Keeping children engaged in weather too cold for outdoor activities

SCHOFIELD, Wis. (WSAW) - It’s not safe or even all that fun for anyone, especially kids, when temperatures drop this far down and it makes finding ways to keep children active in school a bit more challenging.

Living in Wisconsin, kids are used to snow days and having recess inside. DC Everest’s threshold for indoor recess is if temperatures drop below zero.

When recess is inside, Superintendent of Operations Matt Spets said the district likes to keep kids engaged. That engagement includes making sure kids are active and socializing with one another by either playing games or just moving around in the classroom. “There could be some learning activities and I know that student choice is definitely a priority, where staff and principals are always trying to find options for kids to pick from on those days,” says Spets.

Each school district has its method of dealing with the cold and keeping children safe, but still active. DC Everest has used all their snow days, which means it will be virtual learning days from here on. Spets said the district tries to avoid half days as much as possible.