Outdoor learning on a sunny day is a relatively straightforward undertaking. However, very few places in the United States can count on constant sunshine and moderate weather. So the idea of bringing learning outdoors often leads to this question: What happens when it is cold or hot or stormy?

With planning and preparation, it is possible to carry on outdoor learning in a variety of types of weather. Depending on the season and region, weather challenges may include heat, cold, wind, rain, and snow that range from mild to moderate or severe. Schools in all regions will need to have multiple plans for addressing the variability of weather throughout the seasons and on any given day.

In this section, we explore a variety of common-sense solutions to dealing with variations in weather, many of which were shared by experienced outdoor educators from different regions of the United States. We offer suggestions to guide schools to make cost-effective and practical decisions when choosing to teach outdoors. 

Be sure to consult with your local health department to ensure you are addressing any particular needs, issues, or concerns that are relevant to your local context. 

For more specific ideas for all conditions see Strategies for Managing Cold Temperatures, Strategies for Managing Hot Weather, and our chapter on Teaching and Learning Outdoors.

Rain and mud do not stop us!

Mindset

As outdoor educators recommend, it is important to begin by setting the tone and helping children (and adults) understand what to expect. For many children, families, and teachers, learning outdoors is a new situation. Being a little bit hot, cold, or wet is often part of the experience of being outdoors. Sometimes framing outdoor experiences as an adventure and emphasizing the fun of it can help to expand children’s willingness to try something new and expand their ability to manage slight discomfort.

There may be a wide spectrum of comfort levels within a single classroom group, including students who are very comfortable being outside and others who are challenged by the unfamiliarity of it. It is important to honor the emotional needs of all students. In addition, there may be regional or cultural differences in families’ comfort with children being outdoors in the cold or rain.

Schools that have had success with outdoor learning emphasize that communication and parent education and engagement are keys to helping families develop comfort. Offering parent/child outdoor events like story hours is a way for parents to sample outdoor learning in a manageable way and slowly develop comfort. 

Outdoor learning brings opportunities for a direct physical connection with changing seasons.

WEATHER FORECASTS

When classes meet regularly for outdoor instruction, it is important that adults (and students) pay close attention to the weather by watching forecasts and taking note of the predicted temperatures or projected climate conditions for the day.

Classes can include weather observation skills as part of their curricula to help students of all ages tune in to and engage with the weather around them. For example, weather-oriented curricula might include learning to use weather station instruments, developing observation skills to track cloud formations, scientific analysis of snowpack, or studying meteorology concepts. The direct connection to students’ physical experiences will make these activities highly meaningful.

The maps above show average daily temperatures during the winter and summer. Outdoor learning is possible even in cold and hot weather when the right plans are in place. Click on the maps for more details about how they were created and for location of outdoor learning case studies to learn how they planned for cooler weather. Maps created by Sarah Gill, MPP. 2021.

Simple instruments like a rain gauge, weathervane, and thermometer can help even the youngest students collect data and be good observers.

Updating the weather board can be a daily job for a student.

Clothing and
Personal Gear

It is vitally important that children and adults feel comfortable being outside — and one of the key determinants of outdoor comfort is having weather-appropriate clothing. Every child and every teacher needs to have durable, weather-appropriate clothing and gear that is suitable for the types of conditions that the school usually experiences during the school year. 

We recommend that schools and districts think of outdoor clothing and gear as key components of their outdoor classroom infrastructure. Clothing is as important to the overall success of outdoor learning programs as having a place for a class to sit. 

Having the right clothing is an equity issue. Not all families are able to purchase clothing that will keep children equally warm and dry for extended periods of outdoor learning on cold, wet days. We encourage schools and districts to consider providing weather-appropriate clothing for all students as part of their overall infrastructure budget for outdoor classrooms. The approach each school or district takes to accomplish this may vary. Some schools have transitioned to outdoor learning by investing only in outdoor clothing for their students. We recommend that schools and districts seek input from diverse stakeholder groups within their community to find a thoughtful and equitable way to meet everyone’s needs outdoors.

Rain pants and boots help kids stay comfortable on rainy or muddy days.

Storage is key to having the gear kids need. It can be cubbies or backpacks for each child or gear racks for a class.

These beautiful hand-made hats and mittens were created by volunteers for use at schools engaged in outdoor learning in Washington, DC.

Strategies for Outfitting
Large Groups of Children 

In order to ensure equity, schools and districts can raise or allocate funds to purchase outdoor gear for all of their students and staff. If full class sets are beyond the school’s budget, prioritize providing appropriate clothing for the students whose families are not able to purchase the recommended clothing themselves. Consider using the same criteria as for free and reduced lunch or knowledge of individual families that teachers, school counselors, or social workers might have. 

