Dora Ramos, a family childcare provider in Stamford Connecticut, was able to adapt when temperatures soared above 90 degrees in July. She has a large back yard where she takes care of the children. She was able adjust and still get them outside on even the hottest day.
“Our parents bring the children at 7:10 a.m., so we bring them outside very early — first thing,” she said. “We have sprinklers; they use the hose to fill up pots with water and ‘cook.’”
But in Dallas, where the high hit 110 degrees on August 18, it wasn’t safe or possible to play outside for weeks-long stretches this summer, said Cori Berg, the director of Hope Day School, a preschool there. “It was cranky weather for sure,” she said. “What most people don’t really think about is what it’s like for a child in a center. They’re cooped up in one room for hours and hours and hours.”
Much research supports young children’s need for movement, outdoor play and time in nature. Many places have laws that require children in child care facilities to be able to play outside, weather permitting.
But…
