In Nordic countries, such as Sweden or Finland, where the cold is the general tone throughout the year, children, including young children, are accustomed to go out every day, even if the weather is bad. There is no problem in exposing oneself to the cold, since in this way the child's adaptability to low temperatures is improved.
In winter children tend to be more active; they run more, they jump and that makes it easier for them to warm up. Newborns under one month are an exception, because they regulate their body temperature worse and if we do not warm them enough, they can suffer from hypothermia.
Children can enjoy the winter with simple guidelines to prevent them from getting sick:
Cover the areas of the body most vulnerable to cold.
Hands, feet and ears are parts of the body that are more vulnerable to cold. Covering these areas with gloves, proper footwear and hat is the way to avoid the appearance of chilblains (skin lesions) or otitis.
Several layers of clothing to better isolate the body from the cold.
A child can go outside even if it is very cold or snowy if it is well protected from humidity and low temperatures. The ideal is the trick of several layers of clothing, although they are thin. In this way, an air insulation chamber is created between one garment and another.
Sleep with the right clothes according to the temperature of the bedroom.
The child's pyjamas must be in accordance with the room temperature. If air conditioning is not available, the nightwear may be thick. In case the room is well heated it is enough with a light pyjamas. With babies under one year, it is recommended that the temperature of the room does not exceed 24 degrees to prevent the so-called sudden death of infants.
Balanced diet to keep the defences in shape.
The miracle products to enhance the effectiveness of the defences are questionnable. But a varied and balanced diet that contains all the nutrients that the child needs for its proper development favours a fit and effective immune system.
The cold is not the enemy of the defences of children, it is just a climate that is characterised by low temperatures. As a rule, children are less vulnerable to cold than adults
We encourage all our Good-People Nannies to plan activities that are outdoors. During our Good-People Nanny Trainings, we ask the nannies to prepare various activities and share them with the group. One of our recent suggestions came from Nanny Isabelle who looks after two children in Geneva (aged 7 and 4)....
Capture the Snow Flag
All you need for this game is a piece of white cloth and a wooden spoon.
Tie the cloth to the end of the spoon. Mark off a set area to play your game, and have one person hide the flag by placing it anywhere in the snow within your set area, making sure to press the spoon into the snow so only the white cloth is visible.
Time how long it takes to find the flag each time it is hidden. Whoever is able to hide the flag for the longest time wins.
#GoodPeople #ChildrenDevelopment #Winter #Nanny_in_Geneva #Nannies_in_Geneva #NannyActivities #Nanny_Vaud #NannyIdeas
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