Consult clothing recipients. Be respectful. Consult with and focus on the families who will need the clothing and ask them how they would be best served. Also consider cultural differences and style preferences. Avoid purchases that will draw a visual line (in the types of clothing provided) between students who bring their own gear and those who receive it from the school. Ask students and teachers what they would like to wear and how they would like to receive outdoor clothing and supplies purchased by the school. 

Find bulk discounts. Look for local and national stores and clothing manufacturers that might be able to provide discounts on bulk purchases or donations. Bulk purchases or donations could be for complete outfits or a set of a specific item such as rain pants or hats for everyone in the class. 

Seek donations. Seek corporate sponsors or foundation grants to support gear purchases for some or all of the students. Apply for funding for new items or for thrift shop purchases.

Organize outdoor gear libraries. Organize gear libraries and clothing exchanges where families swap too-small gear for the next size up.  Sponsor clothing/gear drives where the school, church, or wider community is asked to donate high-quality hand-me-downs. Volunteers then sort and clean the donated outdoor clothing and gear. Coordinate with local thrift shops to set aside high-quality outerwear in children’s sizes. 

Invite craft volunteers. Organize volunteers to knit or sew mittens, scarves, and hats in winter, or bandannas for summer.

Clothing Tips

Dress in layers. Dressing in layers of clothing that can be added and removed — is the best strategy for responding to changing weather and changing activity levels throughout the day. Consider an individual backpack, bucket, or cubby to store layers that are not being worn. 

Label everything. Be sure that all clothing and personal gear is labeled with each student's name. 

Have changes of clothing. Be sure preschool and elementary school students have a complete change of clothing and shoes, appropriate to the season, in case the clothes they are wearing get wet. 

Keep extras to loan. Schools should keep extra clothing on hand in case a child needs a change.

Wear what your students wear. As a teacher, consider wearing layers of clothing similar to what your students are wearing so that you are more likely to be aware when students need a boost (moving into shade, a snack, shelter from wind). 

Modify uniforms for weather. For schools where uniforms are required, modify the uniform sets so that they will be seasonally appropriate for outdoor learning.

For more seasonally specific clothing advice, see Strategies for Managing Cold Temperatures and Strategies for Managing Hot Weather.

Additional Considerations

“Forewarned is forearmed!” Most weather events are predictable and forecasted. Use your school’s existing policies and procedures for environmental emergencies as much as is feasible.

Planning for Mild Weather

In regions and seasons when weather is mild,* schools may choose lower cost infrastructure solutions that do not require overhead protection from sun, rain, or wind. Simple seating can be set up anywhere that is comfortable and convenient on the school grounds and could take advantage of the natural shade provided by existing trees or the north side of the school building.  

*Note: The definition of “mild” may vary by region and even by individual. Consider individual differences and think about offering choices of clothing layers and sunny or shady sitting spots wherever possible. 

Sun hats are all that are needed to keep these outdoor learners comfortable on a mild day.

In most parts of the country, outdoor classrooms will be more comfortable if they have some type of shelter overhead to moderate their exposure to weather — reducing the heat of the sun on warm days and protecting classes from rain. Adding tents and other types of temporary shelter will require a moderate infrastructure investment but will mean that learning can happen outdoors in a wider range of weather conditions. Some schools may decide to make more substantial infrastructure investments in permanent shelters. 

Overhead structures that provide shade and/or shelter from precipitation are key elements to extending the times when outdoor learning can happen. We strongly recommend working with local professionals who have expertise in structural safety (architects, structural engineers, emergency planners, or professionals who sell or set up event tents) as schools choose shelters and plan for installation. In most states, public schools are also required to seek permits for any structures that students will gather beneath. Be sure to follow the permit requirements for your own school in your own location.

In our Shade and Shelter article, we offer a range of ideas about the types of structures — temporary or permanent — that can provide shelter for outdoor activities. 

There are lots of shelter options. Which one is right for your climate and program?

Overhead shelters can extend the times when it is comfortable for learning to happen outdoors.

This permanent timber frame structure will benefit this school for years to come.

PLANNING AHEAD FOR EXTREME WEATHER AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS 

The safety of students is always the top priority, so it is important to plan ahead for the rare occasion when weather or other environmental conditions mean being outside is not feasible. 

This can include excessively high or low temperatures, heavy rain or snow, and high wind, as well as thunder, tornados, earthquakes, and fires.

If extreme weather is predicted, it will most likely not be possible to provide a safe environment for outdoor education. It is important to plan and prepare for extreme weather and emergencies that arise suddenly. Each school or district should have a weather response plan and protocols, and should practice them regularly with students, teachers, and families.

What counts as extreme weather varies by region, but on days when outdoors won’t work, learning will remain indoors.