Tips for little ones on how to stay warm during the winter
Many countries will be going into winter very soon, so it is a good idea to have a look at how you can stay safe in the snow and when it is very cold.
If you stay in a place where it snows, it can be a lot of fun to go outside and play in the snow, but you need to be prepared, even if it is just very cold. Nobody want to get stuck outside freezing.
It is always a good idea to dress in layers, which means you put on a shirt, a long sleeve top and a jacket and scarf for instance - the good thing about layers is you can take some of it off it you are getting warmer or go into a warm place, but if you just have a warm jacket on, you may get too hot, but cannot take it off, because then you will be too cold. So start with a few layers until you feel you can take some of it off.
Put on some warm socks and boots and if you are in an area where there is a lot of snow or ice, make sure that the boots are waterproof and has a sole that will give your grip on the ice that you do not 'slip and slide' or fall and hurt yourself.
You may not know this, but a lot of your body heat escapes through your head, so it is always a good idea to wear a nice warm hat. It will keep the body heat inside and you will feel much more comfortable. A scarf and some gloves will also warm you up very quickly.
If you are planning on playing in the snow, get some waterproof gloves, otherwise your hands will get cold and freezing, because the skin on our hands are sensitive to cold and once your feet and your hands are cold, it will feel like your whole body stays cold and you will have a problem with warming up again.
If you are out in the cold, you still need to drink water or fluids - some nice hot chocolate will also do the trick. Our body still looses water, not only when it is hot, but also when you are breathing hard outside from playing in the cold, so you will have to take care not to dehydrate, so keep the fluids coming.
If you take in hot fluids like soup or hot chocolate, it will also warm you up and the other good thing about it is you will go inside for a while to get out of the cold.
Playing outside can be a lot of fun and we will forget or would not want to go inside, but you will have to listen to your body. If you are feeling very cold or your hands are turning blue or you cannot stop your teeth from 'chattering' or you are shivering a lot, it is a sign that you will have to go in for a while, or dress warmer, because being cold for to long can be bad for you.
If you start feeling dizzy, then that is the last sign that you really need to get inside.
If you stay out in the cold for too long and you are not dressed warm enough, you may have a risk of getting 'frostbite'.
Frostbite is an injury caused by freezing of the skin and underlying tissues. First your skin becomes very cold and red, then numb, hard and pale. Frostbite is most common on the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin. Exposed skin in cold, windy weather is most vulnerable to frostbite
Read the article so that you make sure that you know what frostbite is and what you can do to prevent or treat it, but remember it is always better to try and prevent it, so make sure that you are dressed warmly and your hands and feet are covered properly and you go inside if you are feeling too cold.
