your daycare is too! Kids need to be outside. They can't just be cooped up all the time.

You need to make a big deal out of it to the county licensing people...I don't mean to "turn in the daycare". I mean to advocate for the daycare. This is one of the many reasons I have no desire to be licensed. Many states REQUIRE 1 hour per day outside no matter what the weather is doing. The only excuse is rain with lightening. But even at that it doesn't usually rain all day. The state still requires the provider to get those kids outside. There is no way I'm taking kids out when it's uncomfortable or dangerous. Hot, cold, high mold count, high ozone alerts... We stay inside.

I am sure they only take them out for a short time, and know what to look for in overly hot kids. I would not worry about it.

When my son was in daycare, they'd take them out for a short time when it was this hot. They always had a big water cooler with icewater and cups for the kids. I think it is just fine to ask about it!

It depends how long they were outside. This is considered "black flag" weather in the military which means you can still go outside, but watch yourself. If you run, do not overdo it and stay hydrated.

Ask them what their policies on really hot days are. Maybe they have a time limit? Certain activities they will not do? Especially being in the humidity they sweat more, so how often are water breaks? Do they get cool water? Really cold iced water doesn't hydrate your body as fast as cool or room temperature water. I'm sure the heat advisory is a warning not to overstretch yourself and to cautious about how long you stay outside and what you do.

You can still be outside, but they MUST stay hydrated, have some breaks, not be out too long, not be overly active (sports games, etc), MUST have sunscreen on, and the daycare workers have to know how to look for kids going into over heated mode before they become a heat casualty.

I would probably just mention something or ask about it - not make a big deal if you are not comfortable with that, but certainly inquire about it. Like, if the kids are outside, how long are they allowed outside for? Do they have any precautions in place for when the heat gets this extreme? Are they getting plenty of water to drink?

Each state has child care regulations that the child care center MUST adhere to or take a chance of loosing their license.

I had tons of parents who thought it was too cold to go outside or too hot. But I was able to pull out the regulations that said every child must go outside every day. The baby regulations did qualify that by saying unless it posed a significant safety issue. If the kids are drinking water and have at least 2 sources of shade they should be outside for at least 30 minutes per day. I agree that I would have done my 30 minutes in the morning on that day. Maybe before breakfast...LOL.

Then there were the parents who said their kids had a cold or runny nose and they didn't want them to go outside...I asked them if they realized I would have to hire a teacher to come during play time just to watch their child since all the children are required to go outside. It also said in the state regulations that if kids were too sick to go outside they were too sick to be in child care that day and should be sent home or not allowed to stay. It made some of my parents mad but heck, I couldn't afford to pay one teacher to watch one child. I also told them they couldn't leave their child and that made them mad...what the heck? They were telling me their child was too sick to play...that's too sick to be there.

Child care is frustrating on both sides. Providers who don't make the best choices and the parents who think the world revolves around them. It takes both to provide care for the children and they should try and work on a balance. I see nothing wrong with suggesting that since the heat advisory is in place to ask if they could do their playtime outside earlier in the day.

You can always call the local licensing agency and ask if they could send out some kind of letter to home providers and center providers as to their recommendations during heat advisory days.

I live in AZ. Its consistantly over 100 and lately it hit 118. Its not realistic to think we all stay in our houses all day in the summers. Although we have pools, theres only so much swimming you can do in a day. So our kids still play at the park and outside. We take tons of water bottles with us and when it gets "too" hot, we go home or inside. So I think little kids especially need to get the wiggles out and 15 minutes outside shouldn't hurt them. =)

As a concerned parent you can mention it to the director. There could be other reasons as well. When I worked in daycare you had to maintain the adult/child ratio. The outside ratio was higher so at times we would have to take the children outside to be able to maintain the proper ratio. We would also take the children outside to let them burn off energy that they get pent up from being inside. The other thing is when it was hot outside we always had a cooler, the kind with a spigot, filled with cool water and cups for anyone to get drinks from. We would also rotate so no one got overheated.

Yes ma'am I would say something. That's why there are advisorys. Even if they say they are still going outside my kid wouldn't!

Ask what the rules are about going outside in extreme temps. Our daycare has moved the timing of water day (earlier) according to DHS regulations. I am sure that your daycare would be cited by DHS for having children outside in 100+ heat index.

I agree with you, I would talk to the Director. At our preschool they do not go outside if it is below 40 degrees or above 90 degrees. They do tell parents to put sunscreen on the children b/c of the sun but they would not have the children out in this heat. It even says it on the news not to have them out in it....

working in day care i know that state regulations say kids have to be allowed outside even if only for a few mins. dont worry about it nothing you can do

Doesn't hurt to ask them their policies (what they do on hot days, how they keep kids cool, etc..) You didn't mention if there was any shade? Where I live it also gets that hot and kids play outside. Keep in mind - kids adapt much better then us (usually). And when we're dyin' hot, they are OK. As long as they have water and have the means to cool off - water on face, spray bottles, shade, etc.. and/or only out for about 15min or so - I wouldn't worry. But ask, otherwise you won't really know what the protocol is.

At my childrens' preschool they don't take them outside when it gets that hot. If it's too many days in a row inside they will take a walk for 15 minutes or so and then go back in. They have an indoor playground so they still get tons of activity even inside. I'd say something, yeah.

You've probably already dealt with it, but I wanted to post my two cents. I think you are not overreacting and that you should say something to the administrator. I really do think it's important for kids to get outside for a bit. Maybe that could have been done in the morning time. Our daycare has come up with indoor active playtime for this week, so the kids wouldn't be outside. I would think that your daycare would've acknowledged this ahead of time(as it does come every single summer) and have an alternative plan for the weather - whether it's hot or cold. Good luck
PJG

The heat index in my city was 114 yesterday, but when my kids (7yr and 19mos) and I got home from work, we played outside for a while. Not for hours, mind you, but my daughter cries at the door if we don't go out.

I think for short duration and as long as there is shade and a breeze and they have access to water, I don't worry too much. I would imagine most day care workers, like myself are also spoiled to air conditioning and could not handle it very long themselves!