“Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.”  ~Bob Marley

Rain, hail, fog, snow! New York’s four seasons give us magnificent variations of weather. Living on an island changes it up even more! The north shore skies may be blue while the south shore can be enveloped in a violent storm. Our subjective perceptions about weather can impact whether or not a child will embrace the magic of stormy weather or grumble and find it annoying.

Humans can predict, report and plan for weather.  But it still has a mind of its own. In general, inclement weather excites me. I love a walk in the rain accompanied by the sound of droplets hitting my umbrella, listening to an approaching thunderstorm from my porch or watching snow cover my driveway.  

One of my childhood memories is playing in the street after a rainstorm, chasing items placed in the water streaming to the sewer. My mother never said no to going out in the rain. As a matter of fact she never dissuaded me from going out in any weather.  Oh how I cherish the days of playing in giant mounds of snow as a kid. I  played until my fingers went numb from digging in the snow.

When preparing for my classes, the radar becomes my companion, visiting it often to make sure all will be safe outside. Unless there are hazards such as heavy winds, lightning or a blizzard, we will be out there. I teach understanding and respect towards the weather.  Instead of fearing rain or cold, we learn to dress for it and embrace it while we are out.  The Seedlings’ kids have fun memories of being in the woods while the rain fell, stomping in mud puddles and sliding down the hills in the snow.  

As winter storm Gail approaches, talk with your kids about what is happening. Use the weather radar, learn about different snowflakes and when possible dress in layers and get outside. Be safe and enjoy!

Can’t wait to build a snowman! Miss Sue

Here’s a video about snowflakes!