I need some advice and I sure can't find anything on any other pediatric health site.

The preschool where my daughter attends insists on having the children play outside in temperatures down to 0 degree windchill factor. I think this is too damned cold for kids who don't know when their skin may be experiencing frostbite. They are outside for 1/2 hour.

However, I cannot find anything on any websites. They just say how to look for signs of frostbite. Well, frankly I don't want my daughter to have signs of frostbite BEFORE she is taken inside. But I can't seem to find evidence to back up my concerns.

She has Down syndrome and presently lacks the common sense to know when to complain about being cold.

Any advice or opinions??

Check the Day Nurseries Act for your area or even your local school board for regulations involving minimum and maximum temperatures that children are permitted to play outside in. Where I live, I believe the lowest temperature that my kids (both in school) are allowed out is -12 and +32 degrees celsius. My old daycare provider followed these guidelines as well.

For reference, the risk of frostbite is low at temperatures as low as -27oC provided warm clothing is worn and activity is maintained. Search the internet for frostbite information and you may be a little more comfortable with your child's outdoor play.

I cannot imagine why kids would WANT to play outside in such cold weather. I would definately say something! Ask your daughter about it too, if she gets cold ect... That is crazy to me. When I was in elemetary school we had indoor recess when it was cold.

I just saw a windchill chart in the newspaper and it showed how long it would take for skin to freeze with a certain windchill. For the windchill to be 0, the temp would be 15 degrees F with a slight wind and they showed no risk of skin freezing within a short period of time, if at all.

DS is 2 and goes outside with his daycare and he wears mittens, snow pants, boots and a coat. He loves it! They don't go outside when there are subzero temps or high winds or rain. I like the idea that he gets to go outside to play and the teachers go out with him.

As long as the children are correctly dressed for the weather there is no problem playing outside for a short while, it actually has benefits.
I am a great believer in cold weather killing off germs.
After being cooped up in a school its lovely to get cold then come back into the warm.
Also how do you expect children to learn the difference in temepatures and weather if you never let them experience it, children love playing in the snow and when its raining splashing in the puddles. When its icy its great fun cracking puddles and sliding, kicking leaves in the autumn or walking on frozen leaves hearing them crunch in winter. My list is endless.
there are schools in Scandanavia who spend the majority of there time learning out doors, my friend in Moscow has parents insisting she take them out for play for half an hour at -15. that I think may be a bit cold!

Let your child play. whatever the weather, there is no such thing as wrong weather for play, only wrong clothing!

Make sure you bundle them up. Like everyone said up above. Also, make sure you keep her moisturized. Including lips. It helps from getting wind burnt skin. I just recently got the neosporin lip treatment and it worked pretty good. Just stay away from camphor. It is in carmex. The neosporin numbs the lips some and tastes lemony. My children didn't mind it much.