Where's your other mitten?

Someday I would love to know how many times I've asked the children "Where's your other mitten?" over the course of just one winter. It's ridiculous how quickly things can go missing.

(Psst! Parents! Teachers aren't just trying to make your life hard when we say label clothing. Trust me you want to do it because everyone shops at Target and gets the SAME IDENTICAL MITTENS)

Anyways, obviously this post is not as relevant for those living in warm climates, but my experience is teaching in Minnesota and Alaska. Winter gear is around for a good chunk of the school year. And there's always the struggle of what to do with it. How to make sure it has a chance to dry, how to make sure it doesn't get mixed with someone else gear, and how to make sure parents are actually sending their children with warm gear! In an age of car commuting it blows my mind how many don't even wear their jackets to school because they go right from a warm home, to the warm car, into the warm school. And yes, it happens then that they sometimes forget the entire jacket at home!

We've tried having the children stow their gear in a sleeve of their coat. And that's fine when everything is warm and dry in the morning, but after recess who wants to put sopping wet gear inside something you're going to wear again later. Boots had the same problem. And giving things a chance to air out was especially important for those children who had a second outside period.

I"m sure that it's true at every school that space is usually at a premium. Students need to cram their things into too small cubbies already and there's no extra space to spread out hats and mittens to dry.

Enter my favorite fix: The clothesline.

So let's just pretend that I didn't just make a post about giving children beautiful things and recognize that sometimes functionality supersedes it!

Now I've done a similar set-up at both schools. Basically providing each student with three clothespins to hand up a hat and two mittens. The system allows the children to hang up these small items as soon as they take them off to help prevent them from getting lost in the chaos of a transition. When dropping off or picking up parents can quickly get a visual about whether or not their child has these accessories. And it helps keeps getting the clothing from being mixed up with another students.

Now I know this is the wrong season for those in the northern hemisphere but if you are interested in replicating this at your school here are a few tips:

1. Find sturdy string/rope from the hardware store (not twine or cotton string)
2. Super glue the metal clasp to both sides of the clothespins to keep them from snapping apart
3. If possible thread the string THROUGH the metal clasp to keep them on the string better
4. Color code the clothsepins if using one long line for all students instead of individuals
5. Keep some spares handy

And as always, be sure to give a lesson on HOW to use this material. Becasue that's what it really is. A material for the children to use that works best when it's presented, rather than just assuming they'll figure it out!

How to dress your child for the outdoors

J got stuck in the snow. I walked out the door to the playground, pulling on my mittens against the cold and heard her howling. Of course she was at the furthest reaches of our snowy playground. And let me remind you that we had 3 snow days last week. That translates into drifts that are just a few feet short of the eves of the building and have made our fences into short decorations rather than actual blockades. It's been so cold we haven't had recess either and the children haven't made any tracks yet.

So here was J in the middle of that mess, most of her hidden down in a hole the older children had dug in the snow. I let her know I was coming, took a step and immediately sank up to my knee. Oops. Other than a path the elementary children had pounded by coming to borrow our sleds, the yard was still fluffy powder. I waded out to J, got the snow out of her boot and helped her back to more stable ground.

And she was just the first. I fished child after child out of the snow, stuck on countless boots and knocked snow out of at least five pairs of mittens. Luckily they were all so happy to be out playing in the snow that any tears were pretty short lived and no one seemed bothered by the cold. At least while we were outside, when we went in and took stuff off it was a different story.

So if you ever have a need to buy winter clothes for a child (especially a montessori one!) keep these things in mind-

1. That elastic band at the bottom of snowpants? Make sure they have it and that you child knows it goes OVER the boot, not inside it. I had quite a few children who were completely amazed when I explained that it had a purpose.

2. Mittens that go OVER their jacket. Hand wear that goes inside makes it impossible to finish the dressing process. I have trouble doing a zipper with mittens of gloves on my hand, and I've had over two decades of experience. Sorry but a three or four year old has no chance.

3. A hat that really goes OVER the ears, and those with ear flaps are even better. Your child's hat will fall off. They will need to put it on again. They will have gloves on. It will be difficult. Giving them that little extra bit to grab at will make it easier.

Hm....maybe I should make this into a note to send it home to parents. It would certainly help keep my own hands warmer at recess by not having to fix those mittens and snowpants over and over again...

Trust me kid, it's worth it!