If you are going out exploring with your homeschooled kids this fall, you’ll need to dress for the weather. That’s the only way the kids will stay happy for a long period of time. I’m a nature educator in the Pacific Northwest, and I’m experienced in rain, rain and rain. Did I mention rain? If you have a similar climate, hopefully you’ll find some use in the thoughts below!
I wear wool on my head. That sounds like a confession, but really, it works. Wool does repel water to a degree, but after a few hours it gets waterlogged. If you add a rain jacket hat to the wool on torrential days, it prevents the waterlogging. A fleece-lined or wool hat that goes over the ears is important. Cold ears make you unhappy!
I wear a shirt and a layer of wool under my rain jacket. You could also wear an acrylic sweater or a thick fleece if you run hot or if it is a warm but rainy day. I like a rain jacket that has a hood in case it gets very wet, but I do tend to use a separate hat so that I can look around me. I prefer materials such as nylon that provide an outer wind and waterproof shell.
On the bottom, wool or silk long underwear is good. Wool is thicker than silk, and it’s also easier to find. Silk is thin and warm.
For the top layer of your bottoms, well, we like our rain pants. They’re only sensible if it’s raining, after all. Did I mention that it rains a lot? And really, who likes wet jeans? Ick! If you have older children, choose rain pants that pull down rather than rain pants that have a lot of straps. If you are in the outdoors and need to use nature’s bathroom (aka a tree), this makes it a lot easier. Go with rain pants with as few seams as possible, since they are prone to leak at the seams. I wear my rain pants and boots almost all of the time, since I am always sitting or kneeling on the ground or stepping into puddles when it is damp, even if it is not rainy.
Gloves are a tricky issue. For kids, the Abeko or Puddlegear gloves are fleece-lined and waterproof. I also like wool gloves, since I enjoy having the dexterity in my fingers.
As for boots, I adore my Bogs. Bogs are neoprene, which means that your feet stay both warm and dry, eliminating the need for a lot of layers of socks. Since my daughter and I dislike socks, we like Bogs. The Kamik Kids Cold Weather Rain Boots and Muck Boots are similar.
What do you wear for your fall and winter nature exploration?
Image courtesy of shirleymar at Stock Exchange.