While many PE teachers take activities indoors during the colder months, sometimes PE in cold weather is unavoidable. Whether you're leading cold-weather PE activities on the playground or field, safety, comfort, and preparation are key. Here are five top tips to help keep your lessons running smoothly when the temperature drops.
1. Check the Surface First
Before starting your cold-weather PE session, it is important to check that the ground you will be using is safe. On hard surfaces, you should check for ice or slippery patches. These may not always be obvious, so ensure the whole area has been checked. If working on grass, make sure the ground isn’t frozen solid, as this will increase the risk of injury if a child falls over. If you are satisfied that the space is safe, ensuring all children wear appropriate footwear is vital. You can check out our blog on PE Kits here.
2. Encourage Layering of PE Kit
It may seem obvious, but many children still come to PE underdressed, even in cold weather. For cold-weather lessons, ask children to wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky item. This is because they can take one layer off if they feel too warm without being left in a t-shirt. These layers should include gloves and hats, as heat is lost quickly at the body's extremities. Once children have warmed up, encourage them to remove outer layers. This is because overheating causes sweating, and sweat-soaked clothing in cold air will reduce temperature too quickly, causing the child to become cold again.
3. Start with a Proper Dynamic Warm-Up
In cold weather, warm-ups are more than routine. They're critical to getting the body physically and mentally ready to be physically active and to helping avoid injuries. A good warm-up should include full-body movements to raise heart rate and blood flow around the body, to help keep children warm. Click here for a free lesson plan to give you an example of what that looks like.
4. Stay Hydrated
Cold air can be deceiving, but your pupils must stay hydrated. Reminding children to drink water and providing regular water breaks in your lesson will help, as good hydration can help regulate the body's temperature and avoid feeling too cold.
5. Have a Backup Plan
Sometimes, it’s too cold, or conditions worsen during a lesson. It’s always important to have an indoor PE plan ready as a contingency. Check out our rainy day PE guide for some useful indoor PE ideas. Games like circuit stations, dance-based workouts, or movement and mindfulness activities work well indoors. Download our free Fun PE Warm-Up Games for some ideas on what you could do.
Cold weather doesn’t have to freeze out your PE plans. With the right preparation and flexibility, cold-weather PE can still be fun, engaging, and safe. Bundle up, warm up right, and most of all, enjoy the fresh air!