Winter - How to get your child ready to be outside

The first part of any seasonal transition is shopping for clothes. Involving your child in this process can be helpful. If your child tolerates shopping well, bring them along. If not, you can look at pictures of coats and winter accessories online so your child can pick them out. Your child will be much more motivated to wear a coat if it has her favorite character, boots if they are her favorite color, etc. Pick up some extras that are different textures to give them choices when it’s time to wear them.

Everything depends on your child and his or her needs, but there are some general strategies. For one, stay away from materials like wool, that could be uncomfortable. Many children prefer the soft feel of fleece. Be mindful of tags and seams. If your child doesn’t like wearing anything too bulky, opt for layers with a thin, but warm, coat on top. If your child doesn’t like hats, try a hooded coat or sweatshirt underneath. 

After you buy your winter clothes, it’s time to start preparing and practicing. Below are some tips. 

• Put away all summer clothes. Out of sight, out of mind. 
• Use clear, concise, and direct language. For example “It’s cold outside. We need to wear our coats.”
• Wearing winter clothes is a non-negotiable, but there is a chance that your child needs to feel the cold for themselves in order to understand the need for a coat. As always, safety is the top priority, but you can try opening the door for a few seconds before your child his coat on. 
• Help your child practice wearing his winter coat. If this is difficult for your child, find some highly motivating toys or treats for keeping his coat on. Start by having your child wear his coat for five minutes. If this is too much, start at five seconds. If this is too much, start by having your child put on just the sleeve of the coat. Use a visual timer to show your child how much time is left. Then at the end, give your child the treat for wearing his coat. Build up each time you practice.
• If your child enjoys outdoor winter activities, start by talking about those activities and how much fun they are. Read your child’s favorite books about playing outside in the winter. This will help to build up the “reinforcing value” of wearing a coat.
• Use social stories. The more individualized the social story is, the more effective it will be. Homemade social stories are great. Depending on your child’s abilities, help them come up with the story, write it, and get pictures. It’s best if you can take actual photos of your child doing the activities, but if that’s not an option, look for photos online or in a magazine. If you get stuck on what to write, here’s a starting point that you can build off of. Be sure to tailor it for your child’s age and preferences.