?Was it indoor recess today"? is a common after-school question at my house. I live in Thunder Bay, Ont., where schools and daycares keep the kids inside if it?s colder than -25°C with the wind chill (and it’s not rare that it’s colder than that). Otherwise, the kids are outside at recess and many families, including mine, will head out after school and on weekends too, to ski, sled, skate, ice fish, snowshoe or just play in the snow.
I don?t think we?re hardcore either. Simmering inside in the germ pit of mid-winter, without fresh air and sunlight, makes everyone a little bonkers. While I like to tell my daughter that we are tough northern girls, it?s true that we?re all tough Canadians. Winter is long and cold for most of us, and kids are heartier than we think. It?s OK to take your kids outside when it?s freaking cold! (Use common sense, of course?frostbite is no joke, so dressing right, having warm-up breaks, taking extra care with babies, making sure small bits like toes, fingers and ears are protected and throwing a dance party inside when it dips below -25°C are all the way to go.) Here are some winter-tested ideas to help get your kids?and you?out of the house.
1. Get the right gear…

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