There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing!
Thank you to Riveredge School parent, Moriah, for this great post about preparing for school each day. We hope this is helpful both to current families as well as families who are considering The Riveredge School for their children.
There is an old quote that states, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” I have used this quote often since my children were babies as we walked through wind, rain and snow. The same quote still stands true as I send my oldest child to the Riveredge Outdoor Learning Elementary School. With the proper clothing and equipment, the students can explore and learn outside in all kinds of weather and this task is given to us families at the start of each school day.
For the most comfortable experience, children need to dress in layers. Clothing layers allow a child to adjust their own comfort level by adding or removing layers. Each child has a different comfort level, but most layering will include a base layer, middle layer, and outer layer.
The base layer is the layer closest to the skin and is responsible for wicking moisture away from the skin. The fabric should be made with synthetic materials or wool. The next layer is the middle layer and is responsible for trapping heat. This layer would look like a fleece or wool sweater. The outer layer protects against wind and rain and would include a winter jacket or waterproof shell. What does all this clothing look like for our child in winter? My daughter wears synthetic Cuddle Duds for a base layer, long-sleeved shirt on top, and another fleece sweater on top. She also wears wool socks and glove liners for that important base layer. Waterproof snow pants, insulated boots, winter jacket, hat, neck cowl, and waterproof mittens make up the outer layer.
Children grow fast and buying new clothing can get expensive. Many of the clothing items can be found at rummage sales, thrift stores, online second-hand marketplaces, and discounted stores like Sierra Trading Post or REI Used Gear. In fact, most of the items that my daughter owns has come from second hand locations.
I will admit that I probably spend more time on checking and packing supplies than I would have for another school and it takes time to get into a good rhythm. We gather everything the night before school to make an easier morning. At the end of each day, my daughter is responsible for putting away her outdoor clothes and then I do a run through to make sure everything is capable of air drying. The following items are what my daughter needs for each school day.
Backpack contents
- Water bottle
- Thermos
- Reading book
- Dry bag containing extra socks and mittens
- Lunch box (provided by school)
- Insulated lunch bag
- Spork
- Separate snack
Clothing
- Thermal Base Layer (shirt and pants)
- Fleece Sweater
- Polyester pants
- Wool socks
- Thick, insulated boots
- Mittens
- Glove liners
- Hat
- Snow pants or rain pants
- Jacket
- Neck cowl
This list of supplies seems a bit daunting. I like to think that the knowledge of dressing in layers and having the right outdoor gear will help prepare our children for a world of outdoor adventures and future career choices. These clothing items and layers are the same type of items that an Arctic explorer might wear, an Olympic athlete might wear while skiing the slopes, a research scientist might wear into the field, or a construction worker might wear while working outside.
Students at The Riveredge School are gaining important life skills to be able to explore outside in all types of weather for years to come. With preparation and practice, they are learning how good clothing choices can make every day a good weather day.
